Despite a track that drivers loved (especially its iconic Turn 8), and it being right on the doorstep of the kind of destination city Formula 1 so loves, the Turkish Grand Prix had failed previously to establish itself as a permanent fixture on the calendar.
After arriving to much fanfare in 2005, it was dropped after 2011.
Race organisers had baulked at the high hosting fee, the government did not want to bankroll it, and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone was left unhappy about a lack of promotion that meant race attendances were low.
It briefly returned during the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021 before once again falling away from the spotlight.
Fast forward to now and, with a five-year deal that has put it back on the calendar in 2027, the situation surrounding the Istanbul Park is very different and signals the start of a new chapter for Istanbul Park.
One critical thing is staying the same - the track configuration.
But on many fronts the Turkish Grand Prix’s bosses are planning to change a lot of things.
The Race has spoken to Eren Uclertopragi, president of the Turkish Automobile Federation (TOSFED), to find out what is being done and why organisers are confident it can now establish itself for the long term.
Paddock modernisation
Work is already underway to expand and modernise the pits and paddock complex.
As Uclertopragi explains: “We are expanding the paddock, so the capacity will be doubled.
“The infrastructure will be done from scratch – beginning from race control and expanding to the surrounding roads.”
A clear priority is to improve the fan experience, with work going on to try to cover as many of the grandstands as possible. There will be expansive fan zones.
A lot of effort is also going into ensuring that the track delivers on the corporate hospitality front, which has become a lot more important for F1 since the last time the Turkish GP was on the calendar.
“We are looking into top quality secondary hospitality – especially at our famous Turn 8,” added Uclertopragi. “We want to give everyone the best experience that we can.”
Better access
The remote location of the Istanbul Park circuit meant in the past it could be a bit of a traffic headache getting in and out each day.
For its return, organisers want to deliver a much improved experience, which is why a lot of thought has gone into ensuring things work better outside the track.
Uclertopragi said: “We want to prioritise the fan experience, which starts with traffic control and management.
“The surrounding roads have been constructed in a new way to make sure traffic flow is much better.”
No slippery track surface repeat
The Turkish GP’s return in 2020 grabbed attention as drivers battled an extremely slippery track surface - that some compared to racing on an ice rink.
The situation had been caused by last-minute resurfacing, which meant that the oils that are released when asphalt is freshly laid were being released.
The situation improved for 2021, with water blasting helping eradicate any further headaches, and Uclertopragi says there should be no concerns about any problems this time around because the track should be well rubbered in.
“We were not a big fan of resurfacing the layer with that short period of time [before the 2020 race],” he said. “It was a new surface and there were no races prior to F1.
“The surface will remain the same as it is now, but there are 30 weeks of track action around Istanbul Park every year and once we have finished the renovation and upgrades, we will start again holding national and international races prior to F1.”
No rush to be back
The return of the Turkish GP to the calendar in 2027 inevitably prompted some speculation earlier in the year that it could be a contender for an event later this year if F1 needed some replacement for Middle East races.
But despite the obvious attraction of getting an early slot, Uclertopragi said that it was never on his radar to rush things.
Instead, he thinks it better to wait until work at Istanbul Park is properly finished - rather than hosting something that is only half ready.
“We want to have a race, but a proper race, a properly prepared race for the upcoming season,” he said when asked about the possibility of a potential slot this year.
“I haven't had any discussions with either the FIA or F1 [on a 2026 race] and I didn’t have a request for it.
“We have a timeline. I want to stick to my timeline.”
Imola has instead emerged as F1’s Plan B season finale if Qatar and Abu Dhabi cannot happen.
A more secure future
One key difference to before is that the Turkish Grand Prix has much more direct backing from the government.
Previously the Turkish government has declined to help subsidise the race hosting fees, as it preferred for the event to be run by private companies only.
Now there is a new arrangement, with a government-led 30-year tender arrangement in place that has created a private-public partnership that involves the operating company, Can Holdings, and TOSFED.
Uclertopragi believes this arrangement has given the Turkish GP a much more solid foundation in the past - which means it can invest for the long term.
“For the first time ever, we are receiving great support from our state, and this time it will be fully backed by the state,” he said.
“TOSFED has always been good at arranging races from the sporting side, but now we will bring our expertise and our discipline onto the commercial side as a promoter as well.”
He added: “The worst part was, prior to our management, the circuit was managed by a private company, and their priority was not the sport, not the fans, not F1. So we unfortunately had problems with regards to the fan experience.”
from The Race https://ift.tt/K32sFjR
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