PERMANENT CİRCUİT

İstanbul Park

İstanbul, TÜRKİYE

DriftTime-TrialDragF3Rally
İstanbul Park
5.338
KM
2005
OPENED
125000
CAPACITY
6
RACES

ABOUT THE CIRCUIT

Location & Architecture

Istanbul Park sits in the Akfırat district of Tuzla, on Istanbul's Asian side, and is Türkiye's most developed motorsport facility. Construction began in 2003; the circuit was designed by celebrated German architect Hermann Tilke and officially opened on 21 August 2005. Tilke is also the designer behind Shanghai International Circuit, Bahrain International Circuit and Yas Marina.

Circuit Character

The full 5.338 km main layout features 14 corners — 6 right-handers and 8 left-handers. One of its signature properties is the anti-clockwise direction of travel, a rare trait on the modern Formula 1 calendar that imposes unusual lateral load on a driver's neck.

The track's legendary corner is the four-apex left-hander, Turn 8. Taken nearly flat-out, the sustained sequence subjects drivers to lateral forces of up to 6G, making it one of the most physically demanding corners in modern motorsport. The 2005 grand prix recorded a top speed of 329 km/h.

Formula 1 Legacy

Istanbul Park hosted the Formula 1 Turkish Grand Prix for seven consecutive seasons (2005-2011). Kimi Räikkönen won the inaugural race for McLaren-Mercedes. Felipe Massa and Ferrari hold the venue record with three wins each — its most successful driver and constructor.

After dropping off the calendar in 2012, the circuit returned in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 reshuffle. The 2021 race is remembered for Valtteri Bottas's mastery on a wet surface for Mercedes. The Turkish Grand Prix is scheduled to return between 2027 and 2031.

APEXMASTERS Drift Use

While Istanbul Park is best known for its F1 history, the APEXMASTERS Türkiye Drift Şampiyonası does not use the full circuit layout. To date, every drift event at the venue has been held on a short section comprising only the final three corners. This compact drift course tests drivers with sequential transitions and tight-angle handovers — entirely separate from the long straights and Turn 8 of the main track.

Concentrating on the last three corners packs angle, transition flow and line discipline into a small, judging-friendly footprint that also benefits crowd visibility. Beyond the spectator angle, it is a practical choice as well: drift tyres, transition responsiveness and driver concentration all benefit from a short, dense layout instead of a full F1 lap.

Notable Details

The venue is currently operated by TOSFED (Türkiye Otomobil Sporları Federasyonu — the Turkish motorsport federation) and officially carries the name TOSFED Istanbul Park. Beyond Formula 1, the circuit has hosted MotoGP, the World Touring Car Championship and TCR Europe. For APEXMASTERS, it remains the most strategically positioned motorsport venue in Türkiye.

RACES AT THIS CIRCUIT