Istanbul Park, Racing Circuit

Istanbul Park is a permanent road course at Akfirat on the Asian side of Istanbul, Turkey, set in rolling countryside with substantial elevation change across its layout. Ground was broken in September 2003 and the circuit opened in August 2005, in time to host the inaugural Turkish Grand Prix, with construction funded by a mix of government and private money. Designed by Hermann Tilke and widely regarded as among his finest work, the track runs anticlockwise after Tilke switched the intended direction to produce a more demanding lap. Its signature feature is the long, multi-apex Turn 8, nicknamed Diabolica, a fast left-hander often compared to corners such as Eau Rouge. The Grand Prix configuration measures roughly 5.33 km with 14 turns, including a Turn 1 that drops downhill before climbing again and a back straight broken by an uphill kink. Formula One raced here from 2005 to 2011 and again in 2020 and 2021, when the circuit was fully resurfaced under Tilke's supervision. Beyond F1, the venue hosted the World Touring Car Championship, DTM, the Le Mans Series and MotoGP in its early years, plus World Superbikes and World Rallycross later on. After early success, falling crowds saw most major series depart, and the operating and naming rights passed to the Intercity car-rental group in 2012. A shorter Intermediate Circuit of about 3.93 km is also available for smaller events.

Operated by: Istanbul Park