F1: Turkey back on 2021 F1 calendar

Formula 1 have announced that the Turkish Grand Prix will return to the calendar this season, with the race at Istanbul Park set to take place in early October, on the weekend originally scheduled to host the Singapore Grand Prix.

Following the news that the Marina Bay race cannot go ahead as planned on October 3rd, F1 will instead be racing around Intercity Istanbul Park – the circuit where Lewis Hamilton clinched his seventh World Championship title last year.

Earlier this season the Turkish Grand Prix was removed from the calendar due to international travel restrictions but at the time the promoter had requested the potential to re-join the calendar later in the season if possible.

A statement from F1 said: “After discussions with other promoters we are confident that we will be able to travel to the following race under our strict safety protocols.

“The Formula 1 community will continue to travel this season with stringent safety measures that has allowed us to travel safely this season. So far this season we have conducted over 44,000 tests with 27, positive cases a rate of 0.06%, with most coming during the earlier part of the season.

“Alongside this a significant proportion of the F1 community has been vaccinated already and we are confident that all will have had the opportunity to do so by the end of the summer. We will continue to operate in a way that protects the safety of our personnel and the communities we visit.”

Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula1, said: “We are delighted to be coming back to Turkey to Intercity Istanbul Park circuit. We hope to see another fantastic race again in one of the best tracks in the world.

“We want to thank the Intercity Istanbul Park management and Mr. Vural Ak for his personal efforts to make this event to happen. We have shown that we can continue to adapt and there is huge interest in our sport and the hope from many locations to have a Grand Prix.

“We have had very good conversations with all the other promoters since the start of the year and continue to work closely with them during this period.”