Operation of Istanbul Park Transferred to TOSFED

Motorsport News from Türkiye
Author: Mustafa Odabaşı
Creation: 19 October 2026

Istanbul Park is no longer in the hands of a private company, but of TOSFED, Turkish motorsport's own institutional umbrella, and the priority is not profit but service to the sport.

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The operating responsibility of Istanbul Park has passed to the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation, namely TOSFED. This development, announced at the Federation's 9th Financial General Assembly held in Ankara, was presented by president Eren Üçlertoprağı as a turning point in the circuit's history. Türkiye's most important race circuit is now operated not by a private company but by the sport's own institutional umbrella; the priority was defined not as commercial profit but as serving athletes, clubs, and Turkish motorsport.

Highlights

The entire operating responsibility of Istanbul Park has been transferred to TOSFED; the announcement was made at the Financial General Assembly on October 13, 2026.
An international karting circuit, 1.2 kilometers long, capable of hosting the World Karting Championship, will be built at the exit of the circuit's Turn 7.
The Formula 1 Türkiye Grand Prix will be run at the circuit on October 1-3, 2027; the agreement is for 5 years.
In the 2026 season, the circuit operated with a full calendar, including its first national race weekend in nine years.

Who Is the Operator of Istanbul Park Now?

The circuit has not seen many hands over the last thirty years, but in the past few years the operating model has undergone a rapid transformation. Can Bilim, which won the tender held in April 2024, took over the circuit for 30 years, and the eviction process was completed at the end of May 2024. Recalling that the operating rights had previously also been held by another private company, we can say that the circuit has always been in private hands in Türkiye. In early 2025, this picture changed: the circuit's entire operating responsibility was given to TOSFED.

The transfer was taken up and extensively explained at the Federation's 9th Financial General Assembly held in Ankara on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. Üçlertoprağı stated that the federation and the community have been dealing with this issue for the past two years, and emphasized that comprehensive renovation and renewal work will be carried out at the circuit. The main goal in taking over the operation is clear: for the circuit to serve athletes, clubs, and Turkish sport.

This is actually a familiar story when viewed from a thirty-year perspective. In the past, the facility management was run as a commercial lessor-tenant relationship; now the institution is in the hands of the sport's own federation. TOSFED had already listed its goals in its public statement in 2023: attracting international races, starting with F1, to Türkiye, developing Turkish automobile and motor sports and its industry, and increasing sports tourism capacity. The circuit's transfer to the federation means these goals gain institutional ownership.

How Is the Renovation at the Circuit Progressing?

Istanbul Park, whose foundation was laid in 2003, is a facility 5,338 meters long, with 14 turns (6 right, 8 left) and a capacity of approximately 150,000 spectators. It is located in Akfırat, Tuzla, a short distance from Sabiha Gökçen. Considering that we are talking about a facility over twenty years old, it is not hard to estimate how necessary a comprehensive renovation is.

Renovation and modernization work has already begun as of September 2026. The first item on the agenda is the spectator side: an increase in capacity at the circuit is planned, and covering the grandstands ahead of major events is being discussed. The aim is to host guests with higher capacity and greater comfort. A cautious reading is advisable here; it is assessed that there is no hasty plan regarding the calendar return, and that the process is being carried out step by step. One scenario kept on the table is the possibility that the 2027 return could make Istanbul Park an alternative if some races in the Middle East that year are cancelled.

Let us summarize the circuit's technical identity in a table:

Feature	Information
Location	Akfırat, Tuzla / Istanbul
Circuit length	5,338 meters
Number of corners	14 (6 right, 8 left)
Spectator capacity	Approximately 150,000
Groundbreaking	2003
Paddock area	60,000 m²

Why Is the Karting Circuit So Important?

One of the most concrete projects announced by the federation's management is an international-standard karting circuit to be built inside the circuit. The plan is a facility 1.2 kilometers long, capable of hosting the World Karting Championship, located at the exit of the main circuit's Turn 7. This is an extremely significant step considering that karting in Türkiye has not yet settled onto a serious infrastructure level.

The management's approach to the project is also clear: with the construction of the karting circuit, the goal is to train Formula 1 drivers. Those who have been in this business for many years know it; the road to Formula 1 almost always goes through karting. Raising local drivers means training future champions in the shadow of the main circuit, starting from the lowest rung. If Türkiye wants to increase the number of drivers competing internationally, it must build the lower link of this chain completely. The karting circuit will fill exactly this missing link.

On Which Dates Is the F1 Turkish Grand Prix in 2027?

The Formula 1 Turkish Grand Prix will be run at TOSFED Istanbul Park on October 1-3, 2027 . The circuit is on the calendar with a 5-year agreement starting from 2027. The same weekend, the F2 and F3 categories will also race at Istanbul Park as support races; this turns the event into a motorsport festival far broader in scope than a mere Formula 1 race. Youth and Sports Minister Osman Askin Bak tested the facility by driving on the circuit ahead of the race to be held in 2027 after a 5-year gap.

In fact, when the 2026 calendar was announced, circuit officials had stated they were ready in case of a possible race cancellation. In other words, the circuit's return had always been on the agenda as a possibility partly dependent on gaps in the calendar. What is certain now is the official date for 2027 and the 5-year commitment. Moreover, Formula 1 is not the only item on the circuit's agenda: WEC, the World Endurance Championship, is also counted among the possible events. Among the events that have been hosted at or are targeted for the circuit are F2, F3, World RX, endurance races, GT series, MotoGP and WSBK.

How Does the Federation-Operated Circuit Reflect on Everyday Sport?

İstanbul Park artık yalnızca yarış günleri değil, kendi aracıyla pist seansı yapan amatör sürücülerle de nefes alan bir spor tesisi.

While preparing a circuit for F1 is one thing, the circuit's everyday use is just as important. In the 2026 season, İstanbul Park ran with a busy calendar that included its first national race weekend in nine years. The opening rounds of the AVIS 2026 Türkiye Circuit Championship were held on May 9-10 with 25 cars; the 3rd round was on August 29-30, and the 4th and 5th rounds were at the circuit on October 9 and 11. In the season finale, 11 thousand spectators watched the 5th round races; in the Maxi class, Galip Atar (Ülkü Motorsport) and Seda Kaçan Bakan (Texaco Team AMS) took victories.

Outside the championship, the TOSFED Track Faest event, where participants could run sessions on the circuit with their own cars, was held on October 10, 2026. The circuit's revenue model is also based on this diversity: team and test rentals, special packages for automotive brands, session-based circuit days for speed enthusiasts, fairs, festivals and car meets, and the rental of the 60,000 m² paddock area for events. This shows that the federation keeps the circuit open not only for major events, but also for hobby and commercial use.

What Does This Mean for the Institutional Structure of Turkish Motorsport?

TOSFED is Türkiye's official motorsport federation and an FIA member, covering all disciplines from rallying to circuit racing. The organization took the name TOMSFED in 1993 with the inclusion of motorcycle disciplines, and reached its current structure in 2003. So the circuit's transfer is not a coincidence, but a continuation of steps taken toward institutionalization over many years.

On the federation's 2026 agenda, İstanbul Park is not alone: Formula Student was held at the TOSFED Körfez Race Circuit on September 23-27; karting (Tuzla, Körfez), offroad (Sakarya Karasu final), hillclimb (Şile) and drag (Konya) championships were also held in the same period. In other words, while taking over the circuit's operation, the federation did not neglect its activities in other disciplines. Another point Üçlertoprağı's remarks indicate is that the economic and sporting added value created by the circuit has begun to spread across the entire motorsport community. This can be read as meaning that the revenue obtained during the private operation era will be more visibly returned to the sport; but time will tell.

My opinion is this: the circuit's transfer to the federation was an expected but always postponed step for Turkish motorsport. If the construction of the karting circuit, the preparations for F1's return, and the national championship running with a full calendar all progress together, İstanbul Park can cease to be merely a race circuit and become the center of Turkish motorsport. Of course, this requires the renewal calendar to hold and 2027 to meet expectations; this work cannot be rushed, but there is no luxury in delaying it either.