In April 2010 Formula One motor racing returns to Istanbul Park for the 6th Turkish F1 Grand Prix. The 5.3km track is in Asian Turkey on the eastern side of the Bosphorus, just outside Istanbul, close to the new Sabiha Gocken Airport. Practice for the race begins on Friday 23rd April 2010, with qualifying on the Saturday and Race Day on Sunday 25th April 2010. For hotels Istanbul city itself offers the largest choice and availability. The race circuit is easily accessible off the main E-80 out of Istanbul. Hotels in the local vicinity around Istanbul Park are likely to be booked up much more quickly than in the city.

What to expect

The Turkish GP has become an important fixture on the F1 race calendar. Its claim to fame is that the circuit runs anticlockwise, so making it more challenging for drivers who are used to approaching other tracks clockwise. Adding further Turkish spice to the occasion are the many undulations around the 14-corner track, which increases demand on engines as well as driver concentration. Istanbul Park has the capacity to seat 130,000 people.

The inaugural Turkish F1 Grand Prix in 2005 was run close to the end of the season in August. Kimi Raikkonen won the 58-lap race en-route to becoming runner-up in the 2005 championship to Spaniard Fernando Alonso. The following three years saw the race move forward to an early summer slot in June – timing that appeared to be to the liking of Ferrari driver Felipe Massa, who won here in each of the three seasons.

2009 saw Jenson Button win in Turkey for Brawn-Mercedes. Will his feat be repeated in 2010 or will there be a new name to add to the winners rostrum at Istanbul Park?

Explore Istanbul

Istanbul is a vibrant modern city rich in heritage and steeped in tradition. Sometimes described as a cultural melting pot, it is East meets West, quite literally, over the Bosphorus River that divides the European landmass from Asia. Stay on a few days after the 2010 Turkish GP and immerse yourself in what this fabulous city has to offer. With everything from architecturally impressive buildings that have stood the test of time, to shopping at one of the world’s largest covered markets or relaxing on the pristine stretches of sand alongside the Black Sea, you won’t be disappointed!