F1 | Turkey back on the 2021 Formula One calendar to replace cancelled Singapore Grand Prix
Formula 1 have announced that the race at Istanbul Park will be back on the calendar and will replace the Singapore Grand Prix in early October.
Following the cancellation of the Singapore Grand Prix, which was set to take place between October 1st and 3rd, Formula One have announced they will go back racing in Istanbul.
We're excited to confirm that Turkey will re-join the 2021 calendar!
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 25, 2021
We return to Intercity Istanbul Park from October 1-3, the original date of the Singapore Grand Prix#TurkishGP 🇹🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/PaSnw97Kk7
Originally, F1’s intentions was to race in Turkey to make up for the cancelled Canadian GP. However, earlier this season, even the Turkish GP was cut off from the 2021 schedule due to international travel restrictions put in place by the UK government and that would have prevented most of the teams from attending the event.
The promoter of the Turkish race had always been in favour of hosting a race around the Intercity Istanbul Park circuit and requested to re-join the calendar later in the season, if feasible.
"After discussions with other promoters we are confident that we will be able to travel to the following race under our strict safety protocols,” a statement from F1 says.
"The Formula 1 community will continue to travel this season with stringent safety measures that has allowed us to travel safely this season. […] 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.”
If there’s a team excited to go back racing in Istanbul Park that’s Mercedes – in 2020, Turkey returned to the F1 calendar after nine years and hosted one of the most memorable races of the year as Lewis Hamilton secured his seventh world title with a win in rainy conditions.
The Turkish GP brings the 2021 F1 calendar back up to 23 races and will form a triple-header – with Turkey slotting in between Russia and Japan.
While Turkey remains on the British government's 'red list', requiring everyone who is returning from the country to complete 10 days of quarantine, FIA officials are fairly confident this will not be an issue as those travelling on to Japan will be outside of the 10-day window for red list countries.
This season calendar might be subject to further changes as some late-season events, including the Brazilian Grand Prix and the Australian Grand Prix, are still question marks. F1 might be considering a second race at the Circuit of The Americas to partner with the United States Grand Prix, but has not yet held any advanced talks with the track about doing so.
