Felipe Massa Returns to Istanbul for F1 Comeback
Felipe Massa walked back into Istanbul this week not as a driver chasing tenths, but as a man retracing the steps of his own legend.
Before he climbs back into a Formula 1 car for a commemorative test at Istanbul Park to mark 20 years since his first grand prix victory, the Brazilian spent Saturday moving through the city that shaped a defining chapter of his career.
He started underground. Massa toured the Basilica Cistern, the sixth-century reservoir hidden beneath Istanbul’s Historic Peninsula, a cool, echoing contrast to the heat and roar he once knew at Turn 8. From there he emerged into the heart of the old city, visiting the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and Sultanahmet Square, drifting through the kind of postcard Istanbul that most fans only see on television.
Hosted by the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Massa’s day was part nostalgia, part soft launch for the city’s return to the F1 map. He later appeared at an “F1 Movie Night” at the Atatürk Cultural Center’s open-air venue in Taksim, swapping race overalls for the role of guest of honour in front of local fans.
The “King of Istanbul” comes home
Few modern drivers are tied to a single circuit the way Massa is to Istanbul Park. Between 2006 and 2008 he owned the place. Three straight wins for Ferrari, three of the 11 victories that defined his F1 career, and a record that earned him a title that has stuck: the “King of Istanbul.”
“I love Türkiye, I love Istanbul. I am very happy to be back after so long. Istanbul is a very special city for me. I experienced some of the best moments of my life and career here,” he said, leaning into the bond that has never really faded.
He spoke again about what makes Istanbul Park such a driver’s circuit: the blend of high- and low-speed corners, the constant elevation changes, and, of course, that brutal, sweeping eighth corner, a multi-apex test that batters neck muscles and rewards bravery. Even in retirement, you sense he still feels every G-force in his memory.
Istanbul’s 2027 F1 return
All this nostalgia is not just for show. Istanbul is coming back.
The Istanbul Grand Prix is set to rejoin the Formula 1 calendar for a five-year run starting with the October 1–3, 2027 weekend. For a city that stepped in as a stand-in venue during disrupted seasons and delivered spectacular races, this is a full reinstatement.
Asked what the modern grid might make of the place, Massa did not hesitate. He sees Istanbul Park as tailor-made for drivers like Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, racers who thrive on rhythm and commitment. He expects the grandstands to respond in kind, predicting strong local interest once the circus returns to the Asian side of the city.
His own record there — three consecutive wins — hangs over any future champion. Massa admitted it may not stand forever and pointed to Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen and Norris as the kind of talents who could one day string together a similar streak.
Between Mercedes power and Ferrari loyalty
Massa also allowed himself a hypothetical: if he were to return to F1 today, who would he drive for?
On form, he nodded towards Mercedes, acknowledging their current competitiveness in the era’s power struggle. But the answer was never going to be that simple. When it came to his heart, he circled back to Ferrari, calling the team “family” and making clear that, for him, the Scuderia is more than just an employer from the past. It is home.
That sense of unfinished business still lingers when the conversation turns to 2008. Massa again underlined his belief that his championship bid that year was compromised by the “Crashgate” scandal, the manipulated race in Singapore that continues to cast a shadow over that season’s outcome.
He has not let it drop. Legal action against the FIA, FOM and former F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone remains in motion, a long-running fight to challenge the legitimacy of the final standings from that year. The case is ongoing, the emotions clearly not diluted by time.
Schumacher, mentorship and legacy
For all the talk of circuits, lawsuits and future stars, Massa’s voice softened when the subject turned to Michael Schumacher. He described the seven-time world champion not just as a teammate at Ferrari, but as a mentor who became “like family.”
Those years alongside Schumacher forged the driver who later ruled Istanbul. The guidance in debrief rooms, the data overlays, the quiet words in the garage — all of it fed into the man who now walks through Istanbul’s historic streets as a champion of a different kind.
Next comes the test run at Istanbul Park, a car, a track and a driver reunited two decades on. The city will soon welcome the full F1 grid again in 2027. The question now is simple: when the engines fire up for real, who will dare to chase down the King’s record on the asphalt where he once reigned?
