F1 circuit ready for surprise return to calendar as Lewis Hamilton gets good news
The F1 calendar could be heading for an unexpected shake-up.
The Portuguese Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton won both races in 2020 and 2021, is allegedly ready to return to the calendar in 2027. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro released a statement earlier this week explaining that the nation has ‘everything ready’ to finalise a return to the schedule.
The Portuguese GP, which is hosted at the popular Portimao circuit, stepped in to host during the shortened COVID-19-affected season in 2020, and remained on the calendar in 2021. Both years, Hamilton dominated the races. Now, after a four-year absence, the race is ready to return. "One of the circumstances that most contributes to the promotion of this region is the major events,” Prime Minister Montenegro explained.
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“We secured the MotoGP, the flagship event of world motorcycling, for 2025 and 2026. And I can tell you that we have everything ready to formalise the return of Formula One to the Algarve next year, in 2027.
"These events require some financial effort on the part of the government, but they provide a return, both direct and indirect, through promotion, that is truly worthwhile.”
However, Portugal isn’t the only country vying for a return to the F1 grid. With the calendar now maxed out at 24 races and few venues willing to concede their positions on the schedule, competition is ever-increasing.
Thailand, South Africa, Argentina, Turkiye and South Korea are among the countries that are pushing to host races. Like Portimao, the Turkish Grand Prix was also a fixture of the COVID-19-affected season, and is pushing for a return to the calendar.
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Speaking to Motorsport Turkey, the president of the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation, Eren Uclertopragi, confirmed the plan. “There is a strong commitment from the government to bring Turkey back into the Formula One calendar with a permanent and long-term agreement," he said. “As is known, the 2026 calendar has already been announced.
“Nevertheless, in the event that a race cannot be held for various reasons, we could host the Turkish Grand Prix. However, unlike during the pandemic, we do not want to host a one-off replacement race; instead, we aim to secure a place on the calendar through a long-term contract.”
With so many nations pushing for the rights to host F1 races, CEO Stefano Domenicali is investigating the possibility of race rotation. The Belgian Grand Prix and Spanish Grand Prix are expected to meet this fate in years to come, with the idea being to swap places annually, hosting every other year.