Gulf 12H Organizers Confirm ‘GT Grand Finals’ Event in Istanbul

Photo: TOSFED İstanbul Park

Istanbul Park will welcome back international GT racing, following confirmation of Driving Force Events’s ‘GT Grand Finals/Istanbul’, a new sprint race event that’s aimed to bring a close to the European racing season.

Eligible to all GT machinery, the event is scheduled for Nov. 8 at the Hermann Tilke-designed circuit, which opened in 2005 but has largely been dormant in recent years until the recent announcement of Formula 1’s return to Turkey in 2027.

The track, however, has previously hosted nine F1 Grands Prix, as well as rounds of the FIA GT Championship, Le Mans Series and DTM.

According to event promoters, the GT Grand Finals has been has been designed to “minimize operational complexity” while keeping participation “straightforward and cost-effective.”

It comes after Driving Force Events elected to cancel the next running of the Gulf 12 Hours, originally scheduled for January 2027, due to the continued conflict int he Middle East.

The new event will be held over three days, with Fri. Nov. 6 featuring free practice, with additional practice on Saturday and three races, each approximately one-hour in length on Sunday.

There will be no refueling or mandatory tire changes, allowing teams to operate at significantly lower running costs.

The event will be open to all homologated GT cars, with FIA GT3 as the headline class, while each car may be entered by one, two or three drivers according to each team’s sporting and operational preferences.

Driver eligibility has also been broadened.

Competitors holding either a national or international licence issued by any FIA-affiliated ASN are welcome, making the event accessible to a far wider community of GT racers than traditional international championships.

Event promoters state that it will offer a three-day ferry service for teams’ trucks from France or Italy, minimizing time lost in transit.

Additionally, Customs formalities and local logistics will be handled by an “experienced partner with extensive” Formula 1 and FIA World Rally Championship expertise.

The Nov. 6-8 date clashes with the season finale of the FIA World Endurance Championship, which will either be held at Bahrain International Circuit or Monza.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John