Felipe Massa Returns to Istanbul: The King of F1 Celebrates 20 Years

Felipe Massa walked back into Istanbul this weekend not as a current Formula 1 driver, but as a man returning to the scene of his making.

Twenty years on from his first F1 victory, the Brazilian is back in the city that turned him from promising talent into a grand prix winner, preparing to celebrate the anniversary with a test drive at Istanbul Park in the coming days. Before the engine noise returns, though, he chose something quieter: history, stone, and memory.

He spent his Saturday moving through Istanbul’s old heart. Down in the cool half-light of the Basilica Cistern on the Historic Peninsula, then out into the glare around Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and Sultanahmet Square. From the Asian side’s modern circuit to the European side’s ancient spine, Massa traced a route that mirrored his own story here – old emotions stirred by familiar surroundings.

Hosted by the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, he also appeared at an “F1 Movie Night” at the open-air Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) in Taksim, meeting fans who still remember exactly what he did in red around this city’s track.

The Reign at Istanbul Park

They still call him the “King of Istanbul,” and the numbers justify it.

Between 2006 and 2008, Massa owned Istanbul Park in Ferrari colours. Three straight wins, three of the 11 victories he collected in his Formula 1 career, all on this undulating ribbon of asphalt on the city’s Asian side. No one else has matched that streak here.

He has never hidden what the place means to him.

“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, tying his personal peak years directly to this circuit.

For drivers, Istanbul Park is no postcard backdrop. It’s a test. High-speed and low-speed corners, constant elevation changes, and that infamous Turn 8, a long, punishing left-hander that hammers the neck and exposes the brave.

Massa knows it intimately. He knows exactly how hard those G-forces hit, how much commitment the lap demands, and what it takes to dominate the place three years in a row.

Looking Ahead to 2027

The story of Istanbul and Formula 1 is not finished.

The Istanbul Grand Prix is scheduled to return to the calendar for a five-year run starting on the weekend of October 1–3, 2027. For a city that embraced the sport quickly and for a circuit that drivers routinely praise, it feels like a long-overdue restoration.

Asked about the race’s comeback, Massa’s eyes were already on the next generation. He sees Istanbul Park as fertile ground for aggressive, confident racers such as Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, and he expects the grandstands to respond.

He also knows his own record is now a target. Three consecutive wins here is the benchmark, but he did not pretend it is untouchable. He name-checked Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen and Norris as the kind of talents who could one day string together a similar run and knock the “King of Istanbul” from that particular throne.

For now, though, the crown still sits on his head.

Loyalty, Legacy and an Unfinished Fight

Massa’s weekend in Istanbul was not only about nostalgia and tourism. His career remains very much alive in another arena: the courtroom.

He again underlined his belief that the 2008 F1 championship slipped away because of the “Crashgate” scandal. His legal action against the FIA, commercial rights holder FOM and former F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone continues, a long, stubborn pursuit of what he considers a title wrongly lost. The case is ongoing, the outcome uncertain, but the determination has not faded with time.

On the hypothetical question of a modern F1 return, Massa answered with the clarity of a man who has seen eras rise and fall. Mercedes, he admitted, would be the logical sporting choice right now given their competitiveness. Yet his heart remains elsewhere. Ferrari, he said, is still “family” – the team that shaped his career, the colours he wore when Istanbul became his kingdom.

That sense of family stretches back to the most decorated driver he ever shared a garage with. Massa spoke again about racing alongside seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher at Ferrari, describing him as a mentor who became “like family.” Those years, those battles, those debriefs – they formed the driver who then came to Istanbul and dominated.

Now, as he walks through cisterns and across squares instead of pit lanes and paddocks, Istanbul is preparing for its own return to the global stage in 2027. The track will welcome a new generation of fearless drivers. The records will come under threat.

And somewhere in the stands, or perhaps in the paddock with a knowing smile, the original “King of Istanbul” will be watching to see who dares to take his crown.