The 2027 Formula 1 calendar is becoming the most heavily contested in years, with multiple swap-ins, swap-outs and rotational arrangements quietly being lined up while the 2026 season unfolds on track.
Istanbul Park, dropped after a chaotic late-pandemic spell on the calendar, is reportedly back. Multiple paddock sources have indicated that a fresh five-year deal between Liberty Media and the Turkish promoter is essentially done, returning F1 to one of the technically richest and most overtake-friendly circuits on the schedule. The Turkish entry was a near-fixture during the early Mercedes era and is being framed as a sporting reward rather than purely commercial expansion.
In Western Europe, Portugal is on its way back too. Portimao's Algarve circuit has been earmarked for a 2027-2028 slot, taking over from Zandvoort as the early-summer European staple after the Dutch venue agreed to drop off the rota at the end of its current contract. The Netherlands' departure had already been signalled by promoters in 2025, but Portimao's selection over rival European bids confirms F1's preference for circuits that hosted successfully during the pandemic-era schedule.
Further east, India is making a serious play. Government officials in Delhi have publicly committed to tax concessions and infrastructure spend to lure the championship back to the Buddh International Circuit. F1 has not raced in India since 2013, and a return would dovetail with Liberty's push to grow the sport in the region after Apple's headline-grabbing American expansion.
The biggest casualty of all this may be the Australian Grand Prix's traditional season-opening status. Melbourne is not at risk of losing its race outright, but the calendar architecture is now being redrawn around the Middle East. The opener could rotate to Bahrain or Saudi Arabia depending on the broader political and security picture, with Middle East stability questions now openly factored into Liberty's planning.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has previously acknowledged the championship has contingencies in place for late-season Middle East events, telling reporters in recent weeks that 'plans' exist for Qatar and Abu Dhabi if the geopolitical situation deteriorates further. The 2027 calendar is essentially being designed with those plans already baked in.
There is also a quieter European story unfolding. Spain and Belgium have agreed a rotational arrangement under which Barcelona and Spa-Francorchamps share calendar slots through to 2032, with each venue confirmed to remain on the schedule but not necessarily every year. The Madrid street circuit, due to take over Spain's main slot from 2026, will become the Spanish anchor, with Barcelona stepping back into a rotating role.
Underneath all of this is the engine question. The new ICE-ERS split has already been confirmed as moving from the controversial 50/50 setup of 2026 toward roughly 60/40 for 2027, with F1 quietly also examining shorter race distances and cost cap relief to limit the financial fallout from the redesigned hybrid era. Some of those changes will be felt by promoters, particularly those running street tracks where energy management has already been a flashpoint.
Nothing is formally signed off until the World Motor Sport Council ratifies the schedule later this year, and the championship has form for making last-minute adjustments. But the 2027 grid of cities is taking shape, and it looks markedly different to the one fans have grown used to.
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*Originally published on [News Formula One](https://newsformula.one/article/f1-2027-calendar-turkey-portugal-india-australia-shakeup). Visit for full coverage.*
