The circuit measures 5.338 km (3.317 mi) in length with an average track width of 15 metres and covers more than 547 acres. It features 14 corners and runs anticlockwise over four distinct ground levels, with a start/finish straight exceeding 650 metres. The anticlockwise direction is relatively rare in top-level motorsport and creates asymmetric lateral loading on drivers, placing unusual strain on the right side of the neck — the opposite of what drivers typically experience at the majority of circuits.
Turn 8 is the circuit's signature corner, a sweeping four-apex left-hander popularly nicknamed "Diabolica" in reference to Monza's Curva Parabolica. Carrying cars through sustained high-speed lateral g-force, Turn 8 drew immediate comparisons to Eau Rouge at Spa-Francorchamps and 130R at Suzuka. Hermann Tilke later referenced this corner's concept when designing Turn 17-18 at the Circuit of the Americas and Turn 3 at the Sochi Autodrom.
Turn 1, a sharp downhill left-hander off the main straight, earned the informal nickname "Turkish Corkscrew" for its resemblance to the famous corner at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. A kink midway along the back straight was jokingly called "Faux Rouge" given its visual similarity to Eau Rouge.
The circuit's capacity reaches approximately 125,000 spectators, with a main grandstand holding 25,000 seats, supplemented by natural and temporary stands. The paddock features two-storey structures and two seven-storey VIP towers at either end.
The first Turkish Grand Prix was held at Istanbul Park in 2005, with the venue hosting the race annually until 2011. Financial disagreements between the circuit's management and the commercial rights holders led to the race's removal from the calendar despite earlier assurances of a longer commitment. During its initial nine-year run, the circuit produced memorable races: Felipe Massa won three Turkish Grands Prix, while Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel each claimed two and one victories respectively. Kimi Räikkönen, Jenson Button, and Valtteri Bottas also took wins at the circuit.
Istanbul Park returned to the Formula One calendar in 2020 after a nine-year absence, welcomed back at short notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the planned schedule. In 2021 the circuit appeared again, initially slated as a replacement for the cancelled Canadian Grand Prix and later confirmed as a substitute for the cancelled Singapore Grand Prix. The 2021 edition saw Lewis Hamilton set an unofficial all-time track qualifying record of 1:22.868. The official race lap record is 1:24.770, set by Juan Pablo Montoya during the inaugural 2005 Turkish Grand Prix.
The Turkish Grand Prix is scheduled to return to Istanbul Park from 2027, with the circuit committed to the Formula One calendar through 2031.
MotoGP visited Istanbul Park for three consecutive years from 2005 to 2007. Marco Melandri won the Turkish Motorcycle Grand Prix in both 2005 and 2006, with Casey Stoner taking the 2007 victory. The series departed after the circuit's management changed in 2007.
The circuit also hosted the GP2 Series throughout its first Formula One era, the World Touring Car Championship, the Superbike World Championship in 2013, the FIA World Rallycross Championship in 2014–2015 and again in 2024–2025, and the first leg of the 2012 FIA European Truck Racing Championship.
Istanbul Park's management has changed several times since its opening. Between 2007 and 2011, Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone held managing rights. The Turkish company Intercity operated the circuit from October 2012 to March 2024. A 2024 tender process was later annulled by an administrative court in December 2024. In June 2025, operating rights were transferred to the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED) for a minimum of ten years, prompting a renaming of the venue to TOSFED Istanbul Park.
Istanbul Park is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of a purpose-built circuit from the modern era of Hermann Tilke's design work, notable for producing genuinely exciting racing through its high-speed layout and rapid tyre degradation characteristics. Former Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone described it as "the best race track in the world." Its influence on subsequent Tilke designs — particularly Turn 8's multi-apex philosophy — is traceable across several circuits built in the decade following Istanbul Park's debut.