ISTANBUL (AP) — The Turkish government says Formula 1 is to return to the country next season for the first time since 2021, on a five-year agreement.

The government said the agreement was due to be announced Friday at an event featuring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Erdogan said the deal would be for “at least five years”.

The Istanbul Park circuit first hosted F1 from 2005 through 2011, and next year's race would be the first since Turkey returned to the calendar in 2020 and 2021 during disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Valtteri Bottas won the most recent race for Mercedes.

Hosting F1 would “demonstrate to the world that our country is the safe haven of its region,” Erdogan said.