The various circuits approved by the FIA to host Formula 1, left behind

Formula 1 has continued to gain popularity over the years, and many circuits dream of hosting the pinnacle of motorsport. However, in order to host Formula 1, the circuit must obtain a grade 1 certification from the FIA. This certification is granted if a certain number of criteria are met by the federation, such as safety measures or the length of the track.

Zandvoort, Las Vegas, and soon Madrid have made their comeback on the calendar after several decades of absence. But other tracks still hold a grade 1 and can therefore host F1 in the future.

The lack of profitability of the Sepang circuit.

Malaysia hosted the F1 just before entering the third millennium. Eddie Irvine in his Ferrari F399 won the very first Grand Prix in Kuala Lumpur. The track has 15 turns over a distance of 5.543 kilometers, which the drivers must take for 56 laps in order to hope to win the race.

The last edition took place in 2017. Max Verstappen had won the second victory of his career, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo. The contract between F1 and Malaysia was supposed to end in 2018. However, due to lack of profitability, the country abandoned F1 a year earlier, to focus on MotoGP.

A return to Hockenheim thanks to the Volkswagen Group?

This German track arrived in F1 in 1977. That year, Niki Lauda, who had almost lost his life on the Nürburgring the previous year, won the race behind the wheel of his Ferrari 312 T2. With the exception of 1985, it remained the circuit hosting the German Grand Prix until 2006.

From the 2008 season, an alternation takes place between Hockenheim and the Nürburgring, without its famous and dangerous Nordschleife. From 2014 to 2019, Hockenheim becomes the only track where the German Grand Prix takes place. For the last time on the circuit, proudly commemorating the 125th anniversary of the creation of the Benz brand, only 13 cars crossed the checkered flag after a long race in the rain.

Germany remains a very important country in the world of motorsport, and with the future arrival of Audi in 2026, the Volkswagen group, owner of the four rings brand, could insist on seeing the return of the German Grand Prix.

A fierce competition for Indianapolis.

After nine years of absence, the USA returns to Formula 1 with the Indianapolis track. However, the single-seaters only use a portion of the legendary 500-mile oval. The 2002 edition, where Rubens Barrichello wins by a hair against Michael Schumacher, and especially the 2005 year when the teams equipped with Michelin tires withdraw, will remain in the annals of Formula 1.

Indianapolis has not hosted F1 since 2007, and while the USA is now a very important market for the sport, thanks to Liberty Media, the Indiana circuit faces tough competition from Austin, Miami, and Las Vegas. Therefore, it is unlikely that we will see Indianapolis in F1 for many years.

Istanbul and Portimao are back during the global pandemic.

Formula 1, just like the rest of the world, was hit hard by the global Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. For two years, many circuits, especially in Asia, were unable to host the sport. It was in this context that Turkey and Portugal were able to have their Grand Prix by finding available circuits.

Istanbul had not been on the calendar since 2011 and Sebastian Vettel’s victory in his Red Bull. Portimao had two races, during which Lewis Hamilton prevailed. It was actually on the Portuguese track that the Briton became the most successful driver in F1 history with his 92nd victory, surpassing Michael Schumacher’s 91.

The Mugello: property of Ferrari

This track, usually used for MotoGP races, only had one edition, in 2020, during the global pandemic. This edition was marked by numerous collisions as well as three standing starts, a first since 1990.

Ferrari celebrated its 1,000th Formula 1 Grand Prix at Mugello, with a dark red livery. The Tuscan circuit belonging to the prancing horse brand, very few F1 teams have had the opportunity to race on this track.

Our Magny-Cours and Castellet circuits.

France is also a country with a rich history in Formula 1. The term Grand Prix is often used in French, even by non-French-speaking drivers. Among all the circuits on which F1 has raced, the Paul Ricard and Magny-Cours circuits are the most iconic.

The Castellet circuit hosted Formula 1 for the first time in 1971. But it had an exclusive period from 1985 to 1990. Then it was the turn of Nièvre to host the top category of motor racing from 1991 to 2008.

Until 2018, F1 cars no longer raced in France, the year in which Paul Ricard regained its place on the calendar, much to the delight of the French public. The 2022 edition was the last one to date. However, discussions between the circuit and the FOM (Formula One Management) continue in an attempt to bring back Paul Ricard in the coming years, despite the increasing presence of urban circuits near major cities.

The exclusion of Russia due to the war in Ukraine.

The Sochi Autodrom allowed Russia to host Formula 1 for the first time in 2014. Based on the former Winter Olympic complex, it has witnessed all eight victories by Mercedes in as many editions.

While the former Soviet bloc country had a long-term future with Formula 1, its war against Ukraine led to its exclusion from the championship. The conflict began in 2022 and a peace between the two countries is far from being found, which will keep Russia and Formula 1 apart for many more years.

The outer circuit of Bahrain.

The Sakhir Circuit has been in F1 since 2004 and has only been absent from the championship once, which was in 2011 due to the Arab Spring uprising. Since 2022, the Gulf country has been opening the season and also hosting the pre-season tests.

Bahrain, however, has an outer track on the same circuit, which measures 3.543 kilometers compared to the 5.412 of the first track. The second-to-last race of the 2020 season, during the Sakhir Grand Prix. George Russell came close to his first victory in F1 in this race, as he was substituting for Lewis Hamilton, who was suffering from Covid-19. The British driver had achieved the fastest lap of the race with a time of 0’55″404.