The calendar is ever increasing and has now reached 24 rounds, with sure longstanding venues prone to being usurped by glamorous new places. We final made this record in 2022 and after the addition of a number of new tracks since, the time feels proper to have one other go at rating each monitor on the calendar.
This isn’t in regards to the location of the monitor, the services or whether or not the nation deserves to host a race. It’s all in regards to the circuit itself.
24. Miami Worldwide Autodrome, United States
Miami was the second United States race added to the F1 calendar after Circuit of the Americas. It’s not unfair to say that its main function is being ‘all in regards to the present’. It’s unlucky for F1 followers that that ‘present’ is primarily targeted off monitor.
After all, a avenue circuit in downtown Miami – or alongside the seaside? – would have been higher, although clearly far too formidable. As it’s, we now have to accept a brief monitor that runs across the car parking zone of the Laborious Rock Stadium. The drivers don’t appear to love it and neither do most F1 followers.
23. Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is a helpful monitor for groups as a result of it has quite a lot of excessive, low and medium-speed corners. In case your automobile is fast there, it is going to be fast virtually wherever, the idea goes.
But in its historical past, there have been few genuinely thrilling races and overtaking alternatives have hardly abounded in recent times. At the least they’ve eliminated that ghastly chicane earlier than the ultimate nook. Not an terrible driving monitor nevertheless it doesn’t serve its main function all that nicely. It’s one other matter whether or not it stays on the calendar or is changed totally by the Madrid Grand Prix as the one race in Spain.
22. Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne, Australia
It’s welcome that Albert Park has returned because the in 2025 as a result of exterior of that – and the situation – not a lot appeals about this parkland circuit. They’ve made a couple of minor alterations to the structure in recent times however even the addition of three DRS zones a couple of years again didn’t create the racing that Melbourne deserves.
21. Las Vegas Strip Circuit, United States
As with Miami, this one is all in regards to the location. It’s honest that the place a race is held varieties a part of the equation for F1 however we’re rating the most effective tracks, not the most effective place to have a race. There have actually been worse grand prix circuits in Las Vegas (the Caesars Palace automobile park, for one) and the 2 races have been entertaining, with uncommon circumstances. So maybe it could transfer up the order through the years.
20. The Hungaroring, Hungary
Lots of the tracks within the decrease reaches of the record are in (or close to) a number of the world’s best cities however (typically) don’t produce thrilling races. The Hungaroring is one other. Budapest is a unbelievable metropolis however this monitor doesn’t fairly dwell as much as its billing.
Its label as “Monaco with out the partitions” is a bit unfair and inaccurate lately, however the one place the place modifications of place occur is on the finish of the pit straight, and with assistance from DRS. That isn’t an issue only for the Hungaroring, thoughts you. Solely seven tracks have hosted extra grands prix, which is one thing.
19. Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico Metropolis
There’s a theme rising. Mexico Metropolis is one other wonderful place to have a race and this circuit is actually not a horrible monitor like some ranked under it. But the stream of it is extremely unusual. The baseball stadium advanced is a sight to behold however does really feel low-quality in addition to low-speed. The races listed here are normally entertaining, although. The altitude at the least provides one thing uncommon to the combo, however you’d battle to see it actually being missed have been it to drop off the calendar.
18. Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo
In my earlier record in 2022 Monaco was within the prime 10 with the caveat that it was there as a result of it represents a novel problem. It’s undoubtedly the most effective qualifying session of the yr, with a lot in danger. But it’s predictably the worst race as a result of the trendy automobiles are too large and carry an excessive amount of downforce to make overtaking greater than a distant risk. It’s arguably not match for contemporary F1.
In 2022 I additionally posited that one thing wanted to alter and instructed a three-stop race. This yr the FIA have made a major change: a compulsory two-stop race.
17. Marina Bay Road Circuit, Singapore
All avenue circuits are a compromise in a method or one other. That is one other one for the “nice location however questionable monitor” class. I don’t suppose anybody would wish to see Singapore hauled off the calendar nevertheless it suffers the restrictions that many metropolis avenue circuits do.
In brief, it’s tight and twisty and presents few real overtaking possibilities. With the circumstances (typically sizzling and humid), a close to two-hour race and people limitations in shut, it’s removed from a cake stroll for the drivers.
16. Lusail Worldwide Circuit, Qatar
This monitor doesn’t instantly stand out as one notably suited to F1. Certainly, it has held 21 MotoGP races however simply three F1 grands prix. With the high-downforce beasts at present in use in F1, the collection of medium and high-speed corners pose a problem to drivers each bodily and technically.
In 2023 a number of drivers vomited of their helmets – not helped by the excessive temperatures – and a three-stop race was mandated. Is it a thriller? No. Does it have character? Sure.
15. Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia
When the Jeddah Corniche Circuit was unveiled a couple of years in the past there have been dissenting voices that mentioned it was too harmful. Certainly, Sergio Pérez described it as “pointlessly” so. Not a lot has modified since then.
There have been a number of huge high-speed crashes in these early days too and, on paper, the structure does appear virtually insane. But by some means it really works (or has finished to date) and has produced fairly a couple of thrillers in its time. I’m not actually positive it ought to be labeled as a avenue circuit, both.
14. Baku Metropolis Circuit, Azerbaijan
Because the Baku Metropolis Circuit was launched in 2016, it has produced a number of chaotic races and a number of other snore-fests. The signature nook is the tight and very slim uphill right-hander by means of the town partitions that presents an exquisite photograph alternative.
Maybe essentially the most notable part is the flat out run from flip 16 to twenty by means of to the beginning/end line which is the longest full-throttle part in F1. It’s breathtaking. But a number of the opposite corners – 90 diploma proper or left-handers – are totally forgettable.
13. Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi
In my earlier record, revealed in 2022, I ranked the Yas Marina circuit very close to the underside. It was a travesty {that a} monitor that produced such little motion and drama held the ultimate race of the season. Fortunately that has modified with the alterations made to the circuit a couple of years in the past.
The largest modifications have been the elimination of a chicane on the run all the way down to the primary hairpin (which created an overtaking alternative) and re-profiling a number of different corners later within the lap, which does likewise. They’ve been a hit. I’d fairly have Suzuka or Interlagos because the season-ending race, however this Yas Marina shouldn’t be the bore-fest that it was for thus lengthy.
12. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal
The monitor in Montreal is one other that has suffered through the years as F1 automobiles have superior with rising quantities of downforce. The ‘wall of champions’ on the skin of the ultimate chicane (so known as as a result of Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve crashed there in 1999) produces fewer incidents now due to how the automobiles method the structure. A sprinkle of rain right here can produce chaos, as we noticed in 2024. Nonetheless a problem.
11. Autódromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola
It was a pleasure to see Imola return to the calendar in 2020 and to see it function on the calendar yearly bar the one when floods led to its cancellation. Have the races there been all that thrilling, although, a little bit of rain apart? I’m not so positive. It’s one other old-school monitor that could be a problem for the drivers (and with a fantastic backdrop and undulating terrain) however overtaking comes at a premium.
10. Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands
There was a interval within the early 2000s the place all of F1’s new tracks (Sepang, Sakhir, Shanghai) have been designed by Hermann Tilke and his associates and, pretty much as good as these circuits are individually, began to really feel a bit samey.
No disrespect to Hermann, however the addition of Zandvoort in 2021 was a welcome change. It was a monitor that first featured within the F1 world championship in 1952, though its present guise is vastly completely different from the model that Alberto Ascari gained for Ferrari. Notable corners: the banking at turns one, three and the ultimate flip in addition to the high-speed dart by means of the sand dunes instantly after.
9. Bahrain Worldwide Circuit, Sakhir
The Bahrain Worldwide Circuit has been on the calendar for greater than twenty years now, and has hosted extra grands prix than Manufacturers Hatch and Paul Ricard. It’s firmly part of the F1 panorama. As each a racing and driving monitor it’s a must to say that’s deserved.
True, there usually are not many genuinely high-speed corners and that could be a slight mark towards it. In recent times it has produced loads of drama and its abrasive floor tends to result in two-stop races and a few strategic variation. The center sector combines each technicality and pleasure. The outer loop configuration in 2020 was not dangerous both, although the much less mentioned in regards to the terrible ‘endurance’ structure (used solely as soon as) the higher.
8. Purple Bull Ring, Austria
In terms of scenic backdrops, nothing beats the Purple Bull Ring. Gorgeous even on TV and higher in actual life, the Northern Styrian Alps make this a chocolate field of an F1 circuit. It’s the shortest lap on the calendar by time however presents its challenges and overtaking areas, too, notably the super-steep run to the hairpin at flip three.
There are some old-school run-off areas, too, on the skin of turns 4 and 5. That is superb to see on this age of sanitised circuits. Observe limits are much less of a problem than they as soon as have been right here, with the addition of a strip of gravel on the skin of the ultimate nook.
7. Shanghai Worldwide Circuit, China
It’s in all probability honest to say that, if the Shanghai Worldwide Circuit have been to drop off the calendar, few tears can be shed. In actual fact, it did disappear off the calendar for 3 years and it felt like no one a lot cared.
The Tilke-designed monitor, although, has options that exist nowhere else. The just about unending sequence of turns one to a few is exclusive in F1. The lengthy again straight presents a strong overtaking alternative and there are a couple of different good medium-speed touches on the market. Not so good as Sepang was, however not too far off.
6. Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
This storied monitor is certainly not what it as soon as was. It’s nonetheless an exhilarating drive in these fashionable automobiles however the problem has actually been neutered. The mixture of Eau Rouge/Raidillon calls for drivers drive simply flat out, aside maybe from when they’re carrying very excessive gas.
There are, although, nonetheless loads of difficult technical sections and a few corners the place you maintain your breath watching an F1 automobile absolutely commit. The placement within the coronary heart of the Ardennes actually aids the spectacle, as does the customarily unpredictable climate. A disgrace that it’s going to not function yearly any extra however the Belgian Grand Prix turning into biennial could assist it recapture a way of distinctiveness.
5. Autodromo Nazionale, Monza, Italy
I used to be torn over whether or not to place Monza this excessive within the new record. It’s clearly an historic monitor that deserves to be on the calendar. Due to its uncommon high-speed structure, it in all probability deserves to be within the prime 10 right here, too.
Aside from the long term all the way down to the primary – and infrequently second – chicane, there are few overtaking alternatives. The ultimate nook – as soon as known as Parabolica, however renamed after the late Michele Alboreto – in addition to the 2 Lesmos corners are up there with essentially the most historic on the calendar. The monitor is probably beginning to lose its enchantment barely, although the presence of the Ferrari-adoring tifosi all the time brighten it up. Is there objectively a higher sight in F1 than a Ferrari driver on the highest of the rostrum?
4. Suzuka Worldwide Racing Course, Japan
With Spa turning into much less daunting, Suzuka has maybe taken its place as the final word drivers’ circuit on the F1 calendar. In different phrases: a monitor the place the particular person within the cockpit can actually make a distinction. Other than a couple of modifications to the ultimate chicane and at Spoon Curve, the monitor stays largely because it was when it first hosted a grand prix in 1987.
The primary couple of corners are a fearsome mixture and then you definately get into the lengthy, flowing, uphill esses part that’s fairly in contrast to some other part on the calendar. True, the quick left-hander at 130R is nearly a non-event now, however monitor simply involves life if you see an F1 automobile round it.
3. Autódromo José Carlos Tempo, Interlagos, Brazil
After I consider Interlagos I consider three issues: large elevation modifications, huge yellow and inexperienced curbs and torrential rain. Once more, one other monitor that has not modified an incredible deal however one which continues to supply unbelievable racing and offers the drivers a thrill all through every of its 2.677 miles.
It doesn’t appear like it ought to produce an action-packed race however by some means it does, doubtless helped by these unending undulations. Its case can be helped by the actual fact it’s normally on the finish of the season, when a championship or two is on the road.
2. Circuit of the Americas, Austin, United States
For a very long time, the USA was begging for a racing circuit that was worthy of inclusion on the F1 calendar. In 2012 It lastly discovered one of many best racing circuits on this planet, simply exterior of Austin.
Among the monitor takes nods from different well-known corners (the esses part is just like Silverstone’s) however there’s sufficient character elsewhere to present the monitor its personal character. The brief, sharp rise uphill to the turn-one hairpin is arguably the most effective opening nook in F1. Sure, there are different F1 tracks in America now however none of them is a patch on this.
1. Silverstone, United Kingdom
A uncommon instance of an old-school monitor that continues to be as related as ever in fashionable F1. Silverstone has a number of the greatest high-speed corners on the circuit, just like the right-handers at Copse and Abbey. It additionally has a number of the most fabled turns wherever on this planet, just like the sequence at Maggots, Becketts and Chapel and Stowe.
Put all of them collectively and it flows beautifully, offering the drivers with a problem of talent and bravado. Crucially, and that’s what provides it top-ranking right here, it virtually with out fail produces an exhilarating race someplace within the subject and very often on the very entrance. The venue’s historical past and the a whole bunch of 1000’s of enthusiastic followers that attend yearly assist, too.
