Top 10 – Circuits F1 Abandoned (2024)

Recent speculation that it’s back on Formula 1’s radar as a potential replacement for Monza will strike a chord with fans. Its old-school charms and challenging layout endeared it to fans, although the tragedies of 1994, when Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna lost their lives, will forever cast a dark shadow.

With the anniversary of the final event, won by Michael Schumacher's Ferrari in 2006, looming, we’ve looked back through the history books to recall other great venues lost to F1. We’ve limited it to tracks that are still active and on which F1 has no presence at all, so the old Hockenheim, Interlagos, Mexico City, Nürburgring Nordschleife, Osterreichring, Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps aren’t included as parts of them are still used in the modern game.

1 BRANDS HATCH, GREAT BRITAIN

Races: 14 (12 British GPs, 2 European GPs)

Key moments:

1976 James Hunt disqualified after winning on the road

1985 Nigel Mansell’s maiden career victory – in European GP

Winners:

1964 Jim Clark, Lotus 25-Climax

1966 Jack Brabham, Brabham BT19-Repco

1968 Jo Siffert, Lotus 49B-Cosworth

1970 Jochen Rindt, Lotus 72C-Cosworth

1972 Emerson Fittipaldi, Lotus 72D-Cosworth

1974 Jody Scheckter, Tyrrell 007-Cosworth

1976 Niki Lauda, Ferrari 312T2

1978 Carlos Reutemann, Ferrari 312T3

1980 Alan Jones, Williams FW07B-Cosworth

1982 Niki Lauda, McLaren MP4-1B-Cosworth

1983 Nelson Piquet, Brabham BT52B-BMW

1984 Niki Lauda, McLaren MP4-2-TAG Porsche

1985 Nigel Mansell, Williams FW10-Honda

1986 Nigel Mansell, Williams FW11-Honda

2 DIJON-PRENOIS, FRANCE

Races: 6 (5 French GPs, 1 Swiss GP)

Key moments:

1979 First victory for a turbocharged car. Gilles Villeneuve and René Arnoux stage that dice

1982 Keke Rosberg’s only win in his championship year comes in the Swiss GP

Winners:

1974 Ronnie Peterson, Lotus 72E-Cosworth

1977 Mario Andretti, Lotus 78-Cosworth

1979 Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Renault RS10-Renault

1981 Alain Prost, Renault RE30

1982 Keke Rosberg, Williams FW08-Cosworth

1984 Niki Lauda, McLaren MP4-2-TAG Porsche

3 DONINGTON PARK, GREAT BRITAIN

Races: 1 (1 European GP)

Key moment:

1993 Ayrton Senna’s opening-lap mastery

Winners

1993 Ayrton Senna, McLaren MP4-8-Ford

4 ESTORIL, PORTUGAL

Races: 13 (13 Portuguese GPs)

Key moments:

1985 Ayrton Senna’s maiden career victory

5 LONG BEACH, UNITED STATES

Races: 8 (8 United States West GPs)

Key moments:

1980 Nelson Piquet’s maiden career victory

1983 John Watson and Niki Lauda take one-two for McLaren – from 22^nd and 23^rd on the grid

Winners:

1976 Clay Regazzoni, Ferrari 312T

1977 Mario Andretti, Lotus 78-Cosworth

1978 Carlos Reutemann, Ferrari 312T2

1979 Gilles Villeneuve, Ferrari 312T4

1980 Nelson Piquet, Brabham BT49-Cosworth

1981 Alan Jones, Williams FW07-Cosworth

1982 Niki Lauda, McLaren MP4-1B-Cosworth

1983 John Watson, McLaren MP4-1C-Cosworth

6 MONT TREMBLANT, CANADA

Races: 2 (2 Canadian GPs)

Key moments:

1968 Denny Hulme and Bruce McLaren score McLaren’s first one-two

1970 Jackie Stewart gives Tyrrell a debut pole and leads the race before retiring

Winners:

1968 Denny Hulme, McLaren M7A-Cosworth

1970 Jacky Ickx, Ferrari 312B

7 MOSPORT, CANADA

Races: 8 (8 Canadian GPs)

Key moments:

1973 A pace car is used in a Grand Prix for the first time

1976 James Hunt closes to within eight points of championship leader Niki Lauda

Winners:

1967 Jack Brabham, Brabham BT24-Repco

1969 Jacky Ickx, Brabham BT26A-Cosworth

8 PAUL RICARD, FRANCE

Races: 14 (14 French GPs)

Key moments:

1985 Nelson Piquet gives Brabham its 35^th and final victory

1990 Ivan Capelli comes within three laps of scoring Leyton House’s first win

Winners:

1971 Jackie Stewart, Tyrrell 003-Cosworth

1973 Ronnie Peterson, Lotus 72E-Cosworth

1975 Niki Lauda, Ferrari 312T

1976 James Hunt, McLaren M23-Cosworth

1978 Mario Andretti, Lotus 79-Cosworth

1980 Alan Jones, Williams FW07B-Cosworth

1982 René Arnoux, Renault RE30B

1983 Alain Prost, Renault RE40

1985 Nelson Piquet, Brabham BT54-BMW

1986 Nigel Mansell, Williams FW11-Honda

1987 Nigel Mansell, Williams FW11B-Honda

1988 Alain Prost, McLaren MP4-4-Honda

1989 Alain Prost, McLaren MP4-5-Honda

1990 Alain Prost, Ferrari F1-90-2

9 WATKINS GLEN, UNITED STATES

Races: 20 (20 United States East GPs)

Key moments:

1966 Jim Clark gives the BRM H16 engine its only GP win

1973 World Champion Jackie Stewart retires from racing after Tyrrell team-mate François Cevert is killed in qualifying

Winners:

1961 Innes Ireland, Lotus 21-Climax

1962 Jim Clark, Lotus 25-Climax

1963 Graham Hill, BRM P57

1964 Graham Hill, BRM P261

1965 Graham Hill, BRM P261

1966 Jim Clark, Lotus 43-BRM

1967 Jim Clark, Lotus 49-Cosworth

1968 Jackie Stewart, Matra MS10-Cosworth

1969 Jochen Rindt, Lotus 49B-Cosworth

1970 Emerson Fittipaldi, Lotus 72C-Cosworth

1971 Francois Cevert, Tyrrell 003-Cosworth

1972 Jackie Stewart, Tyrrell 005-Cosworth

1973 Ronnie Peterson, Lotus 72E-Cosworth

1974 Carlos Reutemann, Brabham BT44-Cosworth

1975 Niki Lauda, Ferrari 312T

1976 James Hunt, McLaren M23-Cosworth

1977 James Hunt, McLaren M26-Cosworth

1978 Carlos Reutemann, Ferrari 312T3

1979 Gilles Villeneuve, Ferrari 312T4

1980 Alan Jones, Williams FW07B-Cosworth

10 ZANDVOORT, HOLLAND

Races: 30 (30 Dutch GPs)

Key moments:

1967 Jim Clark gives the Cosworth DFV engine a debut victory

1975 James Hunt holds off Niki Lauda’s Ferrari to give Hesketh its first and only victory

Winners:

1952 Alberto Ascari, Ferrari 500

1953 Alberto Ascari, Ferrari 500

1955 Juan Manuel Fangio, Mercedes W196

1958 Stirling Moss, Vanwall

1959 Jo Bonnier, BRM P25

1960 Jack Brabham, Cooper T53-Climax

1961 Wolfgang von Trips, Ferrari 156

1962 Graham Hill, BRM P57

1963 Jim Clark, Lotus 25-Climax

1964 Jim Clark, Lotus 25-Climax

1965 Jim Clark, Lotus 33-Climax

1966 Jack Brabham, Brabham BT19-Repco

1967 Jim Clark, Lotus 49-Cosworth

1968 Jackie Stewart, Matra MS10-Cosworth

1969 Jackie Stewart, Matra MS80-Cosworth

1970 Jochen Rindt, Lotus 72-Cosworth

1971 Jacky Ickx, Ferrari 312B2

1973 Jackie Stewart, Tyrrell 006-Cosworth

1974 Niki Lauda, Ferrari 312B3

1975 James Hunt, Hesketh 308B-Cosworth

1976 James Hunt, McLaren M23-Cosworth

1977 Niki Lauda, Ferrari 312T2

1978 Mario Andretti, Lotus 79-Cosworth

1979 Alan Jones, Williams FW07-Cosworth

1980 Nelson Piquet, Brabham BT49-Cosworth

1981 Alain Prost, Renault RE30

1982 Didier Pironi, Ferrari 126C2

1983 René Arnoux, Ferrari 126C3

1984 Alain Prost, McLaren MP4-2-TAG Porsche

1985 Niki Lauda, McLaren MP4-2B-TAG Porsche

F1
Top 10

FAQs

What F1 teams have disappeared? ›

Defunct Teams

Renault.
Scuderia Toro Rosso.
Lotus F1.
Jaguar.

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What is the deadliest F1 track? ›

Monza, known as the “Temple of Speed,” has witnessed 52 driver fatalities in its history, making it one of the deadliest tracks.

What's the hardest F1 circuit? ›

What Is the Most Difficult F1 Circuit?

Circuit de Monaco. ...
Suzuka Circuit. ...
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. ...
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. ...
Baku City Circuit. ...
Interlagos Circuit. ...
Autodromo Nazionale Monza. ...
Circuit of the Americas.

More items...

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Which F1 circuit has most crashes? ›

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has seen the most fatalities; seven drivers have died there during the time that the Indianapolis 500 formed part of the world championship, though the Indianapolis 500 was held to AAA regulations rather than Formula One regulations.

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What is the oldest F1 team still active? ›

Ferrari is the oldest Formula One team, the only still-active team which competed in 1950. McLaren won all but one race in 1988 with engine partner Honda. Renault (pictured here with Nico Hülkenberg) has had an active role in Formula One as both constructor and engine supplier since 1977.

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Which F1 driver almost bankrupts team? ›

The total cost of the clause to Lotus tallied up at £16.7million (€19.5m), plunging the team to the brink of bankruptcy. They were so short on funds that Raikkonen didn't receive his salary towards the end of the year, meaning Heikki Kovalainen returned for the final two rounds of the season in his place.

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What is the easiest F1 track to drive? ›

From the narrowest to the fastest (or rather both)

The fastest circuit: Monza. ...
The slowest circuit: Monaco. ...
The longest circuit: Spa-Francorchamps. ...
The most fan-friendly circuit: Austin. ...
The most difficult circuit: Suzuka. ...
The easiest circuit: Red Bull Ring. ...
The most atmospheric circuit: Silverstone. ...
The newest circuit: Baku.

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What is the most physically demanding F1 circuit? ›

The 5.063km Marina Bay Circuit is one of the most physically demanding on the calendar, its bumpy street surface coupled with humid conditions giving the drivers plenty to think about.

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What is the biggest F1 circuit ever? ›

The longest circuit to have hosted a Grand Prix is the Pescara Circuit, which hosted the 1957 Pescara Grand Prix: the 25.800 km (16.031 mi) long circuit in Pescara, Italy, held the annual Coppa Acerbo race, and in 1957 it was the only time that this race was included as part of the World Championship, a race which ...

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What is the oldest F1 track still in use? ›

Known as the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Italian, the track was inaugurated for public use more than a century ago, on September 3, 1922.

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What is the shortest F1 circuit in the world? ›

The shortest Formula 1 track is Circuit de Monaco at just 3.337 kilometers.

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What is the fastest F1 circuit? ›

Monza - Grand Prix Circuit

First constructed in 1922, the track has evolved through several layouts, including the now-unused banking section, but still remains the fastest circuit on the F1 calendar.

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Why was France removed from F1? ›

The French Grand Prix was cut from the 2023 F1 calendar amid the emergence of new competitors for the old European racetracks and as the sport increases its global appeal to new territories. “One can't say, 'I come because I am France.

Learn More Now ›

Why is there no Ford F1 team? ›

Ford ultimately sold Jaguar—to Red Bull, coincidentally—ahead of the 2005 season, and the company has been absent from F1 since. Today's F1 rules call for hybrid power units consisting of a 1.6-liter turbocharged V-6 engine running on conventional fuel and featuring a complex hybrid battery electric system.

Why did Lotus leave F1? ›

However, severe financial difficulties meant the team announced they would not race in 1995 on January 17th, bringing to end the story of one of F1's greatest ever teams. Come 2010, and the Lotus name was back in F1, but this was through a Malaysian effort and had little in common with the original title-winning team.

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What happened to the Virgin F1 team? ›

Formula One World Championship

Marussia Virgin Racing logo 2011. Virgin Racing, operated by Manor Grand Prix Limited, was a Formula One team, based in Dinnington in the United Kingdom that competed in 2010 and 2011 before being taken over by Marussia Motors and becoming Marussia F1.

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