Lights out and away we go! The 10 greatest Formula One circuits in history

The greatest Formula One tracks
Past and present
The tracks
Imola, Italy (10)
Watkins Glen, USA (9)
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Canada (8)
Hungarian Grand Prix (7)
Suzuka Circuit (6)
Spa, Belgium (5)
Famous corners
Nürburgring, Germany (4)
The old days
Silverstone, England (3)
Fast and complex
Monza, Italy (2)
The test of time
Monaco (1)
The last of the old
The greatest Formula One tracks

Throughout history, Formula One circuits have provided racing fans with some of the greatest sporting memories over the last 100 years.

Past and present

Past and present, each circuit has had its own unique style, pushing driver and car to the limit.

The tracks

Let's look through the best Formula One circuits in history!

Imola, Italy (10)

Now called the San Marino Grand Prix, this track is known for its picturesque countryside views, exhilarating races, and for its former tragic events. Imola will always be known for its dark days in 1994 when racing legend Ayrton Senna died on the track, crashing into a barrier.

Watkins Glen, USA (9)

Watkins Glen hosted the first USA Grand Prix in 1961, attracting big crowds and giving the sport a firm fan base in the States. The legacy of Watkins Glen lives on, with the USA now holding three Grand Prix in this year's Formula 1 calendar (Austin, Miami, and Las Vegas).

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Canada (8)

The perfect race track. The Canadian Grand Prix is known for its simplistic beauty, long straights, and few chicanes. Through the advancement of DRS technology, overtaking is always possible, guaranteeing a close and nail-biting finish every year.

Hungarian Grand Prix (7)

Making its debut in 1986, only Monza can claim a longer continuous presence than the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Grand Prix is a popular summer location for fans, hosting an excellent view of the race, sunny weather, and it's close to the capital, Budapest.

Suzuka Circuit (6)

A favorite of fans and drivers, the Japanese Grand Prix is always hosted towards the end of the racing year, crowning numerous world champions in its time. The Suzuka Circuit has stood the test of time, only having minor changes since its first race in 1987, making it one of the toughest circuits.

Spa, Belgium (5)

Spa Francorchamps has only a minor resemblance to its former self back in the 1970s. However, its nostalgia and raw countryside beauty still makes it one of the greatest racing tracks in Formula 1.

Famous corners

The new Spa made its F1 debut in the early eighties, possessing a smaller circuit with the same old brutal corners; Eau Rouge, Blanchimont, and La Source.

Nürburgring, Germany (4)

Perhaps the most famous circuit not in use today, the Nürburgring is still used today by motor racing fans all over the world, racing their own cars around the prestigious track.

The old days

14 miles of jumps, blind turns, and 160 corners. Formula One will never see or create a bigger test for drivers and cars again in Formula One, risking the lives of each driver at every point of the track. It hosted its last race in 1976, the race Nikki Lauda nearly lost his life when he was set on fire.

Silverstone, England (3)

The home of motorsports, the Silverstone Grand Prix hosted the first-ever Formula One World Championships back in 1950 on the old Silverstone RAF base.

Fast and complex

Fast and ferocious, the character of the British Grand Prix has never changed, with the famous Maggots-Becketts-Chapel complex still possessing one of the best corner sequences in racing history.

Monza, Italy (2)

With over 100 years of racing since its creation in 1922, no track stands out like Monza in the Formula One calendar.

The test of time

Drivers past and present have all negotiated through the tough corners of Curva Grande, the Lesmos, and Parabolica due to minor changes in their existence. Monza is also the home of the 'Tifosi' – the most passionate Ferrari fans in the racing world.

Monaco (1)

Nothing screams Formula 1 more than the famous Monaco Grand Prix. The celebrities, yachts and the racing through the regular streets of Monte Carlo make this the number one circuit.

The last of the old

The last of the old-style street circuit, Monaco is more than unsuitable for today's racing machines. The straights aren't long, meaning the number one after qualifying always has an unbelievable chance of winning the race. However, when someone does overtake, it's special.

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