It obviously doesn't lack anything in terms of amenities. Nailing a qualifying lap around the streets of Monaco, particularly in the ever-growing Formula 1 cars of today, must still be up there with the best feeling any driver can have. What is the narrowest F1 track? What is wrong with Sochi? Silverstone has undergone plenty of layout changes over time to keep up with how the sport has developed over the years, the last coming in 2010, but its most iconic corners have remained throughout and seeing a Formula 1 car work its way through Copse, Maggotts, Becketts and Stowe in qualifying trim is a wonderful sight of both driver and machine working at full capacity to this day. The narrowest circuit of all is Monaco, which in most of the layout has less than 12 meters, having in many sections 9 and 10 meters. This is not the venue's website. Austins Formula 1 track was circuit designer Hermann Tilkes attempt at recreating some of the best parts of other circuits from around the world, and putting them together into one super-design. street circuits, I suggest that one the best ways to enliven F1 races would be to make the cars as narrow as possible, taking into consideration safety, etc. In that case, Monaco is probably fairly similar in width, if not possibly narrower at those points. NewVerstappenFan (@jureo) 27th January 2016, 20:37, Michal (@michal2009b) 27th January 2016, 21:19. It is wide enough, just for two cars to go through side-by-side, but no-one has ever been brave or silly enough to try it. Being able to pull off a successful overtake requires a lot of skill and intelligence from the driver. Fewer sanctions in 2016, Read more about Keith Collantine, find all their articles and get in touch with them, Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here, Become a RaceFans Supporter to hide this ad and others. Photo by Bryn Lennon - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images, Halsey concert cancelled as venue floods and she's heartbroken. Nick Wyatt (@nickwyatt) 27th January 2016, 16:36. Monza is one of the longest-running tracks in the history of the sport. The Zandvoort circuit, situated right by the beach, 20km . This would put the track towards the slower end of the current F1 calendar, but quicker than most street circuits plus the Circuit of the Americas and Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez: It is also expected to have a high top speed, with cars reaching 340kph as they pass the pits and reach the braking zone for turn one on Neftchiler Avenue. It makes the difference between passively threading the car between cones vs actively driving the car. Opening up the apex to the penultimate corner has also made the track an overall faster layout and more of a rollercoaster ride for the drivers, but bar the title drama of 2021 and 2010, it is hard to remember too many standout races from Yas Marina. Some circuits break this rule, but Formula 1 circuits are generally between 10 and 15 meters wide. Imola and Turkey look like they have very consistent track width all the way round rather than varying width like Baku or Monza, that's why they have such a small range, and therefore a small bar size, bar size representative of the range of track width if that makes . Glenn (@glennb) 27th January 2016, 12:59, Seems pole might be worth shooting for here. Spain's Montmel neighborhood is home to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The Honda-owned Suzuka International Racing Course established itself as one of the most difficult and rewarding auto racing circuits, mixing nearly every sort of corner into a very condensed area. Image: PlanetF1 As a. But the most striking feature of the track may be its slender width in places. The Monaco Grand Prix is iconic for so many reasons, and even though most other F1 tracks at least offer a place to be able to overtake, the challenge of the Principality first comes in even finishing at all and how close you dare get to the walls. No memorable corners and ridiculous run off, bad for fans for viewing and driver challenge alike. From the layout it looks like they might be flat out from turn 16 all the way through to turn 1. NewVerstappenFan (@jureo) 27th January 2016, 22:30. That 2015 Honda engine hurling them down that 2.2 km long straight they might just end up side-by-side with a Williams in the braking zone, if the Williams was about 10 seconds behind them on the beginning of the straight. I fear that well see tons of crashes, dangerous ones. I hope that turns 18 & 19 are challenging enough to separate the cars with good downforce vs those which only rely on a strong PU. In 1979, they added a shortcut, running downhill from Les Combes at the end of the long Kemmel Straight to Stavelot. During the 2020 and 2021 seasons, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the FIA had to restructure the calendar, changing and replacing many circuits with others. From T15 to T16 is even more steep, big downhill run there. Formula 1 races on the roads of Monaco. 12 mins read. Formula 1 circuits must comply with FIA regulations to host a Grand Prix, so they must have a minimum width of 12 meters. Todfod (@todfod) 28th January 2016, 10:05. - trackdownf1. Baku Formula 1 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Add-ons Extension (for baku_2019 track) 2.0 [FINAL] Pyyer; Jun 15, 2022; All the track environment from the F1 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Fastest Lap: 1:31:361 (Max Verstappen / 2022). The championship reached its peak in the late eighties and early nineties under the sanctioning body CART. We would argue, sadly not. Let us know what your tier lists look like. Singapore is already enshrined among F1 tracks as the sports original night race, and the twists and turns around the streets of Marina Bay are a true test of a drivers talent and fitness. The cars fling a tight right at Turn 7, entering the old town. so the layout is typical to Tilke circuits (hence boring). The first Formula 1 Grand Prix was held in Bahrain in 2004, making it the first track in the Middle East to hold the Formula 1 World Championship. Most Formula fans and professionals are aware of . Without a doubt, it creates a breathtaking spectacle. The walls of Baku's Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are surrounded by the narrowest road in F1 at just 7.6 meters (25 feet) wide. The length of the lap, together with its location in the Ardennes, plays a big part in one of Spas most notable features: the fickle weather. After Monaco, the narrowest circuits are Zandvoort, Jeddah, and Baku, which do not comply with the 12-meter width rule in large part of the track. Brno circuit, the biggest track in the Czech Republic, has played host to plenty of top-level racing events, including the FIA GT1 championship, MotoGP, and Formula 2. F1 has been travelling to Azerbaijan since 2016, with its narrow castle section proving to be a difficult challenge for drivers to master. The series signature race is the Le Mans 24 Hours, held annually at the Circuit de la Sarthe in France. Irony mode on: Good, now we know where the next big accident in F1 will happen. Ciaran (@ciaran) 27th January 2016, 15:27, Looks like a very interesting track, and quite unique given the complains about F1 circuits becoming too generic. While the spectacle of racing around Florida brought out the stars (and not-at-all fake marinas) in Miami, first impressions werent great when it came to the actual racing on the circuit in 2022. Well wait and see. Cant wait to drive it on F1 2016. All circuits on the Formula 1 calendar have an FIA Grade 1 license. I remember Ralph Firman driving the Jordan F1 car through the Guia Circuit over 10 years back, Sergio B. Perez (@sergio-perez) 6th February 2016, 6:57. Track is too dangerous. @fer-no65 @albedo @glynh Best case scenario: Macau for F1 cars. Ok so Sochi was designed around the Olympic park but the road layout was designed in conjunction with Tilke (faily certain thats accurate lol!) Losail was constructed with motorcycle racing in mind but the long, open-angled corners appeared to work quite well with Formula 1 cars, and received a few compliments from the drivers when they went racing there two years ago. The Sepang International Circuit was first introduced into Formula One for the 1999 season. Baku will be just 7.6 metres wide in placesAt six kilometres the track will be longer than all the other 20 circuits on the 2016 F1 calendar with the exception of Spa-Francorchamps. With a narrow section through the old town and an extremely long straight (making it the second-longest lap of the year, after Spa) its an epic challenge for the drivers and has also produced some thrilling racing. These are some of the Grade 1 licensed circuits that could be part of the F1 calendar: Just like the circuits, Formula 1 cars also must meet numerous technical requirements to be able to compete. Lets explore everything related to the measures and requirements that F1 circuits must comply with. Given his pace on race day, its likely he threw away what would have been his first grand prix win. it ought to be easy flat, even in the wet. Suzuka, Japan. I dont see wheres the sudden interest in LeMans, nothing has changed, theres just a familiar name back, its as farcical as it has been for the past 15 years. First: a wider front track increases the difference in height between the front tires while steering (in itself determined by the Ackermann angle . Just how narrow is it - and who has crashed there? Kingshark (@kingshark) 28th January 2016, 7:09. Bahrain has thrown up some solid races since its arrival in Formula 1, perhaps most notably in 2014 with the Duel in the Desert between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and the previous two season openers involving Hamilton and Max Verstappen, then Verstappen and Charles Leclerc subsequently, have both been corkers. Ad. F1 cars are 1.8 metres wide and could increase to 2 metres next year. These shoes are available in sizes 9 to 12 and are SFI 3.3/5 rated. One of the few significant international circuits that go counterclockwise. The circuit, a temporary track built especially for this F1 event, uses a mix of existing interior roads within the ground of the Hard Rock Stadium as well as new ones constructed around the . Thus, we saw the return of Istanbul and Imola and races at other circuits, such as Mugello. A1: Sainte . The most atmospheric circuit: SilverstoneThere are many circuits steeped in history and tradition, but perhaps none more so than the place where the whole story began: Silverstone. Bar the enormous 1.2km pit straight which has seen the cars reach Monza levels of top speed, the rest of the lap itself is quite slow and technical, with some medium-speed corners in the middle sector, and the amount of wheel-to-wheel racing usually lacks. And the narrowest Above all, the narrowness of the winding track requires maximum concentration from the drivers and makes their trajectory errors unforgivable. If you go back to the news articles of the time, the IOC stated that Tilke had to seek approval from them for the layout of his circuit far from having a free hand, Tilke effectively had the layout of the circuit dictated to him by the IOC deciding what they would permit him to construct. The estimated average lap speed of 211kph (131.1mph) indicates a lap time of around 142.37. The toughest challenge on the circuit at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix has had some tweaks made to it - in the narrow castle section at Turn 8. The high-speed run from Tosa up to Piratella, plunging down to the braking zone at Acqua Minerale remains a glorious piece of racetrack, and Imolas elevation changes along with its myriad challenges make it a firm favourite. Originally known as the Austrian Ring, the race track hosted the Austrian Grand Prix from 1970 through 1987. Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? It was drawn before he got the contract to build it. According to the FIA rule book: The starting grid must be 15 meters wide, maintained at least until the first corner to minimize the risk of pile-ups on the opening lap. Fastest Lap: 1:13:078 (Valtteri Bottas / 2019). . T1 to T4 the layout is pretty bland, but T5 to the end of the lap seems really interesting. i think it would be a great show for qualifying and race. Pundits theory on Christian Horner reassurance to Max Verstappen after Baku, Aston Martin co-operation: Fernando Alonso wasnt always that nice to his team-mates, Will Buxton calls out Max Verstappen: George Russell criticism a bit rich, Azerbaijan GP conclusions: Perez statement, Verstappen struggles, Leclerc future, Sportword: Play our daily F1 word game on Planet Sport, F1 quiz: Every driver to win a Formula 1 race from 1990 to 1999, F1 quiz: Guess the Grid: 2000 Australian Grand Prix. At other points it will be over 70% wider, reaching a maximum of 13 metres. Good blend, character and the long straight will be see stunning speeds. Macau actually could host without a problem an F1 race, but in one corner, MELCO, which is similar to the after casino u shaped corners in Monaco. Unfortunately the fact that its not in Europe means itll be reviled no matter what happens, mantresx (@mantresx) 27th January 2016, 15:32, The circuit will measure just 7.6 metres wide at its narrowest point. PorscheF1 (@xtwl) 27th January 2016, 20:41. The track was used between 1927 and 1982 and measured a mindblowing 22.835km and had 160 corners. Which Formula 1 tracks host the Sprint weekends? The track features a mix of slow corners and medium-speed straights, which requires drivers to have a lot of patience and skill. The circuit is so narrow that driving a Formula 1 car through it has been described as being like riding a bicycle in your living room. This track is 16 miles long and it is around 3 times longer than the second longest circuit in the world. Meanwhile the starting grid has to be at least 15 metres wide, with the width of the track maintained through the first corner to minimise the risk of pile-ups on the opening lap. This race course was renowned for its narrow and bumpy roads and was considered one of the most dangerous circuits in the world. ", Fastest Lap: 1:12:909 (Lewis Hamilton / 2021). At least Baku is designed completely around exiting streets so hopefully the natural layout of the course will spring a few exciting moments. Should be a really exciting run down to Turn 1 every lap. Captain Pie (@captainpie) 27th January 2016, 17:13. If its allowed to have too much influence, I can forsee some passes that will be impossible to defend down that long straight. With a mixture of corner types, elevation changes and good overtaking opportunities, Sakhir is perhaps one of Tilkes more underappreciated designs used in F1, and it has taken on Barcelonas mantle for pre-season testing in 2023. Yes PT it was incredible, I was there. It serves as the circuit each year for the Supercars Championship Melbourne 400, the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, and various related support events. Hopefully, it can be tweeked to get cars side by side in to turn one. However, Baku is something rather different. It remains a challenging circuit for the drivers to navigate, but with good overtaking opportunities down the back straight and entertaining races more often than not, Montreal is onto a winner. Sure the cars can be spectacular but you dont need to watch the full 24 hours. Its the longest track on the calendar but it also plays host to some of the sports best-loved corners, with the plunge down from La Source followed by the flat-out rise through Eau Rouge and Raidillon to kick-start a rip-roaring lap through the Ardennes. With F1 cars being forever modified to make them quicker, the track began to become more and more dangerous to race on. 340km/h on a narrow street circuit, I mean, seriously. Singapore, despite the long lap time, is a shorter track, meaning there's more laps in the race, which is why the Singapore GP is usually around 110 minutes On December 5, 2021, the circuit hosted the first Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. On the other hand, the widest circuits are those of Bahrain, Silverstone, and Monza, which are even wider than 15 meters in many sections of the track, being quite wide in all its sectors. The Baku circuit, as mentioned above, is 7.6 meters wide at the castle chicane, which is the narrowest point of the whole season. Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. With Formula 1 set to visit 24 circuits in 2023 (23 of which confirmed at time of publication), we have a lot of F1 tracks to get through in our list and of course, there is every chance you will disagree with where some of these circuits end up in the groupings. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is one of the most popular on the Formula 1 calendar for a reason, and it has produced some of the sports best ever races (Jenson Buttons last-gasp win in 2011, anyone? The difference between a 55 vs 45 inch track width is huge from the driver perspective. A great combination for F1 tracks. The track runs through the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine for a total of 3.33kmand 78 laps.. Whats not to like? Pirellis advice to choose the best solution to meet your needs, Copyright 2023 Pirelli & C. S.p.A. - P.IVA: 00860340157 - v. 2.1.25 IP1. Formula E is a recent additional to international motorsport. Cities that host these events should get together and figure out a way to make sure their beauty is captured on TV. Fastest Lap: 1:17:774 (Valtteri Bottas / 2021). Or any MotoGP races. Hamilton says Azerbaijan GP fightback shows that the hunger is there, Albon: My front wing looked like a dog had chewed it off after Baku clash, Overperforming floor and plank legality fears led to pit lane start for Ocon, Perez just needs to win on a proper circuit now Horner, Ocons pit lane scare like a scene from Group B rallying days, F1 drivers blame shortened DRS zone for lack of overtaking in Baku, Coronation for King of Baku as Perez puts Melbourne misery behind him, Unwell Piastri did Azerbaijan GP weekend on four pieces of toast, McLaughlin outduels Grosjean for Alabama Grand Prix victory, Are tickets too dear? The 93-year-old street circuit has hosted increasingly processional races in recent years as F1 cars have become wider and faster, making overtaking difficult on such narrow streets. Fastest Lap: 1:16:627 (Lewis Hamilton / 2020). Formula 1s opening round for so long, the sport heading to Australia always brings back happy thoughts of the season being on in earnest, and Albert Park presented a solid enough layout to start the year for the drivers. Qatar has now joined the calendar on a long-term basis, so we will get more of an idea about the quality of racing around Losail in years to come. Enclosed in a narrow world, between walls higher than the sides of his cockpit, the driver can rarely see more than one corner ahead of him. The British track hosted the very first world championship grand prix in 1950, which was won by Giuseppe Farina in an Alfa Romeo, on what was then a blustery, post-war airfield marked out by straw bales. A site dedicated to all things F1, for the ultimate F1 fans, 2023 Ultimate F1 Space - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-track-grades-requirements-f1-potential/6508331/, https://www.elmundo.es/elmundomotor/2005/06/24/tecnica/1119628171.html, https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/jbx14y/i_graphed_the_minimum_and_maximum_track_widths_of/. All Formula 1 tracks have their own strengths and thrill factor for the spectators but you can look forward to the Bahrain GP at Bahrain International Circuit, the Spanish GP at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the Belgian GP at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, and the Brazillian GP at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. The run from T16 to T1 will provide some overtaking for sure. This dominates the influence of lateral weight transfer. The middle sector twists through Bakus Old City, with Turns 8 and 9 seeing the cars squirrel uphill at the narrowest point of the Formula 1 calendar even tighter than Monaco along the citys Fortress Wall, before opening out again. So unless the organisers want to restrict the speed coming onto the straight after Turn 19, I dont think 18 or 19 will need braking. Host country is political nightmare. Atticus (@atticus-2) 28th January 2016, 17:07. There has been some good racing around Barcelona in the past not every year, granted but given how much testing there has also been at the circuit and how well the drivers know it, it just seems to lack an excitement factor. Really looking forward to this. Known as Formula 1's most challenging route, the 3.337 km race track also holds other events like the Formula 2 and Formula E every year. At the same time, it's the narrowest circuit of all, with the cars having at one point to squeeze through a gap of just 7.6 metres. The downhill plunge of the Senna S, round and down to Descida do Lago presents a great overtaking opportunity, the rise uphill through the high-speed right-hander of Ferradura is a neck killer for the drivers and nailing the exit of Juncao is key to finishing the lap properly. Im quite looking forward to this race. The uphill Esses of the first sector are followed by a high-speed mix of brilliance as the downforce of Formula 1 cars are truly put to the test and how brave drivers are feeling. Have you ever wondered how wide an F1 circuit must be? Actually, I think Baku may have roughly the same characteristics as Macau in that it will be blindingly fast on the waterfront but narrow and twisty inland. This one actually looks like a new track rather than a combination of existing corners. Too much frontal downforce creates oversteer; too much rear downforce creates understeer. Likewise, the FIA also makes exceptions regarding regulations, so there are circuits that, in theory, would not pass the requirements. The organisers of Azerbaijans first F1 race have revealed more details about the Baku City Circuit which will host this years European Grand Prix. It looks like Macau and the length is very similar. F1 has been travelling to Azerbaijan since 2016, with its narrow castle section proving to be a difficult challenge for drivers to master. But, you can if you really like motorsport ;p. Ill be surprised if they dont slow down T18-19 somehow, it looks pretty fast with very limited runoff at the moment. Following the Covid-19 postponement, Formula 1 declared that the Red Bull Ring would host back-to-back races on July 5 and 12. Maggots/Becketts, Silverstone. Please dont bring facts into an F1 discussion. From 1922 to today, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit has seen many transformations that have led to the configuration of the current track.. The location of the track is also absolutely stunning. The Nordschleife became the main host of the German Grand Prix, apart from the 1959 season in which AVUS hosted. Turn 19 will have to share part of the width with the track coming the other way at Turn 7, but there are left hand turns filter lanes there too as I recall. Haas to launch car on first day of testing, Ecclestone supports drivers call for maximum-attack tyres. Fastest Lap: 1:46:286 (Valtteri Bottas / 2018). Fastest Lap: 1:15:484 (Lewis Hamilton / 2020), The Principality of Monaco's harbor is encircled by the Circuit de Monaco, a street circuit set up on the streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine. Hopefully this circuit shouldnt have a lot of runoffs. But come on, its still the jewel in the crown of Formula 1, right? Run since 1929, Monaco's narrow circuit wouldn't be admitted as a new F1 track today - but it remains on the calendar thanks to its popularity and long history. The cheapest F1 race to attend in 2023 is the Japanese GP at Suzuka International Racing Course . Than that 2.2 km (!!) And while the track has changed beyond recognition since, the ghosts of the past still remain, sowing the seeds of a culture that has made Britain the centre of Formula 1 ever since. From T7 to T 12 is uphill, with cobblestones in T11. But Baku is a temporary circuit and it will be considerably narrower than this in places. Apart from being a paradise for motorsports fans, it is a very challenging circuit. In the Miami Gardens neighborhood of Florida, alongside Hard Rock Stadium's exclusive facilities, is a specially constructed temporary circuit known as the Miami International Autodrome. Planet Sport Limited 2023 All Rights Reserved, Ranked: The Best And Worst F1 Tracks On The F1 2023 Calendar, Sebastian Vettel said Suzuka must have been designed by the Gods, now named in honour of the great Mario Andretti, tracks designer with embarrassment after the race was run. One of the reasons that theres been a bit more overtaking in F1 over the last two years has been that the narrower front wing (brought in from when it was stickikng outside the tires). In the 2016 GP2 round, the track was blocked as the field explored and passed the confines of the castle section - resulting in the F1 drivers creating a rather bombastic Grand Prix by taking it slow. F1 quiz: Can you name the 2023 F1 circuits by their layouts. It was 1929 when racing engines first reverberated around the Principality, after cigarette manufacturer Antony Noghes decided to organise a race with his pals from the Automobile Club de Monaco. Due to its location primarily within Monaco's Monte Carlo neighborhood, it is frequently and even officially alluded to as "Monte Carlo. However, an opportunity also needs to present itself on the track, and some F1 tracks are better than others for overtaking. I reckon T1 will become an excellent overtaking spot. The all-electric single-seater racing championship was set up by the FIA in 2014. Thanks for the link. They are Grade 1 circuits but not part of the original calendar. Back then F1 had a system in which a driver's best six . In fact, it actually predates Formula 1 by over 20 years. With an iconic blend of high-speed corners such as the Ascari Chicane, Parabolica and the two Lesmo corners broken up with chicanes and hard-braking zones, overtaking is always possible and, as should always be the aim in Formula 1, simply being fast is key. Three kilometers south of Melbourne's downtown sits the motorsport street circuit known as the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. @michal2009b A 2.2 km long straight does not need a DRS. Unlike Spa, the Japanese circuit is still lacking in much run-off area, while its fast, twisting and undulating nature makes it tricky to get right. How much speed can they carry through the Degners? FIA regulations on track dimensions usually set a minimum but not maximum figures, which leaves a wide dimensional margin between different circuits. The Macau Guia Circuit could very well provide great overtaking specially in the Lisboa cornerand the Mandarin section. On medium tyres in Q3, Leclerc locked up approaching Turn 8, and rather then bailing down the escape road, thumped into the barriers. Narrow tracks make overtaking much more difficult and sometimes make it impossible. As such, F1s newest circuit retains a pleasantly old-school feel, 5 more things weve learned about F1 in 2018, Tube-type or Tubeless? . Today, the track offers a full calendar of national races in addition to Formula 1. In addition, the track may only be narrowed by one meter every 20 meters. The cheapest F1 race to attend in 2023 is the Japanese GP at Suzuka International Racing Course. Deej92 (@deej92) 27th January 2016, 14:34. The mood here is unmatched. In fact, this was where the very first Grand Prix race in 1950. @pukktpie, on the contrary, the IOC took a very hostile line with Tilke over Sochi the IOC made it very clear from the start that Tilke was not permitted to alter the layout of any of the roads around the Olympic village, given that it would impact on the functioning of the games. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is regarded as an all-arounder circuit because of its lengthy straights and wide range of bends. Formula 2 is considered the foremost single-seater feeder series to Formula 1. The longer Osterreichring track on the same site in the Styrian mountains was a fast and dangerous circuit, but the modern incarnation is somewhat tamer, with just seven proper corners. curved straight. McLaren should be thankful that Baku did not join the calendar one year sooner. At its narrowest, the Baku F1 castle section is just 7.6 metres 24.9 feet wide. Lewis Hamilton is very much the Hungaroring specialist in the field, with eight wins to his name in Budapest, but with surprise wins for Daniel Ricciardo in 2014 and Esteban Ocon in 2021, its capable of throwing up the odd unexpected result too. For those who doubts my premise, I suggest you watch Indy Car races at Long Beach and Baltimore. Promoted content from around the web | Become a RaceFans Supporter to hide this ad and others, Fer no.65 (@fer-no65) 27th January 2016, 12:18. The circuit changes made in time for 2021 certainly helped, replacing the slow chicane in the first sector with a longer run to Turn 5, as well as removing the three-apex chicane in the middle sector in favour of a long left-hander. To host a Formula 1 Grand Prix, all circuits must pass the FIAs stringent criteria and obtain a Grade 1 license. Of the newer F1 tracks, this could potentially move quite high up the rankings but after only one run around the circuit in 2021, it feels too early to say without more evidence about where to put it.