Which Circuits Could Join the F1 Calendar in the Future?

From the spectacular Velocity Park in Qiddiya, to the return of the South African Grand Prix and the timeless rumours of a race in London, listed here are all the newest rumours about which tracks might quickly earn a spot on the F1 calendar.

Header Picture: Qiddiya Media

Within the ever-evolving world of System 1, nothing stays static for too lengthy. That features the collection of circuits on which the game races on. For the reason that flip of the millennium, 17 new venues have joined the F1 calendar, whereas a handful of different tracks – together with Zandvoort within the Netherlands and Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico Metropolis – have made welcome returns.

Another tracks, like Hanoi Road Circuit in Vietnam and Igora Drive in Russia, have signed contracts with System 1 however have by no means been raced on, whereas different rumoured venues have by no means made concrete plans to safe a place on the calendar.

When Will New Circuits Be part of the F1 Calendar?

What we all know for sure – barring any unexpected circumstances – is that no new circuits can be becoming a member of the F1 calendar in 2025. All 24 races that are being staged within the 2024 season have contracts to return to the schedule subsequent yr. Below the present industrial settlement, the F1 calendar is capped at 24 rounds for the 2025 season.

It’s potential that when the brand new industrial settlement is signed, the utmost variety of rounds will enhance from 24. It’s unlikely to go any greater than 25, nonetheless, as workforce bosses and personnel have already expressed considerations over workload with many feeling that 24 races per season is already pushing the bounds.

Not too long ago, System 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali hinted that some European rounds might start to be held biennially, alternating with each other. It’s rumoured that the Belgian and Dutch Grands Prix would be the first races to alternate, beginning in 2026. If that’s the case and – as well as – F1 doesn’t renew its contract with outgoing present Spanish Grand Prix host Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (which can be changed with a brand new monitor in Madrid in 2026), there can be at the very least one obtainable slot on the 2026 F1 calendar for a brand new race to happen.

So, which tracks are in pole place to take up any probably vacant slots on the System 1 calendar? Listed here are all the newest rumours about which circuits are vying for a spot on the schedule.

Qiddiya Velocity Park, Saudi Arabia

When Jeddah Corniche Circuit joined the System 1 calendar to host the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021, it was by no means meant to be a long-term everlasting venue. As a substitute, there are grand ambitions for a brand new monitor close to Qiddiya’s Six Flags theme park, round 60km south-west of Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh.

Photos: Qiddiya Media

Below development since 2019 and initially anticipated to open in 2023, the 21-turn monitor is being designed by Hermann Tilke’s firm with enter from former driver, Alexander Wurz. The structure is anticipated to have loads of undulation – together with a 20-storey excessive first flip – and will exceed Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps because the longest monitor on the F1 calendar.

With loads of development work nonetheless to finish, the monitor shouldn’t be anticipated to be prepared till 2028 on the earliest. In January 2023, race organisers confirmed that the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix would stay at Jeddah Corniche Circuit till at the very least 2027.

Istanbul Park, Turkey

After a nine-year absence, the Turkish Grand Prix made a welcome return to the System 1 calendar amid the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The occasion returned to the calendar once more in 2021 following the cancellation of the Singapore Grand Prix. The 2021 race was the primary open to the general public on the monitor since 2011 and had a weekend attendance of 190,000.

Now, it’s understood that Turkey is eager for its Grand Prix to return to the schedule as soon as extra. In early March 2024, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem met with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a gathering through which the return of each the World Rally Championship and System 1 was mentioned.

It’s believed that the push for a return of the Turkish Grand Prix has come because of Intercity’s leasehold of the monitor expiring and the tender demanding that the brand new house owners will safe the circuit a slot on the System 1 calendar from 2026.

Kyalami, South Africa

The potential return of the South African Grand Prix has dominated speculative headlines in recent times. The occasion was final held over 30 years in the past, in 1993. Kyalami regarded set to return to the calendar in 2023, till a deal to deliver the race again fell by in August 2022.

Regardless of quite a few setbacks, it’s understood that System 1 stays eager to return to South Africa, ideally on the Kyalami circuit, the previous host of the occasion situated simply north of Johannesburg. In June final yr, Autosport reported that F1 had paused plans to revive the occasion in 2024 however remained open to including the race to the 2025 calendar.

Chicago, United States

In early 2024, Chicago was rumoured to be lined as much as turn into the fourth race in america on the System 1 calendar.

The hearsay emerged when System 1 utilized to trademark the title ‘Chicago Grand Prix’ and ‘Grand Prix of Chicago’; one thing which it has beforehand achieved prematurely of different new race bulletins, like these in Miami, Las Vegas and Madrid.

The applying for a trademark doesn’t essentially verify that F1 is contemplating internet hosting a race in Chicago. NASCAR lately introduced that it will race on a avenue monitor in Chicago. System 1 might have utilized for the trademark to cease the collection utilizing the ‘Grand Prix’ title for its occasion.

Metropolis officers have stated that internet hosting an F1 race in Chicago is unlikely as a result of a “non-negotiable” minimal 10-year contract. Notably, F1 beforehand trademarked the title ‘New York Grand Prix’ in late 2017, however there stays but to be any concrete plans for a race in New York.

Osaka, Japan

In January 2024, it was reported that officers in Osaka had been seeking to deliver System 1 to the streets of the Japanese metropolis. Osaka’s tourism board introduced their plans and mentioned their intentions in a press convention.

Particular plans past the preliminary formal announcement are but to emerge, and little or no has been heard concerning the venture since System 1 introduced a five-year contract extension with Suzuka – present host of the Japanese Grand Prix – in February 2024. Hiroshi Mizohata, president of Osaka’s tourism board stated that the announcement had “no affect” on plans for an Osaka race.

London, Britain

The hearsay that by no means absolutely goes away: the London Grand Prix. May System 1 feasibly maintain a race within the British capital? It’s troublesome to think about a part of town shutting all the way down to host F1 every year.

In 2023, Stefano Domenicali stated that an F1 race in London could be “nice” however added that there had been no discussions with any potential race promoters.

Silverstone lately signed a brand new contract to host the British Grand Prix for an additional ten years, by to 2034. It signifies that if London had been to affix the calendar, it will accomplish that as an extra spherical to the Silverstone race.

Balaton Park Circuit, Hungary

Balaton Park Circuit, situated round 85km from Budapest, might try to take the Hungarian Grand Prix away from its long-term host sooner or later. The Hungaroring – host of the Hungarian Grand Prix in yearly for the reason that occasion joined the F1 calendar in 1986 – at present holds a contract to host Hungary’s Grand Prix till 2032.

The brand new 4.115km monitor – designed to FIA Grade 1 requirements – opened in Might 2023 and is because of host the Superbike World Championship for the primary time in 2024, in addition to being the reserve venue for the MotoGP championship.

Board members say that internet hosting F1 shouldn’t be a “most important goal”, however added that the monitor is “prepared for any form of motorsport occasion”.

Barranquilla, Colombia

Stefano Domenicali visited Barranquilla in Colombia in late 2022, to take a look at completely different choices for monitor areas throughout the metropolis for a possible “Caribbean Grand Prix”.

In 2023, talking to the Colombian outlet Semana TV, former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya stated {that a} deal to make the Colombian Grand Prix a actuality was “95% achieved” earlier than F1, in response to Montoya, opted so as to add Madrid to the calendar as an alternative. Within the interview, Montoya stated it was nonetheless a risk that the circuit – the structure of which had already been determined – might be part of the calendar by 2028.

Gujarat, India

If there’s a mass market which System 1 has not capitalised on, it’s absolutely India. The Indian Grand Prix was on the System 1 calendar for simply three seasons between 2011 and 2013 on the troublesome to succeed in Buddh Worldwide Circuit however the race was discontinued in 2014 as a result of monetary and bureaucratic points.

In early 2024, it was reported that the federal government of Gujarat hoped to deliver System 1 to its state and had invited proposals to discover a appropriate location for a brand new monitor throughout the under-construction Gujarat Worldwide Finance Tec-Metropolis.

In fact, a return to the Buddh Worldwide Circuit shouldn’t be completely out of the query. MotoGP visited the circuit, which has retained its FIA Grade 1 standing, for the primary time in 2023.