Top 100 Auto Racing Events & Motor Racing Tracks

AUTO RACING (also known as car racing, motor racing or automobile racing) is a sport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. The main aim of an individual event is to set the fastest time in a set number of laps or time limit. The finishing order is determined by race time, with the fastest time in first place, second-fastest in second place and so on. Any driver failing to complete a race for any reason is deemed 'retired', or more commonly 'out'. Retired drivers will have their positions determined by the order in which those retired, with the first to retire finishing last, the next second-last and so on. There are numerous different categories of auto racing, each with different rules and regulations, such as compulsory pit stops and car regulations.

Auto Racing News, Reviews & Resources

• 2024 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE CALENDAR | F1 Schedule 2024 - "Formula 1 has announced the calendar for the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship, approved by the World Motor Sport Council. The calendar features 24 races and begins in Bahrain on March 2 and finishes in Abu Dhabi on December 8. Click on any Formula 1 race from the 2024 season Grand Prix calendar today for results, reports and highlights, plus full details of the F1 schedule, with dates, times and the full weekend program."
• From cutting curfews to grid penalties - 10 rule changes you need to know about for the 2023 F1 season - "While F1’s rules are remaining largely the same in 2023 following last year’s major reset, there are still technical and sporting changes of note for the campaign ahead, as we explain in our pre-season rundown..." Formula 1.
• Formula 1 announces calendar for 2024 - "The calendar features 24 races and begins in Bahrain on March 2 and finishes in Abu Dhabi on December 8."
• Three key stand outs from the 2024 F1 calendar - "The season begins with two Saturday races. Races move position to support regionalisation. Formula 1 set for bumper 24-race calendar."
• Astor Cup Race - (1915-).
• AUTO RACING - Wikipedia.
• AUTOSPORT.COM - "The authority on Formula One, MotoGP, WRC, IndyCar, GP2, F2, Le Mans, NASCAR and more."
• CLASSIC RALLIES - classic cars, classic rally, vintage racing.
• ENDURANCE RACING - Wikipedia.
• FANHOUSE - AOL Sports.
• FIA | FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE L'AUTOMOBILE - governing body of motorsport worldwide.
• FORMULA ONE - Wikipedia.
• Formula One 2011 - interactive map and 20 circuits guide.
• FOTA | FORMULA ONE TEAMS ASSOCIATION - formed in 2008.
• GRAND AMERICAN ROAD RACING ASSOCIATION
• GRAND PRIX CITIES - motorsport, travel guide, events, dates, tickets and hotels.
• HISTORIC RACING - huge auto racing resource.
• How Formula One Works - HowStuffWorks.
• Lap - one circuit around a race track.
• List of Formula One circuits - Wikipedia.
• List of Formula One drivers - Wikipedia.
• List of Formula One Grands Prix - Wikipedia.
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• Mercedes-Benz W196 - (1954). Mercedes-Benz Formula One entry in the 1954 and 1955 Formula One seasons, winning 9 of 12 races entered in the hands of Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss. The most valuable motor vehicle ever sold at auction (by Bonhams 1793 in conjunction with the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 12, 2013): £19.6 million.
• MOTOR SPORT MAGAZINE - since 1924. "The Original Motor Racing Magazine."
• Porsche debuts its Taycan safety car at Le Mans - "The Taycan Turbo safety car is in France for the Porsche Carrerra Cup Deutschland race."
• Racecar Engineering - "The leading motorsport technology magazine."
• RC CONCEPTS MONACO - with 10 years experience around the organisation of the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix we rent private terraces/balcony to watch the race and all the logistic going with it.
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• Scuderia Ferrari F14 T - Ferrari's 2014 Formula One car.
• SIR STIRLING MOSS - official website.
• Spirit of the Gumball Trophy - awarded to the driver(s) each year that embody the fun freedom of spirit and adventure that the event strives for. Often awarded to the drivers of the vehicle that has perhaps been regarded as an 'underdog' (such as the Citroen 2CV, a Ford Transit ice-cream van, or 1963 VW Campervan) - or to the participants that have completed the 3000 miles against all odds, such as fixing their broken vehicle, or getting lost en route.
• The F1 Times - "Formula 1 News."
• ThisisF1 - "The Complete Formula 1." ThisisF1.com updates all F1 news, analysis, interviews, team & driver’s reports, results, photos, videos, and all excitement throughout the Formula 1 season.
• tomorrow news f1
• TRIPLE CROWN OF MOTORSPORT - the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix.
• Vanderbilt Cup Race - (1904-1968/1996-2007). The first major trophy in American auto racing.
• VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES - official website.

Auto Racing Events

• 2023 Formula 1 calendar revealed: F1 announces 24-race calendar for 2023 - "Kicking off in Bahrain on March 5 and concluding in Abu Dhabi on November 26, the season will feature a record-breaking 24 races, with China and Qatar set to return, and Las Vegas arriving as the penultimate round for a Saturday night race."
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• 24 HOURS OF LE MANS - world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, France.
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• Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - the 19th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It was announced in early 2007 at the Abu Dhabi F1 Festival in the United Arab Emirates. The first race took place on November 1, 2009, held at the Hermann Tilke designed Yas Marina Circuit. The inaugural race was Formula One's first ever day-night race, starting at 17:00 local time. Floodlights used to illuminate the circuit were switched on from the start of the event to ensure a seamless transition from daylight to darkness. Subsequent Abu Dhabi Grands Prix have also been day-night races. (21-23 November, 2014).
• Astor Cup Race - (1915-).
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• Australian Grand Prix - the 1st race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Rolex Australian Grand Prix. Motor race held annually in Australia. The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition held in Australia having been held 77 times since it was first run at Phillip Island in 1928. Since 1985 the race has been a round of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is now held at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit at Albert Park in Melbourne. (14-16 March, 2014).
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• Austrian Grand Prix - the 8th race of the Formula One calendar. Formula One race held in 1964, 1970–1987 and 1997–2003. The Grand Prix is set to be revived at the Red Bull Ring during the 2014 Formula One season. (20-22 June, 2014).
• AUZRUN - "Australia's first and Australias only open road rally."
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• Bahrain Grand Prix - the 3rd race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Formula One Championship race in Bahrain sponsored by Gulf Air. The first race took place at the Bahrain International Circuit on 4 April 2004. It made history as the first Formula One Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East, and was given the award for the "Best Organised Grand Prix" by the FIA. (4-6 April, 2014).
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• Belgian Grand Prix - the 12th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Shell Belgian Grand Prix. (Dutch: Grote Prijs van België, French: Grand Prix de Belgique, German: Großer Preis von Belgien) is an automobile race, part of the Formula One World Championship. The first national race of Belgium was held in 1925 at the Spa region's race course, an area of the country that had been associated with motor sport since the very early years of racing. To accommodate Grand Prix motor racing, the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps race course was built in 1921 but it was only used for motorcycle racing until 1924. After the 1923 success of the new 24 hours of Le Mans in France, the Spa 24 Hours, a similar 24 hour endurance race, was run at the Spa track. Since inception, Spa-Francorchamps has been known for its unpredictable weather. At one stage in its history it had rained at the Belgian Grand Prix for twenty years in a row. Frequently drivers confront a part of the course that is clear and bright while another stretch is rainy and slippery. It is one of the most popular races on the Formula One calendar, due to the scenic and historical Spa-Francorchamps circuit being a favorite of drivers and fans. (22-24 August, 2014).
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• Brazilian Grand Prix - the 18th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Grande Prêmio do Brasil. Formula One championship race which occurs at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Interlagos, a district in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. (7-9 November, 2014).
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• British Grand Prix - the 9th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Santander British Grand Prix. Race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. The British and Italian Grands Prix are the oldest continuously staged Formula One World Championship Grands Prix. (4-6 July, 2014).
• BULLRUN LIVE RALLY - the most glamorous and high profile of the new breed of high-end luxury lifestyle automotive rallies. Each year, a hundred of the world's finest super-cars embark on an epic eight-day rolling party across the U.S.A.
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• Canadian Grand Prix - the 7th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Grand Prix du Canada. (Known in French as the Grand Prix du Canada) is an annual auto race held in Canada starting in 1961. It has been part of the Formula One World Championship since 1967. It was first staged at Mosport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario as a sports car event before it alternated between Mosport and Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Quebec after Formula One took over the event. After 1971 safety concerns led to the Grand Prix moving permanently to Mosport. In 1978, after similar safety concerns with Mosport the Canadian Grand Prix moved to its current home on Île Notre-Dame in Montreal. (6-8 June, 2014).
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• Chinese Grand Prix - the 4th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: UBS Chinese Grand Prix. A round of the Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, designed by Hermann Tilke. When completed in 2004, it was the most expensive Formula One circuit facility, costing $240 million. The track is 5.451 km long and features one of the trickiest corners combinations on the Formula One calendar, comparable to that of Istanbul Park's turn 8, also designed by Tilke. Turn 1 and 2 are a very demanding 270 degree, right-handed corner combination that requires a lot of speed whilst entering and it tightens up towards the end. (18-20 April, 2014).
• Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix - since 2001. Vintage motor sports car race held annually on the grounds of Fælledparken in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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• DAKAR RALLY - (or simply "The Dakar"; formerly known as "The Paris–Dakar" or "Paris to Dakar Rally"). Since 1979. Annual Dakar Series rally raid type of off-road race, organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation. Most events since the inception in 1978 were from Paris, France, to Dakar, Senegal, but due to security threats in Mauritania, which led to the cancellation of the 2008 rally, the 2009 Dakar Rally was run in South America (Argentina and Chile). It was the first time the race took place outside of Europe and Africa. It has stayed in South America from 2009 to the present (2013). The race is open to amateur and professional entries. Amateurs typically make up about eighty percent of the participants.
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• European Grand Prix - the 8th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe. (Sometimes referred to as the Grand Prix of Europe) is a Formula One event that was introduced during the mid-1980s and was held regularly from 1999 until 2012. The most recent host venue for this event was the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain, hosting the race from 2008 until 2012. The race was removed from the calendar in 2013. In 2016 the race will return, being run on a street circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Fri 17 – Sun 19 Jun 2016).
• FORMULA 1 - the official FIA Formula 1 world championship website and 2013 race calendar.
• Formula 1 2011 - world venue map and circuit guide - explore the venues for the 2011 Formula 1 season with BBC Sport's interactive map of the 20 circuits.
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• German Grand Prix - the 10th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Großer Preis von Deutschland. Annual automobile race that has been held most years since 1926, with 73 races presently having been held. The race has had a remarkably stable history for one of the older Grands Prix, having been held at just three different venues throughout its life; the Nürburgring in Rhineland-Palatinate, Hockenheimring in Baden-Württemberg and on odd occasion AVUS near Berlin. The race continued to be known as the German Grand Prix, even through the era when the race was held in West Germany. (18-20 July, 2014).
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• Goodwood Festival of Speed - since 1993. "The largest motoring garden party in the world." Annual hill climb featuring historic motor racing vehicles that is held in the grounds of Goodwood House, West Sussex, England, U.K.
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• GUMBALL 3000 - since 1999. Annual British 3,000-mile (4,800 km) international road rally which takes place on public roads, with a different route around the world each year. Founded in 1999 by Maximillion Cooper, it sees an annual entry of 120 cars, which are mostly exotic and powerful sports cars. However, more unusual entries (such as police cars and camper-vans) have been seen. The Rally is not a serious race in the traditional sense of rally races - there are no prizes for being fastest or official timekeeping of any sort. Organizers emphasize that it is a road trip adventure and not a race.
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• Historic Grand Prix of Monaco - May 9-11, 2014. Circuit of Monte-Carlo. Organized by the Automobile Club de Monaco since 1997, the Historic Grand Prix is a "biennial" event that takes place two weeks before the Formula 1 Grand Prix.
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• Hungarian Grand Prix - the 11th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Magyar Nagydíj. First held on June 21, 1936 over a 3.1-mile (5.0 km) track laid out in Népliget, a park in Budapest. The Mercedes-Benz, Auto Union, and Ferrari teams all sent three cars and the event drew a very large crowd. However, politics and the ensuing war meant the end of Grand Prix motor racing in the country for fifty years. A major coup by Bernie Ecclestone, the 1986 Hungarian Grand Prix was the first Formula One race to take place behind the Iron Curtain. Held at the twisty Hungaroring in Mogyoród near Budapest, the race has been a mainstay of the racing calendar. Run in the heat of a central European summer, it also held the distinction of being the only current Grand Prix venue that had never seen a wet race up until the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix. (25-27 July, 2014).
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• Indian Grand Prix - the 16th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Airtel Indian Grand Prix. (Sometimes referred to as the Grand Prix of India) is a motor race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship currently being held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida near New Delhi. The first event took place on 30 October 2011 as the 17th race of the 2011 Formula One season. (25-27 October, 2013).
• INDIANAPOLIS 500 - American automobile race, held annually over the Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The event lends its name to the IndyCar class, or formula, of open-wheel race cars that have competed in it. The event, billed as The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, is considered one of the three most significant motorsports events in the world.
• INDYCAR - name of an American-based open-wheel auto racing sanctioning body. IndyCar sanctions three racing series, the premier IZOD IndyCar Series (often abbreviated ICS or IICS) with its centerpiece Indianapolis 500, and developmental series Firestone Indy Lights and the U.S. F2000 National Championship, which are both a part of The Road To Indy.
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• Italian Grand Prix - the 13th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Gran Premio d'Italia. One of the longest running events on the motor racing calendar. The first Italian Grand Prix motor racing championship took place on 4 September 1921 at Brescia. However, the race is more closely associated with the course at Monza, which was built in 1922 in time for that year's race, and has been the location for most of the races over the years. (5-7 September, 2014).
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• Japanese Grand Prix - the 15th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Japanese Grand Prix. Race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. Traditionally one of the last, if not the last race of the season, the Japanese Grand Prix has been the venue for many title-deciding races, with 13 World Champions being crowned over the 27 World Championship Japanese Grands Prix that have been hosted. The first two Japanese Grands Prix in 1976 and 1977 were held at the Fuji Speedway, before Japan was taken off the calendar. It returned in 1987 at Suzuka, which hosted the Grand Prix exclusively for 20 years and gained a reputation as one of the most challenging F1 circuits. In 2007 the Grand Prix moved back to the newly redesigned Fuji Speedway. After a second race at Fuji in 2008, the race returned to Suzuka in 2009. The Japanese Grand Prix was supposed to continue alternating between Fuji Speedway and Suzuka Circuit, owned by perennial rivals Toyota and Honda, respectively. There had been speculation that both tracks would host Grands Prix, with the readoption of the Pacific Grand Prix moniker used by the TI Circuit when it hosted Grands Prix in 1994 and 1995. The race made Japan one of only six countries to host more than one Grand Prix in the same season (the others being Great Britain, Spain, Germany, Italy and the USA). It was discontinued primarily due to its location in a remote area of Japan. (3-5 October, 2014).
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• Korean Grand Prix - the 14th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Korean Grand Prix. Formula One race held in South Korea. After months of speculation, on October 2, 2006 it was confirmed that the event would actually take place in 2010, and would be hosted by the Korea International Circuit. It has also been revealed that the race will be promoted by a public-private company. The deal is for seven years with a five year option that would ensure the race to be held until 2021. (4-6 October, 2013).
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• Malaysia Grand Prix - the 2nd race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix. First included in the Formula One World Championship in 1999, the current Malaysian Grand Prix is held at the Sepang International Circuit at Sepang, Malaysia. FIA-sanctioned racing in Malaysia has existed since the 1960s. From 2011, the race has changed its name to the Malaysia Grand Prix. (28-30 March, 2014).
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• Monaco Grand Prix - the 6th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Grand Prix de Monaco. A Formula 1 race held each year on the Circuit de Monaco. Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world, alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans (informally known as the Triple Crown of Motorsport). (22-25 May, 2014).
• RALLYE MONTE-CARLO - since 1911.
• RALLYE MONTE-CARLO HISTORIQUE - since 1998
• ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA - formerly known as the 24 Hours of Daytona, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a 3.56-mile (5.73 km) combined road course.
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• Russian Grand Prix - the 16th race of the Formula One calendar. Grand Prix motor race briefly held in the 1910s in St. Petersburg. It is expected that on the 100th anniversary of the last Russian Grand Prix, a new round of the Formula One World Championship will join the calendar in 2014. After several decades of attempting to re-establish the race, Bernie Ecclestone and the head of Krasnodarsky Krai Development Technologies Sharing Centre Mikhail Kapirulin officially signed a contract in attendance of Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin for the race to be run in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on a yet to be constructed Olympic Park Circuit. (10-12 October, 2014).
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• Singapore Grand Prix - the 14th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Singapore Grand Prix. Motor race on the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. The event takes place in Singapore on the Marina Bay Street Circuit and was the inaugural F1 night race and the first street circuit in Asia. (19-21 September, 2014).
• Spa 24 Hours - endurance racing event held annually in Belgium at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
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• Spanish Grand Prix - the 5th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: Gran Premio de España. (Catalan: Gran Premi d'Espanya). Formula One race, that as of 2013, will alternate every year between the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona and the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain. (9-11 May, 2014).
• TARGA FLORIO - open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it used to be the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Championship until 1973. After 1973, it was a national sports car event until it was discontinued in 1977 due to safety concerns. It is since run as a rallying event, and is part of the Campionato Italiano Rally, the Italian national rally championship.
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• United States Grand Prix - the 17th race of the Formula One calendar. Race title: United States Grand Prix. Motor race which has been run on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The race later became part of the Formula One World Championship. Over 42 editions, the race has been held at ten locations, most recently in 2012 at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas. (31 October - 2 November, 2014).
• Vanderbilt Cup Race - (1904-1968/1996-2007).

Motor Racing Tracks

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• Brooklands - (1907-1939). Was a 2.75-mile (4.43 km) motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields. The circuit hosted its last race in 1939.
• Hermann Tilke - German engineer and auto racer, who has designed numerous Formula One motor racing circuits.
• List of NÜrburgring fatal accidents - Wikipedia.
• LIST WORLD'S MOTOR RACING TRACKS - Wikipedia.
• RACE TRACK - Wikipedia.
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• Autodrome de Linas-MontlhÉry - automobile racetrack located across the towns of Linas Bruyères-le-Châtel and Ollainville, outside Paris, France. The first race there, the 1925 French Grand Prix, was held on 26 July 1925 and organised by The Automobile Club de France Grand Prix. It was a race in which Robert Benoist in a Delage won; Antonio Ascari died in an Alfa Romeo P2. The Grand Prix revisited the track in 1927 and each year between 1931 and 1937. Length: 2,548.24 metres (1.58 mi).
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• AutÓdromo Hermanos RodrÍguez - 4.484 km (2.786 mi) race track in Mexico City, Mexico, named for the famous racing drivers Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez. The circuit got its name shortly after it opened when Ricardo Rodríguez died in practice for the non-Championship 1962 Mexican Grand Prix. Ricardo's brother Pedro also lost his life behind the wheel years later. The circuit is located within the public park of the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City in southeast Mexico City. The Grand Prix circuit underwent a significant renovation under the direction of Hermann Tilke for the return of Formula One in 2015. The front straight was slightly extended and reprofiled to accommodate a new media center and paddock. The iconic esses between turns 7 and 13 were significantly modified; the prolific, high radius turns largely diminished and some replaced with fixed angle turns.
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• AutÓdromo JosÉ Carlos Pace - also known by its former name Interlagos, is a motorsport circuit located in the city of São Paulo, renamed after Carlos Pace, a Brazilian Formula One driver who had died in a 1977 plane crash. It is well known for being the venue of the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix. The land on which the circuit is located was originally bought in 1926 by property developers who wanted to build accommodations. Following difficulties partly due to the 1929 stock market crash, it was decided to build a racing circuit instead, construction started in 1938 and the track was inaugurated in May 1940. The traditional name of the circuit (literally, "between lakes") comes from the fact that it was built in a region between two large artificial lakes, Guarapiranga and Billings, which were built in the early 20th century to supply the city with water and electric power. It was renamed in 1985 from "Autódromo de Interlagos" to its current name to honor the Brazilian Formula One driver José Carlos Pace, who died in a plane crash in 1977. Formula One started racing there in 1972, the first year being a non-championship race, won by Argentinean Carlos Reutemann. The first World Championship Brazilian Grand Prix was held at Interlagos in 1973, the race won by defending Formula One World Champion and São Paulo local Emerson Fittipaldi. Fittipaldi won the race again the following year in bad weather and Brazilian driver José Carlos Pace won his only race at Interlagos in 1975. Length: 7.960 km (4.975 mi).
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• Autodromo Nazionale Monza - since September 3, 1922. Grand Prix track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. Major features of the main track include the Curva di Lesmo, the Curva Parabolica, and the Variante Ascari. The high speed curve, Curva Grande, is located after a slow corner, but usually taken flat out by Grand Prix cars. Length: 5.793 kilometres (3.600 mi).
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• Bahrain International Circuit - Sakhir, Bahrain. Motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. In 2007 the circuit became the first Grand Prix circuit to be awarded the distinguished FIA Institute Centre of Excellence award, given for excellent safety, race marshal, and medical facilities, and for the high standards of technology required to maintain these. Length: 5.412 km (3.363 mi).
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• Buddh International Circuit - Indian motor racing circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India, near the national capital New Delhi. The circuit is best known as the venue for the annual Formula One Indian Grand Prix, which was first hosted in 2011. The track was officially inaugurated on 18 October 2011. The 5.14 km long Circuit has been designed by world-renowned German architect and racetrack designer, Hermann Tilke, who has also designed other race circuits in Malaysia, Bahrain, China, Turkey, the UAE, South Korea and the US. One of the most notable sections of the circuit is the multi-apex turn 10–11–12 sequence. It has been likened to the long, fast Turn 8 at Turkey’s Istanbul Park circuit and is expected to generate high tyre loadings. Unlike Turkey’s Turn 8, it tightens on exit and is a clockwise right-hander. It is anticipated to be one of the main overtaking points, and circuit’s main straight, at 1060m, is among the longest in F1. The pitlane is also one of the longest in F1, at more than 600 metres. Time spent in the pitlane is an important factor in determining race strategies. Length: 5.137 km (3.192 mi).
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• Circuit de Catalunya - also known as Circuit de Barcelona, is a motorsport race track in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit. The Circuit de Catalunya was built in 1991 and began hosting the Spanish Grand Prix that same year. Construction also coincided with the Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Barcelona the next year, where the circuit acted as the start and finish line for the road team time trial cycling event. The circuit has been the site of some memorable moments. In 1991, Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell went down the entire front straight side-by-side while duelling for second place, with Mansell eventually taking the position and ultimately the race itself. In 1994, Michael Schumacher managed to finish in second place despite driving over half the race with only fifth gear. In 1996, Schumacher took his first win as a Ferrari driver, after a dominant performance during a torrential rainstorm. Length: 4.655 km (2.892 mi).
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• Circuit de la Sarthe - located near Le Mans, France, is a semi-permanent race course most famous as the venue for the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race. The track uses local roads that remain open to the public most of the year. The circuit, in its present configuration, is 13.629 km (8.469 mi) long, making it one of the longest circuits in the world.
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• Circuit de Monaco - street circuit laid out on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of the principality of Monaco. It is commonly referred to as "Monte Carlo" because it is largely inside the Monte Carlo neighbourhood of Monaco. The circuit is used on one weekend in the month of May of each year to host the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix. The idea for a Grand Prix race around the streets of Monaco came from Anthony Noghès, the president of the Monegasque car club and close friend of the ruling Grimaldi family. The inaugural race was held in 1929 and was won by William Grover-Williams in a Bugatti. The building of the circuit takes six weeks, and the dismantling after the race another three weeks. The race circuit has many elevation shifts, tight corners, and is narrow. These features make it perhaps the most demanding track in Formula One racing. Although the course has changed many times during its history, it is still considered the ultimate test of driving skills in Formula One. It contains both the slowest corner in Formula One (the Fairmont hairpin, taken at just 46 km/h (29 mph)) and one of the quickest (the flat out kink in the tunnel, three turns beyond the hairpin, taken at 260 km/h (160 mph)). Length: 3.340 km (2.075 mi).
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• Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - at Francorchamps, Spa, Belgium. Considered to be one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its fast, hilly and twisty nature. Over the years, the Spa course has been modified several times. All these changes made Spa the fastest open road circuit in the world, and in the final years of the old circuit, drivers could average 150 mph (241 km/h) on the circuit. The biggest change, however, saw the circuit being shortened from 14 km (9 mi) to 7 km (4 mi) in 1979. The start/finish line, which was originally on the downhill straight before Eau Rouge, was moved to the straight before the La Source hairpin in 1981. Like its predecessor the new layout still is a fast and hilly route through the Ardennes where speeds in excess of 330 km/h (205 mph) can be reached. Since inception, the place has been famous for its unpredictable weather. Frequently drivers are confronted with one part of the course being clear and bright while another stretch is rainy and slippery. The circuit probably demonstrates the importance of driver skill more than any other in the world. This is largely due to the Eau Rouge and Blanchimont corners, both which need to be taken flat out to achieve a fast run onto the straights after them, which aids a driver in both a fast lap and in overtaking. Length: 7.004 km (4.352 mi).
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• Circuit Gilles Villeneuve - motor racing circuit in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the venue for the FIA Formula One Canadian Grand Prix. The Canadian Grand Prix that took place for 30 years at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was dropped from the 2009 Formula One calendar and replaced with the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. On November 27, 2009, Quebec's officials and Canadian Grand Prix organisers announced a settlement with Formula One Administration and signed a new five-year contract spanning the 2010–2014 seasons. The 2011 edition took place on June 12 at 1:00pm (17:00 GMT) and was the longest World Championship Grand Prix ever, due to a lengthy rain delay. The circuit, at Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Notre-Dame, a man-made island in the St. Lawrence River that is part of the city of Montreal, was originally named the Île Notre-Dame Circuit. It was renamed in honour of Canadian Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve, father of Jacques Villeneuve, following his death in 1982. Barriers run close to the circuit and many experienced drivers have been caught out by them. A particularly famous part of the circuit is the wall on the outside of the exit of the final chicane before the start/finish straight. Length: 4.361 km (2.71 mi).
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• Circuit of the Americas - motor racing circuit near Austin, Texas. It hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix on November 18, 2012, the penultimate round of the 2012 season. The circuit will also host the Texas Motorcycle Grand Prix, a round of the Road Racing World Championship—commonly known as MotoGP—in addition to the Australian V8 Supercars series, the FIA World Endurance Championship, the American Le Mans Series, and the Rolex Sports Car Series, all of which will make their debuts at the circuit in 2013. The reception from drivers ahead of the inaugural race was highly positive. Length: 3.427 mi (5.513 km).
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• Goodwood Circuit - historic venue for both two- and four-wheeled motorsport in the United Kingdom. The 2.4 mile circuit is situated near Chichester, West Sussex, close to the south coast of England, on the estate of Goodwood House, and completely encircles Chichester/Goodwood Airport. This is the racing circuit dating from 1948, not to be confused with the separate hillclimb course located at Goodwood House and first used in 1936.
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• Hockenheimring - auomobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix, with the most recent being in 2012. Situated in the Rhine valley, the circuit is almost completely flat, with very little change in elevation. In the early 2000s, F1 officials demanded the 6.823 km (4.240 mi) track be shortened and threatened to discontinue racing there, due to competition from other tracks such as the EuroSpeedway Lausitz and sites in Asia. The new track has a seating capacity of 120,000, due to new large grandstands sponsored by Mercedes-Benz. Length: 4.574 km (2.842 mi).
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• Hungaroring - motor-racing circuit in Mogyoród, near Budapest, Hungary where the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix is held. In 1986, it became the location of the first Formula One Grand Prix behind the Iron Curtain. Bernie Ecclestone wanted a race in the USSR, but a Hungarian friend of his recommended Budapest. They wanted a street circuit similar to the Circuit de Monaco to be built in the Népliget – Budapest's largest park – but the government decided to build a new circuit just outside the city near a major highway. Construction works started on October 1, 1985. It was built in eight months, less time than any other Formula One circuit. The first race was held on March 24, 1986 in memory of János Drapál, the first Hungarian who won motorcycle Grand Prix races. According to a survey put together by the national tourism office of Hungary, Mogyoród ranks third in Hungarian venues visited by tourists. Length: 4.381 km (2.722 mi).
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• Korea International Circuit - motorsport circuit located in Yeongam, South Jeolla, South Korea, 400 kilometres south of Seoul and near the port city of Mokpo. It is the venue for the F1 Korean Grand Prix after a $264 million (250 billion won) deal between Bernie Ecclestone and the Korean F1 promoter Korea Auto Valley Operation. German designer Hermann Tilke was given the responsibility of the design of the track. It is part permanent, part temporary. The temporary part is along the harbour side of the province where spectators from the promenade, hotels and yachts can view the race. Part of the city with possible exhibition facilities, shops, restaurants and cafes are utilized as the pit lane during the F1 Grand Prix weekend. The initial contract has a duration of seven years, with a five-year option that could take the race until 2021. The inaugural Korean Grand Prix was run on 24 October for the 2010 Formula One season. The event was the 17th out of 19 events during the season, after the Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit. The capacity of the venue is 135,000 spectators. Length: 5.615 km (3.489 mi).
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• Marina Bay Street Circuit - otherwise known as the Singapore GP Street Circuit, is a street circuit around Singapore's Marina Bay and is the venue for the Singapore Grand Prix. The track is 5.073 km (3.152 mi) long in a harbourside location similar in style to the Monaco Grand Prix and the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain.
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• Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit - street circuit around Albert Park Lake, only a few kilometres south of central Melbourne. It is used annually as a racetrack for the Australian Grand Prix and associated support races. The circuit uses everyday sections of road that circle Albert Park Lake, a small man-made lake just south of the Central Business District of Melbourne. The road sections that are used were rebuilt prior to the inaugural event in 1996 to ensure consistency and smoothness. As a result, compared to other circuits that are held on public roads, the Albert Park track has quite a smooth surface. Before 2007 there existed only a few other places on the Formula 1 calendar with a body of water close to the track. Most of the new tracks, such as Valencia, Singapore and Abu Dhabi have imitated that feature. Length: 5.303 km (3.295 mi).
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• NÜrburgring - motorsports complex around the village of Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is located about 70 km (43 mi) south of Cologne, and 120 km (75 mi) northwest of Frankfurt. It features a Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old "North loop" track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. The north loop is 12.8 miles (20.8 km) long and has more than 300 meters (1,000 feet) of elevation change from its lowest to highest points. The old track was nicknamed "The Green Hell" by Jackie Stewart, and is widely considered as the most demanding and difficult purpose-built racing circuit in the world. Length: 4.556 km (2.831 mi).
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• Sepang International Circuit - motorsport race track in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located near Kuala Lumpur International Airport, approximately 60 km south of the capital city Kuala Lumpur. It is the venue used for the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix, A1 Grand Prix, Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix and other major motorsport events. The main circuit, normally raced in a clockwise direction, is 5.543 kilometres long, and is noted for its sweeping corners and wide straights. The layout is quite unusual, with a very long back straight separated from the pit straight by just one very tight hairpin. Length: 5.543 km (3.444 mi).
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• Shanghai International Circuit - situated in the Jiading District of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The circuit is best known as the venue for the annual Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, which it first hosted in 2004. In common with many other new Formula One circuits, it was designed by Hermann Tilke, and also features his trademark track feature: a long back straight followed by a hairpin turn. Current-generation F1 cars can easily surpass 300 km/h (186 mph) on the long straight between corners 13 and 14. The total length of the circuit is 5.451 km (3.387 mi), which is about average for a Formula One circuit. The lap record was set by Ferrari's Michael Schumacher in 2004. He completed one lap of the circuit in 1:32.238.
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• Silverstone Circuit - "Home of British Motor Racing." English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side. The Northamptonshire towns of Towcester (5 miles) and Brackley (7 miles) and Buckinghamshire town of Buckingham (6 miles) are close by, and the nearest large towns are Northampton and Milton Keynes. It is best known as the home of the British Grand Prix, which it first hosted in 1948 and which has been held on the circuit every year since 1987. The circuit is also home to the BRDC International Trophy, formerly one of the premier non-Championship F1 races in the calendar, today awarded to the winner of a race for historic F1 cars at the annual Silverstone Classic meeting. The circuit is owned by the British Racing Drivers' Club. Length: 5.901 km (3.667 mi).
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• Sochi Olympic Park Circuit - 5.872 km (3.649 mi) with 16 turns (11 right-handers and 5 left-handers), Formula One racing street circuit under construction in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. The circuit is similar to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and the Sydney Olympic Park Circuit in that it will run around a venue used for Olympic competition. The 5.9-kilometre (3.7 mi) circuit will be the third-longest circuit on the Formula One calendar, behind Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and Silverstone in Great Britain. The track width varies from 13 to 15 meters and the direction is clockwise. The track’s combination of straights and really fast corners will make it to one of the fastest Formula One tracks. The top speed is expected to be about 320 km/h.
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• Spielberg - the Red Bull Ring Spielberg is a motorsport circuit in Spielberg, Styria, Austria: 4.326 km (2.688 mi), 10 turns. The Red Bull Ring has a capacity of 40,000.
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• Suzuka International Racing Course - motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Suzuka is one of the oldest remaining tracks of the Formula One World Championship, and so has a long history of races as venue of the Japanese Grand Prix. Its traditional role as one of the last Grands Prix of the season means numerous World Championships have been decided at the track. Designed as a Honda test track in 1962 by Dutchman John Hugenholtz, Suzuka is one of few circuits in the world to have a "figure 8" layout, with the back straight passing over the front section by means of an overpass. The circuit can be used in three configurations; the full circuit, the "Suzuka East" and "Suzuka West" configuration. The "East" portion of the course consists of the pit straight to the first half of the Dunlop curve (turn 7), before leading back to the pit straight via a tight right-hander. The "West" course is made up of the other part of the full circuit, including the crossover bridge. Length: 3.466 km (2.154 mi).
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• Yas Marina Circuit - the venue for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The circuit was designed by Hermann Tilke, and is situated on Yas Island, about 30 minutes from the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi. Designed as an Arabian version of Monaco, the twenty-one corners twists through the man made island off the Abu Dhabi coast, passing by the marina and through the Yas Marina Hotel. Length: 5.554 km (3.451 mi).