F1 Fanatic

Here’s a new game for fanatics! Create your own F1 calendar and there are only two rules: first is that you must select the same amount of venues as there are right now (20) and they must take place in different countries (or states in the case of America) than what are currently on the calendar. You can choose tracks or design them yourself if you’d like. I’m interested to hear why you’ve made your selections too :)

1. Adelaide
2. Daytona (oval)
3. Road America
4. Motegi (oval)
5. Jerez
6. Portimao
7. Red Bull Ring
8. Circuit de la Sarthe
9. Autodromo Hermanos Rodrigues
10. Laguna Seca
11. Aragon
12. Old Silverstone (or London Olympic race is Silverstone doesn’t count)
13. Nurburgring
14. Istanbul
15. Monza (with restored oval)/ or Misano if Monza not allowed
16. Imola
17. Tokyo (night race on streets and highways)
18. Fuji
19. Macau
20. San Luis

1. Kyalami
2. Imola
3. Catalunya
4. Portimao
5. Monaco
6. A1-ring
7. Magny-Cours
8. Le Mans ‘de la Sarthe’
9. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
10. Indianapolis ‘oval’
11. Brands Hatch
12. Zandvoort
13. ‘old’ Hockenheimring
14. Brno
15. Spa-Francorchamps
16. Monza
17. Singapore
18. Suzuka
19. Laguna Seca
20. Interlagos

I’ve done more or less a fantasy calendar. Mainly F1 circuits past and present but with a few exceptions.

1. Brazilian GP – Interlagos – A classic track that produces classic racing

2. Oceanic GP – Bathurst – A great circuit and as Jenson Button proved, you can at least drive on it.

3. European GP – Oulton Park – Odd choice for a lot of people but the circuit itself is fast, bumpy and unforgiving. One of my favourites to drive on Rfactor.

4. San Marino GP – Imola – I’d choose the circuit more or less in its current configuration except without the Villeneuve chicane and the previous Alta chicane.

5. Turkish GP – Istanbul – The best of the Tilke circuits in my view.

6. Monaco GP – Monte Carlo – Wouldn’t be F1 without it.

7. Mexican GP – Hermanos Rodriguez – One of my favourite ever circuits. The Peraltada is a great corner but it’s the esses which I like the most – The way the speed on each turn continuously increases.

8. United States North GP – Road America – Classic circuit that deserves an F1 race, full stop. Built in the mid 1900′s, it’s one of the few circuits never to change it’s original layout.

9. Canadian GP – Mont Tremblant – A controversial choice given the circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s popularity but Mont Tremblant is extremely undulating and just as challenging to drive on.

10. French GP – Magny-Cours – I did actually like this circuit back in the day.

11. British GP – Brands Hatch – It was a close one between this and Silverstone.

12. Austrian GP – Osterreichring – Purely unique in terms of circuit design where the slowest corner is taken in 4th gear. (Without the Hella-Licht chicane)
(Alternative Round 12 – Lienz Short GP, this track is famous among Rfactor players. Extremely unforgiving with sequences such as Pinball Alley.)

13. German GP – Hockenheim Forest Circuit – Much like Osterreichring in terms of uniqueness. The 4 Forest blasts gave it great character.

14. Hungarian GP – Hungaroring – Now, I know this circuit sometimes doesn’t produce good racing, but the circuit itself it’s genuinely good in my view. Just remove the chicane and it would be almost perfect.

15. Belgian GP – Spa-Francorchamp – Where else?

16. Italian GP – Monza – I prefered this track when it had two chicanes at the first sector rather than the single chicane.

17. Portuguese GP – Algarve – It’s a modern circuit but it’s one of the best modern circuits in Europe. I do wish F1 would try this track out as a race.

18. United States West GP – Laguna Seca – Another classic American circuit with one of the most fearsome corners in the world.

19. Japanese GP – Suzuka – The only place for the Japanese Grand Prix in my view.

20. Australian GP – Adelaide – I do like Melbourne but there’s just something nostalgic about the last race being Adelaide.

I see many of you chose countries that do already have a track on the calendar and also historic versions of circuits, so I made a fictional calendar with the best circuits in each country that deserves a GP, regardless of time. The only restriction is that I think a lap time of over 3 minutes is too long, so no Nordschleife, Snaefell Mountain Course, Targa Florio or that sort of thing. Imagine having these tracks with ’86 F1s!

1. Argentinean Grand Prix – Potrero de los Funes 1987-2007: It’s a stunning track now, but it must’ve been mental with looser turns and without the chicanes.

2. Brazilian Grand Prix – Interlagos 1936-1989: Almost all the goodies of the current track, with extra high speed corners and straights.

3. South African Grand Prix – Kyalami 1968-1985: The best circuit on the continent (never tried Tripoli). A short blast at high altitude.

4. Yugoslavian Grand Prix – Opatija 1939-1977: Probably the most heart-stopping circuit of all-time. Only the stupendously brave will tackle this deathtrap at full speed.

5. Monaco Grand Prix – Monaco 1973-1975: A true must-have on the calendar. Poses a unique challenge for both driver and car. This incarnation has the faster chicane out of the tunnel, but also the very tricky Rascasse.

6. Spanish Grand Prix – Montjuïc 1969-1975: Very pretty track with both slow and fast corners. Easily the best ever on the Iberian peninsula (apart, maybe, from Lasarte in San Sebastian, but that one doesn’t qualify).

7. Unites States Grand Prix East – Virginia 1957-Present: Very stiff competition from Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta, Bridgehampton and many more, but I chose this one because of Watkins Glen’s proximity to Mosport, which comes shortly after.

8. United States Grand Prix West – Laguna Seca 1963-1987: Sears Point and Long Beach have their merit, but the early version of Laguna Seca is so much fun. Those boring turns of the current track didn’t exist yet, so it was an even shorter blast and you pass the Corkscrew about every 30-40 seconds in an F1 car.

9. Canadian Grand Prix – Mosport 1961-Present: The most difficult choice for me was Watkins Glen + Mont Tremblant/Montreal or Mosport + Virginia/Road Atlanta. I just love fast corners over a crest.

10. Dutch Grand Prix – Zandvoort 1948-1972: The legendary track in the dunes in it’s purest form.

11. French Grand Prix – Le Mans 1956-1967: France never had a mainstay on the calendar, but because of that it has had more fantastic circuits in F1 than any other country. Rouen, Reims, Charade and Dijon are all great tracks, but I chose for the one that is truly legendary and the one that everybody wants to see an F1 race on.

12. British Grand Prix – Cadwell Park 1962-Present: If you ignore the fact that the facilities are not even adequate for the BTCC, this is Britain’s greatest track.

13. Belgian Grand Prix – Spa-Francorchamps 1947-1978: Does this one need any explanation?

14. West German Grand Prix – Solitudering 1922-1965: A stunning track in the forests near Stuttgart. The first half is blazingly quick with a few heart-stopping corners and the return is a series of esses that makes Suzuka’s snakes look like a little worm.

15. East German Grand Prix – Sachsenring 1937-1971: Gee, I do love long, fast and dangerous road circuits, don’t I?

16. Italian Grand Prix – Monza 1976-1999: I love the old Imola circuit. Piratella was banked at the apex, but off-camber if you missed it and subsequently crashed without pardon, Aqua Minerale was like Pouhon followed by the Corksrew in reverse and there was a blind kink over a crest where the Variante Alta currently lies. But I just couldn’t choose any other circuit than the Italian GP’s spiritual home. And it’s not like Lesmo, Ascari and Parabolica aren’t challenging either.

17. Turkish Grand Prix – Istanbul 2005-Present: Istanbul stands out favorably amongst what we’re used to these days, but does it stand up against the greats? Well, it manages and the contrast with all the old school tracks will make it shine brighter.

18. Japanese Grand Prix – Suzuka 1983-2001: Without doubt the greatest purpose-built track (of reasonable length) ever designed. 130R was still 130R back then.

19. Singapore Grand Prix – Thomson Road 1966-1973: Before the street circuit in the urban jungle, Singapore had a street circuit in the real jungle. And not a bad one.

20. Australian Grand Prix – Bathurst 1963-1986: Australia had many great tracks on rural roads, like Lobethal, Longford and Gnoo Blas, but this one is truly mythical. I do like Caltex Chase, but it’s not a challenge in an F1 car, so why have it? And Reid Park also required more commitment in the old days, so I chose for the old version.

Nope, none of the current circuits can be used. I don’t care if you pick multiple ones from the same place but if you went down that route it would be a rather limiting world championship imo! :P

@Steph how about past configurations of current circuits? (I hate to be so pedantic – but just wanna make sure I’m playing to the rules! :P) And of course I’d hate for Monaco/Spa/Suzuka to not be there :(

Right, a hybrid from me, based on the current calendar, with a few of my pet peeve races dropped in favour of exciting/histroic tracks. My aim to get races on all continents!

1. South African Grand Prix Kyalami – Africa needs a race and my hometown is best placed to host it!
2. Australian Grand Prix Albert Park – This has to be on the calendar for me.
3. Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang International Circuit – It may be a Tilkedrome, but I love it.
4. Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka – Moved earlier in the year for logistical reasons.
5. Turkish Grand Prix Istanbul Park – Tilke’s second best track behind Sepang.
6. Dutch Grand Prix Assen – A personal touch, I’d love to see an f1 car going round Assen!
7. Spanish Grand Prix Aragon – As long as Nando’s in F1 it has be be on the calendar, so the track may as well be interesting!
8. San Marino Grand Prix Enzo e Dino Ferrari – The legend returns.
9. Portuguese Grand Prix Portimao – Cool looking track, it’s in.
10. Monaco Grand Prix Monte-Carlo – As long as there is F1 this has to be on the calendar!
11. Canadian Grand Prix Circuit Gilles Villeneuve – Massive fan favorite, great races, it stays.
12. United States Grand Prix (CENTRAL) Circuit of the Americas – Let’s give it a chance.
13. United States Grand Prix (WEST) Laguna Seca – I’d love to see F1 here, adds some variety.
14. British Grand Prix Silverstone – See reasoning for Monaco!
15. German Grand Prix Hockenheimring (OLD) – Again for variety.
16. Belgian Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps – If this falls off the calendar again I will cry.
17. Italian Grand Prix Monza – See reasoning for Silverstone and Monaco!
18. Indian Grand Prix Buddh International Circuit – Ok circuit, important market, it’s on the calendar.
19. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yas Island – There has to be a race in the middle east, this is the best compromise.
20. Brazilian Grand Prix Interlagos – Best venue for the season finale.