15 Tracks F1 Could Race at For the 2023 Season

The 2011 Indian Grand Prix was one of the first races I remember being genuinely invested in. I was a budding Mark Webber fan, so his second place start against the evil Sebastian Vettel on pole was bound to turn up an exciting race. But then, as with every Indian Grand Prix hosted at the track, Seb won.

And, after just three years of Red Bull domination at the circuit in Uttar Pradesh, F1 announced it wouldn’t be coming back. But, as of May 2022, the track still holds its grade one license, so it could one day host another grand prix.

One of four grade one circuits in Spain, MotorLand Aragón is known for its place on the Superbike World Championship.

The 3.3 mile track was opened in 2009 and has also hosted events for touring cars, the all-electric ETCR cup and even the Sidecar World Championship. With 18 corners on the anti-clockwise layout, maybe MotorLand Aragón would be a fun alternative to F1’s current stomping ground in Barcelona?

The first properly historic track to make our list is Germany’s Hockenheimring, which has played host to F1 races on and off since 1970.

From 2007, the circuit alternated hosting F1 races with another entry on this list, before hosting its last Formula 1 grand prix in 2019. Back then, it served up a blinder of a race that saw both Mercedes cars crash out of the Mercedes-sponsored event while wearing special Mercedes anniversary liveries. Mercedes.

While Formula 1 may call Yas Marina its home in the United Arab Emirates, there’s another circuit waiting in the wings should another event in the region be added to the calendar.

This 3.5 mile circuit packs in 17 corners including a mix of tight turns and long swooping curves. The current lap record at the site is a 1:41.220, which was set by Kamui Kobayashi in GP2 way back in 2008. Surely F1 can pop in a shave a few tenths off that?

Spain’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo has hosted races in Formula E, endurance racing, MotoGP and even DTM, but never Formula 1.

The circuit, which has hosted races since 1999, has a grade one license until 2024. That means the track has just two years to try and stake its claim to the Spanish Grand Prix slot. An event here would see the ten top teams fight it out over 14 corners packed into a compact 2.5 mile circuit.

In 2020, we were all fawning over this Portuguese track, some calling it a better version of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. But then, after two years on F1’s calendar it was cruelly taken away from us.

Now, the 2.9 mile track plays host to MotoGP, Superbikes and DTM, which all take on its 15-corner layout.

Opened in 1965, this Japanese track has played host to some iconic moments in F1’s history, including the moment Niki Lauda retired from the Japanese Grand Prix due to the shocking conditions, which handed rival James Hunt the world title.

But, it’s proven itself to be an incredibly dangerous circuit over the years and hasn’t hosted an F1 race since 2008. Now, it’s the venue of choice for Super GT and Super Formula, and even hosted some Olympic cycling events during last year’s Summer Games.

With Paul Ricard and the French Grand Prix off the calendar next year, this other track in France could be primed to step up to the plate.

Magny-Cours still holds an FIA grade one license, which is valid until 2025. But these days, the 2.7 mile track is more focused on Superbike events and GT races.

The former host of both the European Grand Prix and the Spanish Grand Prix is Circuito de Jerez near Seville.

With 13 corners across the 2.8 mile track, the Circuito de Jerez has hosted some intense races over the years. If you want F1 history, you’ve got it in bucket loads at Jerez as it was the site of Mika Häkkinen’s first win, and saw Michael Schumacher get disqualified from the championship after a crash with Jacques Villeneuve.

If F1 wants to increase its global presence, then a race in Thailand would surely do the trick? With Williams racer Alex Albon driving under a Thai flag, a home race for him at the Chang International Circuit would surely do wonders for the sport in Southeast Asia?

The track is pretty impressive as well. Across its 2.8-mile length, it packs in 12 corners that mix sharp right handers with long swooping bends.

Sure, it might be Ferrari’s test track, but that team seems to need all the help it can get these days. Let’s rock up to the Scuderia’s backyard for a race again and see if it can reignite the championship battle?

Nürburgring alternated with the Hockenheimring to host the German Grand Prix between 2007 and 2019. It returned to the calendar in 2020 when it played host to the Eifel Grand Prix.

The track’s F1 days seem behind it, however, and these days it plays host to DTM races, endurance meets and touring car events instead.

Another track I love that I’d be keen to see back on the calendar is the Korea International Circuit.

This 3.5 mile track was constructed in 2009 and 2010 ahead of the inaugural grand prix as part of the 2010 season. It’s a fun track with a mad assortment of twists and turns. In 2011, Sebastian Vettel set the lap record for the circuit of 1:39.605, a cool 29 seconds faster than the touring cars that now race there.

Between 1984 and 1996, Formula 1 hosted its Portuguese race at the Circuito do Estoril on the outskirts of Lisbon.

In 1984, the circuit hosted the final round of the championship, which saw Niki Lauda fight his way up to second place to clinch the title from his McLaren teammate, Alain Prost.

A super sub in the COVID-19 era of F1, Istanbul Park served up Lance Stroll’s one and only pole position. What a moment.

If Formula 1 were to return to this fan-favorite track, it would see teams and drivers take on 14 corners spread across 3.3 miles. The top speed for the circuit sits at 204.7 mph and the lap record stands at 1:24.770 courtesy of Juan Pablo Montoya and his 2005 McLaren F1 car.