Your Guide to Every Formula 1 Circuit in 2024

Bahrain International Circuit, Bahrain

Length: 3.36 miles (5.412 km)

Number of Corners: 15

This track, in the desert outside Manama, debuted in 2004 and offers long straights and a challenging final sector. As the years have passed, the surface has become increasingly abrasive, providing a challenge in tire wear, while the wind is also a frequent trial. Since 2014, the race has run at night under floodlights.

That same year, during the third race of the new turbo-hybrid era, Nico Rosberg led Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers’ Championship by 25 points coming into the race. Rosberg scored pole; Hamilton started second. Hamilton passed him at the first corner, and in a close battle to the end, the two Mercedes finished first and second, with Hamilton winning, and later ending the season as champion.

Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia

Length: 3.84 miles (6.174 km) 

Number of Corners: 27  

Located on the coast of the Red Sea, this fast and flowing street circuit, first used by Formula 1 in 2021, has banked corners, multiple chicanes, and facilitates high average speeds. It was the last track at which Lewis Hamilton won a race to date, back in 2021. The two following years, Red Bull drivers won at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix—Max Verstappen in 2022 and Sergio Perez in 2023.

Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Australia

Length: 3.28 miles (5.278 km) 

Number of Corners: 14

Winding around a lake in downtown Melbourne’s Albert Park, the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit is a unique combination of temporary street course and permanent track, offering a challenging mix of fast straights and tight corners. The circuit, which has hosted the Australian Grand Prix since 1996, is bumpy, and its grip changes throughout the weekend, while the side barriers are close to the track.

This recipe contributed to a freak accident in 2001, when Jacques Villeneuve flipped his car. In the process, one of the wheels flew off, passed through a small opening in the fence, and killed a track marshal named Graham Beveridge.

Suzuka International Racing Course, Japan

Length: 3.61 miles (5.807 km)

Number of Corners: 18

Set in the countryside, 30 miles southwest of Nagoya, the Suzuka International Racing Course was built in 1962 to initially serve as a test track for Honda. This technical and demanding circuit features a unique figure-eight layout and fast esses. With its roller-coaster feel, it’s often named as a favorite track among drivers.

The racecourse is particularly memorable as the backdrop for battles between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. For two years running, in 1989 and 1990, the drivers’ title was decided here after the two racers collided with each other: In 1989, this happened while they were teammates at McLaren, and Prost took the title after the crash; while in 1990, with Prost in a Ferrari, Senna won the title after the collision.

Shanghai International Circuit, China

Length: 3.39 miles (5.451 km)

Number of Corners: 16

Purpose-built for Formula 1, the Shanghai International Circuit held its first Grand Prix in 2004, and has hosted one every year until 2019. This year will mark the first Formula 1 race in Shanghai since the Covid-19 pandemic. The course offers a mix of high-speed corners and technical sections. It was designed to look like the Chinese symbol for ‘shang,’ meaning upwards, when viewed from the sky.

In 2007, entering the 16th contest in the 17-race season, rookie Lewis Hamilton led the series. The title was easily within his grasp, but his McLaren team kept him out on the track for far too long. His tires wore out to the point that when he finally entered the pits, he skidded off the pit entry lane and was beached, making it impossible to continue. He lost the title by one point to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen at the next race.

Miami International Autodrome, USA

Length: 3.36 miles (5.412 km)

Number of Corners: 19

Set in the Hard Rock Stadium complex in Miami Gardens, this is a temporary racetrack similar to the one at Albert Park in Melbourne. It combines a private facility with a circuit within the parking lot, and crosses public roads. The first race was in 2022. Drivers experience high-speed straights, where they sometimes reach up to 211 mph, and tight corners—all demanding precise control and making overtaking maneuvers quite challenging.

The track’s character is often described as “fast and flowing” with a street circuit feel. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the first two editions of the race; last year he started from ninth on the grid, while his teammate, Sergio Perez, took pole. Verstappen passed him toward the end of the race and won, with Perez finishing second.

Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Italy

Length: 3.05 miles (4.909 km)

Number of Corners: 19

Built in the early 1950s, Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari was not used for Formula 1 until 1980. It was dropped in 2006, and only returned as a replacement circuit during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Last year, the race was cancelled at the last minute due to heavy flooding in the region. It enables high speeds and has challenging corners.

Its most memorable moments were, unfortunately, the tragic events at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. First, Roland Ratzenberger, a rookie Austrian driver, lost his life in an accident during qualifying, and then the next day, Ayrton Senna, the series’ biggest star, was also killed in a crash a few laps into the race.

Circuit de Monaco, Monaco

Length: 2.07 miles (3.337 km)

Number of Corners: 19

The jewel in the crown of the series, the Circuit de Monaco is as much about glitz and glamor as racing. The iconic street circuit has been a part of Formula 1 since 1950, but its first grand prix was in 1929. The narrow, short track through the streets of the Principality of Monaco is one of the most demanding tests of a driver’s precision and skill, and the contest remains the most coveted victory in the series.

The most outrageous race was the wet one of 1996, when only three cars crossed the finish line, as the rest were eliminated through accidents and breakdowns. It was the only victory in the career of Olivier Panis, who won in a Ligier, after starting 14th on the grid.

Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Canada

Length: 2.71 miles (4.361 km) 

Number of Corners: 14

A high-speed, semi-permanent racecourse, Montreal’s Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve was first raced on in 1978. The track features long straights and heavy braking zones. The circuit is known for hosting thrilling races, including the legendary 2011 Canadian Grand Prix with its multiple rain delays and Jenson Button’s dramatic victory in a McLaren, when he took the lead on the last lap.

The most iconic memory here, though, is from that first race in ’78. Racer Gilles Villeneuve, in his first full season in Formula 1, took his first victory in the series at this, his home track. 

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain

Length: 2.89 miles (4.657 km)

Number of Corners: 14

Located near Barcelona, this circuit, that hosted its first Grand Prix in 1991, combines technical sections with high-speed corners. It has also often been used as a venue for testing the Formula 1 cars. Yet above all, it’s known as a circuit that often produces processions, in other words, very little passing—even more so than in Monaco. As evidence, in the 33 races run in Barcelona, a driver from the front row at the start has won the race 30 times.

Red Bull Ring, Austria

Length: 2.68 miles (4.318 km)

Number of Corners: 10 

This short yet action-packed track first hosted Formula 1 in 1970. It was off the calendar for many years, but after the Red Bull company bought and renovated it, the racecourse rejoined the series in 2014.

With its undulating terrain and challenging corners, the Red Bull Ring has provided exciting races, like Max Verstappen’s victory in 2018, where he rose up from fifth on the starting grid to give his team its first victory at its home circuit.

Silverstone Circuit, England

Length: 3.66 miles (5.891 km) 

Number of Corners: 18

The Silverstone Circuit had previously been an abandoned World War II airfield used by postwar motorsport enthusiasts. In 1950, it hosted the first Formula 1 race in history, and soon became one of the most iconic racetracks in the world. It’s loved for its fast corners and flowing layout.

The 1987 race, in which Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell (both on the Williams team) started first and second, was a thriller. With only three laps left, Mansell passed Piquet to win his home race and move into equal second in the drivers’ series with Piquet, and just one point behind the then series leader, Ayrton Senna in a Lotus.

Hungaroring, Hungary

Length: 2.72 miles (4.381 km) 

Number of Corners: 14

After a failed effort to set up a race in Russia, Formula 1 made the Hungarian Grand Prix its first ever behind the Iron Curtain. Debuted in 1986, this tight and twisty track—located close to Budapest—demands high-downforce setups, almost to the extent required in Monaco.

In 1997, then-reigning world champion Damon Hill had left the Williams team to join the weak Arrows team and managed to lead for most of the race. With just three laps left, the hydraulic pump failed on Hill’s car; he was stuck in third gear and Jacques Villeneuve, of Williams, passed him in the final lap and won the race with Hill finishing second.   

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

Length: 4.35 miles (7.004 km) 

Number of Corners: 19

Another classic track, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps hosted its first grand prix in 1925, and it held its first Formula 1 race in 1950 (when the track was twice the current length). It offers a challenging combo of high-speed corners and elevation changes. Its hilly Raidillon de l’Eau Rouge corner complex is among the most visually stunning and challenging in the series.

It was a favorite track for Michael Schumacher, who began his career here in 1991, won his first race at the track in 1992, and finally set the record of six victories at the circuit. But the 1998 race remains most memorable: It began in pouring rain, leading to a 13-car pileup after the first corner. It was the biggest multicar accident in the history of Formula 1 to date.   

Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands

Length: 2.65 miles (4.259 km) 

Number of Corners: 14

Opened in 1948, this seaside circuit has hosted Formula 1 races on and off from 1952 to 1985. It returned to the calendar in 2021, and Max Verstappen won the race. Conducive to high-speed competition, Circuit Zandvoort features a unique banked turn and is highly appreciated by the drivers for its “old-school” feel.

The last race at the track in its first iteration, in 1985, featured Niki Lauda’s final Formula 1 victory, as he rose from 10th on the starting grid to win. The last 12 laps were a battle between Lauda and his McLaren teammate, Alain Prost, who finished just 0.232 seconds behind the Austrian. 

Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Italy

Length: 3.6 miles (5.793 km)

Number of Corners: 11

Known as the “Temple of Speed,” Autodromo Nazionale di Monza held its first Grand Prix in 1922, and is loved for its long straights. It’s also remembered for its dangerous banked corners, which are no longer used, but vestiges of which are still visible at the track today.

It was at Monza, in 1961, that Ferrari’s driver Wolfgang von Trips was set to win the title, but he crashed into the crowd, died, and took 13 spectators’ lives with him. His teammate, Phil Hill, won the race and became the first and only American-born Formula 1 world champion. (Mario Andretti, the other U.S. champion, was born in Italy. Andretti also took the drivers’ title in Monza after his teammate Ronnie Peterson died in a crash in 1978.)

Baku City Circuit, Azerbaijan

Length: 3.73 miles (6.003 km)

Number of Corners: 20

A street circuit that enables the drivers to compete at very fast speeds, the Baku City Circuit was introduced in 2016. It presents a blend of tight corners and lengthy, relatively wide straights. The chaotic 2017 race saw Daniel Ricciardo win for Red Bull.

After starting 10th on the grid, Ricciardo dropped to 17th after making a pit stop to have debris removed from his brakes, and then climbed back up through the pack while profiting from multiple safety car periods, breakdowns, and penalties to other drivers. His teammate Max Verstappen, though, did not finish due to an engine problem. 

Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore

Length: 3.07 miles (4.94 km) 

Number of Corners: 19

Inaugurated in 2008, the Marina Bay Street Circuit is where Formula 1 held its first night race. The racecourse features challenging corners and always provides a festive atmosphere. Its first two races in the series are indelibly joined in a dark moment of Formula 1 history. Fernando Alonso started the 2008 race in 15th position in his Renault, and made an early pit stop, on Lap 12. Two laps later, his teammate, Nelson Piquet Jr., crashed at Turn 17 and a safety car was deployed. This eventually sent all the other cars into the pits, causing havoc for the leader, Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, and allowing Alonso to rise up the field and eventually win the race.

It was discovered only a year later, before the second edition of the race, that Piquet’s crash had been staged by the team to help Alonso win. This led to the firing of top management at the Renault team, including Flavio Briatore, the team principal. 

Circuit of the Americas, Austin

Length: 3.43 miles (5.513 km) 

Number of Corners: 20

Opened in 2012, Circuit of the Americas was built specifically to host Formula 1. It has fast straights, elevation changes—notably the steep hill up to the first corner—and technical sections.

The 2015 race weekend turned into a fiasco as the second Friday session was cancelled by heavy rains. Then, the third one, on Saturday morning, ran without spectators due to further rain and a fear of flooding. The qualifying session was delayed so often by the storm that it had to be done on Sunday morning. The race itself ran in better conditions, but the track was still slippery. It was an action-packed event that Lewis Hamilton finally won, giving him his third drivers’ title.

Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico

Length: 2.67 miles (4.304 km)

Number of Corners: 17

This high-altitude track, first raced on in 1962, presents thin air—which means extra strain on the engines—and challenging corners. It was used on and off until 1992, and then did not appear again on the calendar until 2015.

At the 1990 race, Alain Prost, unhappy with his Ferrari’s qualifying trim, decided to sacrifice his qualifying position to favor his race setup. He qualified only 13th. During the race, however, he methodically worked his way up the pack, passing Nigel Mansell in second with 15 laps left, and then passing Ayrton Senna for the lead on Lap 60 of the 69-lap race. Prost has called it his best race.  

Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Brazil

Length: 2.68 miles (4.309 km) 

Number of Corners: 15

This visually magnificent track, in undulating landscape outside São Paulo, is defined by fast corners, elevation changes, and unpredictable weather. It was the location of Lewis Hamilton’s dramatic first World Drivers’ Championship in 2008.

Hamilton, racing for McLaren, had to finish in fifth position or better to beat Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and claim the drivers’ title. After Massa won the race and Hamilton was then in sixth position, celebration erupted in the Ferrari garage for both the victory, and for Massa almost assuredly winning the drivers’ title. But Hamilton, still in the middle of the final lap, eventually managed to pass the Toyota of Timo Glock in the last corner of the circuit and cross the finish line in fifth. Hamilton was world champion by one point.

Las Vegas Strip Circuit

Length: 3.85 miles (6.201 km)

Number of Corners: 17

This new circuit, through the streets of Las Vegas, ran its first race last year. The debut was initially overshadowed by a loose drain cover damaging the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz and causing hours of delay to the practice sessions. The first session was stopped, and the second session happened so late at night that the fans were forced to leave the circuit at 1.30 a.m. PT, with practice occurring to nearly empty grandstands after a long delay after that. But the race turned out to be an exciting one, with Charles Leclerc scoring pole position in his Ferrari, and Max Verstappen starting second. With several changes of leader, Verstappen finally won.

Lusail International Circuit, Qatar

Length: 3.37 miles (5.419 km)

Number of Corners: 16

The Lusail International Circuit, another floodlight-dependent track, hosted its first Grand Prix in 2021. The course pairs technical corners with long straights—the lengthy main straight offering overtaking opportunities—and provides tight competition under the night sky. It was originally built for motorcycle racing in 2004.

Last year’s event, which Max Verstappen won, was one of the worst ever for the drivers in terms of heat. George Russell of Mercedes said it rose to 122 degrees Fahrenheit in the cockpit, while several other drivers suffered serious health problems due to the heat: passing out, dizziness, vomiting, and dehydration.

Yas Marina Circuit, United Arab Emirates

Length: 3.28 miles (5.281 km)

Number of Corners: 16

First used for Formula 1 in 2009, the Yas Marina Circuit features tight corners, a long straight, and a unique section where the cars go through an underpass of the track’s hotel. The race begins at dusk and finishes in the darkness under floodlights. While it will always be remembered for the final-lap loss of the drivers’ title by Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen (due to an error by the race director) in 2021, it has been the backdrop for other decisive events.

In 2010, for example, an error in Ferrari’s judgement cost Fernando Alonso the drivers’ title, as the team concentrated on following Mark Webber’s strategy at Red Bull and made an early pit stop. This allowed Sebastian Vettel, also of Red Bull, to win the race, leaping from third position in the drivers’ standings to leading the series for the first time in his career. As it was the last race of the season, Vettel was crowned champion.