Top 10 greatest F1 circuits
With pre-season testing underway in the lead up to the Bahrain Grand Prix opening next week, anticipation is bubbling for another thrilling season filled with twists and turns – searches for “2024 F1 schedule” skyrocketed by 200% over the past 3 months.
One simply can’t overlook the beautifully designed tracks which have played a pivotal role in the racing drama over the last decades. But which F1 circuit stand out as the greatest and most unmissable for fans?
To rank the circuits fairly, the experts considered a wide array of factors including venue capacity, circuit layout, lap record, max speed, and many more.
Top 10 greatest F1 circuits to experience in your lifetime – from speed to layout
| Rank | Circuit | Average attendance per day | No. of turns | Lap length (km) | Max Speed (km/h) | % of laps at full throttle | Final score (/10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monza Circuit, Italy | 112,216 | 17 | 5.793 | 350 | 84% | 9.05 |
| 2 | Imola Circuit, Italy | 43,333 | 19 | 4.909 | 350 | 84% | 8.69 |
| 3 | Circuit Silverstone, UK | 160,000 | 18 | 5.891 | 329.5 | 70% | 8.51 |
| 4 | Jeddah Street Circuit, Saudi Arabia | 47,667 | 27 | 6.174 | 330 | 79% | 7.84 |
| 5 | Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium | 126,667 | 19 | 7.004 | 319.6 | 70% | 7.75 |
| 6 | Suzuka Circuit, Japan | 66,667 | 18 | 5.807 | 328 | 66% | 7.47 |
| 7= | Baku City Circuit, Azerbaijan | 28,333 | 20 | 6.003 | 337 | 75% | 7.42 |
| 7= | Red Bull Ring, Austria | 101,333 | 10 | 4.318 | 327.4 | 79% | 7.42 |
| 9 | Albert Park, Australia | 104,779 | 16 | 5.278 | 250 | 65% | 7.21 |
| 10= | Nurburgring, Germany | 44,000 | 15 | 5.148 | 316 | 74% | 7.19 |
| 10= | Interlagos Circuit, Brazil | 78,667 | 15 | 4.309 | 331 | 64% | 7.19 |
Monza Circuit, Italy is the greatest F1 circuit with an impressive high score of 9.05/10. Fabled as the ‘temple of speed’, drivers spend 84% of lap time on full throttle with maximum speeds hitting a mind-boggling 350 km/h, due to its iconic blend of long straights and high-speed corners. Having hosted the most grand prix (72 races!) since the World Championships began, the historic track has been a witness to incredible wins, including McLaren’s 1-2 in 2021 with Daniel Ricciardo.
Taking second place is Imola, scoring a remarkable 8.69/10. Weaving through 19 turns, the 4.9 km Italian track which runs counter-clockwise has produced exhilarating races over the years, with a lap record time of 1:15:484 – one of the quickest on the F1 calendar.
The Silverstone Circuit ranks third (8.51/10), with the 2023 British Grand Prix being the second best-attended race on record, reaching a whopping attendance of over 480,000 per day on average. Boasting a huge capacity of 160,000 and a lap length of 5.891 km, Max Verstappen currently holds the lap record at 1:27:097, which he set in 2020. Races at Silverstone are also relatively unpredictable with over two-thirds (62%) of races ending with winners who didn’t start on pole.
Billed as the world’s fastest street circuit, one of the youngest F1 tracks Jeddah Street Circuit, Saudi Arabia, comes fourth (7.84/10). Despite featuring 27 quick, sinuous bends – the most of any circuit – racers have clocked unbelievable top speeds of over 330 km/h with more than three quarters (79%) of laps spent on full throttle.
Rounding off the top five greatest F1 tracks is Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps (7.75/10). The longest on the F1 calendar at 7.004 km – twice the length of Monaco’s which ranks last (5.30/10) – Spa’s undulating terrain and dramatic elevation changes makes it one of the trickiest yet exhilarating circuits to race on, pushing drivers’ skills and acumen to the limits.
Do check out: Top 5 Most Dangerous Formula 1 Circuit ever in history
