Formula 1 has been heading to exciting news venues in recent years, with more to come.
Miami joined the calendar this year while Las Vegas will become the third US race from 2023. There are hopeds that F1 will return to Africa in 2024, with a number of countries in the continent reportedly keen to host a race. There is also talk of an additional race in South America.
Intriguing new venues are nothing new, with a spate of them joining the calendar in the late 2000s and early 2010s. We look back at four forgotten F1 tracks and why they didn’t stay on the schedule.
READ MORE: Funky venues F1 may head to including Colombia and London with iconic tracks in danger
Korean International Circuit, Yeongam
The Korean Grand Prix featured on the calendar in the early part of the 2010s and was regarded as a challenging circuit with a number of overtaking opportunities. That certainly wasn’t the reason it fell by the wayside.
The main problems were money and location. Built on swampland in an isolated part of South Korea, it was tricky for ‘locals’ to get to, let alone the F1 circus. Given its remote location, more than 200 miles from the capital Seoul, finding suitable accommodation for F1 personnel was a real challenge.
There were also problems getting the circuit ready for the first race in 2010, which was only given the green light following a technical inspection just two weeks prior.
That first race was won by Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso in near darkness following a lengthy rain delay. The following year, there were already rumblings of discontent from organisers about the cost of staging the event.
It went ahead in 2011, 2012 and 2013 – all won by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel – before it dropped off the calendar, never to return. The circuit still holds domestic racing events.
Buddh International Circuit
The Indian Grand Prix made just three appearances on the F1 calendar between 2011 and 2013, even though it had initially agreed a five-year deal with the sport’s rights holders.
The circuit near New Delhi was well-received by drivers and there was clearly strong interest in the country. But as is often the case, off-track issues saw it lose its place on the calendar.
It was announced in 2013 that the race would not take place in 2014, but would return in 2015. However, a tax dispute with the local government means fans in a country of more than a billion people are still waiting for another F1 race.
A return cannot be ruled out though amid Liberty Media's desire to tap into the world’s emerging and biggest economies. The circuit still meets F1 standards and recently agreed a deal to host MotoGP from next year.
India’s only ever F1 driver and Sky Sports pundit Karun Chandhok is keen for the sport to return to the country.
“There’s a few historical issues to do with legislation and taxes with the government that need to be resolved,” he told F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast this week. “Ultimately, the government never got behind the race like it has in most other countries, whether it’s the state government or the central government.”
What's your favourite forgotten F1 track? Tell us in the comments section below.
Valencia Street Circuit
The picturesque Spanish city hosted the European Grand Prix between 2008 and 2012.
The track used the roads skirting the city's harbour and America's Cup port area, including a unique section over a 140-metre-long swing bridge.
The track is perhaps best remembered for Mark Webber's spectacular crash in 2010 which saw him hit the back of Heikki Kovalainen's Lotus and somersault through the air. Fortunately, the Aussie landed the right side up and escaped unharmed.
Aside from Alonso’s dramatic win in 2012, the track produced largely dull races and dropped off the calendar as the costs to maintain the race were deemed too great to justify.
Sadly, the non-temporary parts of the circuit have been left completely abandoned and strewn with rubbish, with safety fences still standings a decade since its last race.
Vietnam Grand Prix
We know what you’re thinking, there has never been an F1 race in Vietnam. Actually, there have been thousands, if you happen to own the F1 2020 computer game.
That’s right, Vietnam made it onto the schedule for Xbox and Playstation gamers, but not for actual F1 drivers. A street circuit in Hanoi was due to host a night race in 2020, with a 10-year deal agreed back in 2018.
That maiden event was initially cancelled due to the pandemic but it has failed to reappear. It was dropped from the 2021 calendar after the city’s mayor Nguyen Duc Chung, a major supporter of the race, was arrested. He was subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison on corruption charges.
Work on the circuit was already well-advanced and parts of the track and markings are still visible.
READ NEXT:
- Read the latest F1 news from the Daily Star here
- F1 needs Spa more than Spa needs F1, insists top Belgian racer Sarah Bovy
- F1's most strangely-named races - including Grand Prix 50 miles away from border
- Jenson Button says tracks like Spa must stay on F1 calendar to keep drivers happy
- Madrid declares interest in hosting F1 race as clamour to join calendar continues
