From the impressive Speed Park in Qiddiya, to the return of the South African Grand Prix and the undying rumours of a race in London, here are all the latest rumours about which tracks could soon earn a spot on the F1 calendar.
Header Image: Qiddiya Media
In the ever-evolving world of Formula 1, nothing stays static for too long. That includes the selection of circuits on which the sport races on. Since the turn of the millennium, 17 new venues have joined the F1 calendar, while a handful of other tracks – including Zandvoort in the Netherlands and Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City – have made welcome returns.
Some other tracks, like Hanoi Street Circuit in Vietnam and Igora Drive in Russia, have signed contracts with Formula 1 but have never been raced on, while other rumoured venues have never made concrete plans to secure a position on the calendar.
When Will New Circuits Join the F1 Calendar?
What we know for certain – barring any unforeseen circumstances – is that no new circuits will be joining the F1 calendar in 2025. All 24 races which are being staged in the 2024 season have contracts to return to the schedule next year. Under the current commercial agreement, the F1 calendar is capped at 24 rounds for the 2025 season.
It is possible that when the new commercial agreement is signed, the maximum number of rounds will increase from 24. It is unlikely to go any higher than 25, however, as team bosses and personnel have already expressed concerns over workload with many feeling that 24 races per season is already pushing the limits.
Recently, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali hinted that some European rounds may begin to be held biennially, alternating with one another. It is rumoured that the Belgian and Dutch Grands Prix will be the first races to alternate, starting in 2026. If that is the case and – in addition – F1 does not renew its contract with outgoing current Spanish Grand Prix host Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (which will be replaced with a new track in Madrid in 2026), there will be at least one available slot on the 2026 F1 calendar for a new race to take place.
So, which tracks are in pole position to take up any potentially vacant slots on the Formula 1 calendar? Here are all the latest rumours about which circuits are vying for a place on the schedule.
Qiddiya Speed Park, Saudi Arabia
When Jeddah Corniche Circuit joined the Formula 1 calendar to host the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021, it was never meant to be a long-term permanent venue. Instead, there are grand ambitions for a new track near Qiddiya’s Six Flags theme park, around 60km south-west of Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh.
Images: Qiddiya Media
Under construction since 2019 and originally expected to open in 2023, the 21-turn track is being designed by Hermann Tilke’s company with input from former driver, Alexander Wurz. The layout is expected to have plenty of undulation – including a 20-storey high first turn – and could exceed Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as the longest track on the F1 calendar.
With plenty of construction work still to complete, the track is not expected to be ready until 2028 at the earliest. In January 2023, race organisers confirmed that the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix would remain at Jeddah Corniche Circuit until at least 2027.
Istanbul Park, Turkey
After a nine-year absence, the Turkish Grand Prix made a welcome return to the Formula 1 calendar amid the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The event returned to the calendar again in 2021 following the cancellation of the Singapore Grand Prix. The 2021 race was the first open to the public at the track since 2011 and had a weekend attendance of 190,000.
Now, it is understood that Turkey is keen for its Grand Prix to return to the schedule once more. In early March 2024, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem met with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a meeting in which the return of both the World Rally Championship and Formula 1 was discussed.
It is believed that the push for a return of the Turkish Grand Prix has come as a result of Intercity’s leasehold of the track expiring and the tender demanding that the new owners will secure the circuit a slot on the Formula 1 calendar from 2026.
Kyalami, South Africa
The potential return of the South African Grand Prix has dominated speculative headlines in recent years. The event was last held over 30 years ago, in 1993. Kyalami looked set to return to the calendar in 2023, until a deal to bring the race back fell through in August 2022.
Despite numerous setbacks, it is understood that Formula 1 remains keen to return to South Africa, preferably at the Kyalami circuit, the former host of the event located just north of Johannesburg. In June last year, Autosport reported that F1 had paused plans to revive the event in 2024 but remained open to adding the race to the 2025 calendar.
Chicago, United States
In early 2024, Chicago was rumoured to be lined up to become the fourth race in the United States on the Formula 1 calendar.
The rumour emerged when Formula 1 applied to trademark the title ‘Chicago Grand Prix’ and ‘Grand Prix of Chicago’; something which it has previously done in advance of other new race announcements, like those in Miami, Las Vegas and Madrid.
The application for a trademark does not necessarily confirm that F1 is considering hosting a race in Chicago. NASCAR recently announced that it would race on a street track in Chicago. Formula 1 may have applied for the trademark to stop the series using the ‘Grand Prix’ name for its event.
City officials have said that hosting an F1 race in Chicago is unlikely due to a “non-negotiable” minimum 10-year contract. Notably, F1 previously trademarked the title ‘New York Grand Prix’ in late 2017, but there remains yet to be any concrete plans for a race in New York.
Osaka, Japan
In January 2024, it was reported that officials in Osaka were looking to bring Formula 1 to the streets of the Japanese city. Osaka’s tourism board announced their plans and discussed their intentions in a press conference.
Specific plans beyond the initial formal announcement are yet to emerge, and very little has been heard about the project since Formula 1 announced a five-year contract extension with Suzuka – current host of the Japanese Grand Prix – in February 2024. Hiroshi Mizohata, president of Osaka’s tourism board said that the announcement had “no impact” on plans for an Osaka race.
London, Britain
The rumour that never fully goes away: the London Grand Prix. Could Formula 1 feasibly hold a race in the British capital? It’s difficult to imagine part of the city shutting down to host F1 once a year.
In 2023, Stefano Domenicali said that an F1 race in London would be “great” but added that there had been no discussions with any potential race promoters.
Silverstone recently signed a new contract to host the British Grand Prix for a further ten years, through to 2034. It means that if London were to join the calendar, it would do so as an additional round to the Silverstone race.
Balaton Park Circuit, Hungary
Balaton Park Circuit, located around 85km from Budapest, could attempt to take the Hungarian Grand Prix away from its long-term host in the future. The Hungaroring – host of the Hungarian Grand Prix in every year since the event joined the F1 calendar in 1986 – currently holds a contract to host Hungary’s Grand Prix until 2032.
The new 4.115km track – designed to FIA Grade 1 standards – opened in May 2023 and is due to host the Superbike World Championship for the first time in 2024, as well as being the reserve venue for the MotoGP championship.
Board members say that hosting F1 is not a “main objective”, but added that the track is “ready for any kind of motorsport event”.
Barranquilla, Colombia
Stefano Domenicali visited Barranquilla in Colombia in late 2022, to look at different options for track locations within the city for a potential “Caribbean Grand Prix”.
In 2023, speaking to the Colombian outlet Semana TV, former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya said that a deal to make the Colombian Grand Prix a reality was “95% done” before F1, according to Montoya, opted to add Madrid to the calendar instead. In the interview, Montoya said it was still a possibility that the circuit – the layout of which had already been decided – could join the calendar by 2028.
Gujarat, India
If there’s a mass market which Formula 1 has not capitalised on, it is surely India. The Indian Grand Prix was on the Formula 1 calendar for just three seasons between 2011 and 2013 at the difficult to reach Buddh International Circuit but the race was discontinued in 2014 due to financial and bureaucratic issues.
In early 2024, it was reported that the government of Gujarat was hoping to bring Formula 1 to its state and had invited proposals to find a suitable location for a new track within the under-construction Gujarat International Finance Tec-City.
Of course, a return to the Buddh International Circuit is not entirely out of the question. MotoGP visited the circuit, which has retained its FIA Grade 1 status, for the first time in 2023.
Would like to see Sri Lanka Port City as a F! GP venue. Already there is an excellent GO-KART Track.