We rank every current F1 track from best to worst

What started as an innocent enough question at MOTOR HQ about the best track on the F1 calendar has evolved into this – our ranking of every circuit to host a grand prix in 2021.

Using the current calendar as a basis means some circuits are unlisted such as the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore. While the Australian Grand Prix has been cancelled for the second year running, we’ve included Albert Park as we feel it merits ranking regardless of it sees any racing this year.

The basis for our ranking is the quality of races that each circuit has produced in the modern era.

We fully expect you to have a personal version of this list, so make sure to drop your rankings in the comments down below.

Now, let's get into it.

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1. Interlagos Circuit

Every part of this circuit is brilliant, from its use of elevation, changing camber, and natural flow. It provides a challenge for both engineers and drivers, but most importantly creates brilliant wheel-to-wheel racing. Not too short and not too long, it falls right into the sweet spot in terms of length. Any new addition to the Formula 1 calendar should endeavour to be as brilliant as Interlagos.

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2. Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

The global racing fraternity is so enamoured with the charms of Spa-Francorchamps that some may view our ranking of it as being second-best in the current F1 calendar as controversial. While it is just beaten out by Interlagos for the top spot, Spa-Francorchamps is undoubtedly one of the greatest permanent racing circuits in the world. Despite having evolved and changed multiple times over the decades, it has lost none of its charms. Don’t listen to anyone that dismisses the Eau Rouge/Raidillon complex being a simple easy flat complex. Drivers still need to give it the respect it deserves, and it’ll bite hard should they get it wrong. But while the start of the lap claims most of the glory, the rest of the Spa-Francorchamps is a masterclass in using the local topography and smart design. Modern F1 machinery can sometimes struggle to battle closely around the circuit, dropping it to second on our list.

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3. Red Bull Ring

While simple on paper, there is no denying the Red Bull Ring can throw up some brilliant racing. The long straights and heavy braking zones make it well suited to modern machinery, and its placement in the Austrian hills means it features some great elevation changes to boot. The lap is short and punchy with few thrills. All thriller, no filler.

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4. Baku City Circuit

The best street circuit on F1’s calendar bar none. While the castle complex is a bit contrived, the rest of the circuit is unfiltered insanity. By doing away with most preconceived notions of what makes a good track, the Baku layout has stumbled upon genius. Turns out ridiculously long straights into 90-degree bends can create some great racing.

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5. Suzuka International Racing Course

Where Baku is one big middle finger to traditional circuit design, Suzuka is an ode to beautiful and flowing race tracks. In modern F1 cars it is seriously fast, and 130R ranks among one of the best individual corners of the whole year.

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6. Istanbul Park

Hermann Tilke gets a pretty rough treatment by the public. He is public enemy number one for anyone who is disillusioned by modern circuit design. While those criticisms aren’t always entirely without merit, few will find fault with Istanbul Park. It is Tilke’s high water mark, and its re-addition to the F1 calendar is a boon for drivers and fans alike. Flowing, challenging, unique, and has plenty of opportunity for good racing. Long may it remain a fixture.

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7. Algarve International Circuit

It is a crying shame that it took so long for F1 to race at this flowing Portuguese circuit. F1 tested at the circuit in the late ‘00s, but it didn’t host a proper grand prix at the facility until 2020 threw a pandemic-shaped bomb onto the original calendar. Elevation change is its selling point, with some wild climbs and drops littered through its 4.6km route. The current crop of cars are a touch too aero dependent for the racing to be truly exceptional, but the sheer insanity of the layout earns it a top 10 berth on our list.

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8. Monza Circuit

The Temple of Speed is one of the better ‘old school’ circuits that remains on the calendar. Another example of how keeping it simple can often be the best tactic. The chicanes keep speed sane without bringing things to a complete halt, and do add some good overtaking opportunities. Meanwhile there’s big, fast bends like Parabolica that require real commitment, and the front straight is a great slipstream opportunity.

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9. Hungaroring

The ‘Monaco without the walls’ nickname is a touch unfair on the Hungaroring. The first series of corners can generate some tense and engaging battles, while the rest of the lap is both short enough and contains suitable elevation change to sustain interest. Track surface also has the right balance of grip and tyre degradation to throw strategy curveballs into the mix.

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10. Bahrain International Circuit

Could have rated higher if F1 decided to keep running the ‘Outer Loop’ layout that featured in 2020. Starts and finishes strong, but the entire middle of the lap leaves viewers in a fugue state of confusion. Solution: cut it out entirely and just keep the good stuff.

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11. Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

Part street track, part permanent facility, part baseball stadium, Mexico City’s grand prix circuit is a strange hybrid with multiple characteristics. Not all of these gel into a cohesive whole, but there is no denying the ultra-cool stadium complex that features near the end of the lap.

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12. Imola Circuit

In this day and age Imola feels ever so slightly too small for modern F1 machinery. We hold out hope that the 2022 regulations will result in the kind of racing at Imola that does justice to its old school design.

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13. Circuit of the Americas

There is a lot to like about Circuit of the Americas, from the big climb toward the first turn, to its challenging series of bends that follow shortly afterward. However, by letting the track surface deteriorate COTA has fallen down this list. Could be higher if they could fix the straights that have warped into looking like motocross tracks.

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14. Silverstone Circuit

Now just a husk of its former glory. A few relics of its original high-speed nature remain, but it’s roughly 30 per cent too long and feels stale. Saved from falling lower on this list by the handful of bends that do require gulp-inducing commitment.

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15. Circuit Paul Ricard

Looks more like a zebra crossing that went to a rave than a grand prix circuit. With all those possible layouts surely they could have concocted something more challenging. Makes for some interesting photos at least.

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16. Yas Marina Circuit

Don’t the cars look great under the lights? As for the actual circuit design, lets just say that no one was unhappy to hear of the new changes for 2021. Plenty of corners for corners’ sake.

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17. Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit

Australia, we deserve better than this. No races in 2021/’21 is disappointing for local race fans, but the series as a whole is at no great loss for dodging the Melbourne street track. We are interested in how the recent changes to Albert Park change the track dynamic but don’t hold great hopes. A significant redesign or new venue altogether will likely be more effective at improving racing.

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18. Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

Commits the double sin of being bad for racing while also lacking any interesting features. A good facility for pre-season testing, but a dreadful grand prix that rarely produces engaging on-track racing. Only avoids being lower as there is an outside chance that it could be modified into being half decent. At least it makes for fantastic motorbike racing.

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19. Sochi Autodrom

You are forgiven for forgetting this track is still on the calendar, as everyone usually falls asleep 10 laps into the grand prix. The long main straight and first complex are interesting, kinda, but there’s nothing redeemable about the remaining 14 corners.

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20. Circuit de Monaco

Time for this Crown Jewel to be put into a museum. F1 either needs to adjust its cars to suit the track, radically redesign the circuit (which is near impossible), or finally confine it to the history books.

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Not every circuit on this year’s calendar has had the privilege of hosting modern F1 machinery for a proper grand prix. This includes a brand new street circuit, and reborn icon. While we won’t pass final judgement just yet, that won’t stop us from making some bold predictions.

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Unranked: Jeddah Street Circuit

So far all we have to go off for the Jeddah Street Circuit is the track map and some early renderings in video games. While not a substitute for the real deal, the early impressions are not great. It crams 27 corners into 6.1km layout, with what appears to be just three genuine passing opportunities. Any way you cut the cake, that’s not a great ratio. Promoters are expecting an average speed of 250m/h+ for a flying lap, which while impressively fast, means little beyond cliched marketing taglines.

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Unranked: Circuit Zandvoort

The home of the Dutch Grand Prix for 34 years – 30 of which were as an F1 championship round – returns to the calendar later this year. However, Formula 1 machinery has become much faster (and bigger) since it last hosted a round in 1985. The overall layout remains largely unchanged since them, but there have been some key upgrades to bring it up to FIA Grade 1 status – namely a reprofiled final corner with an ultra-aggressive camber. That last turn should be a belter, but we don’t hold out too much hope the bones of the track will be appropriate for modern F1 cars. If we are wrong, it’ll be a good result for motorsport.

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