Matt and Tommy debate which F1 circuits should return to the calendar, arguing that classic tracks are the “lifeblood” of great racing. Sepang (Malaysia) tops both lists for its overtaking, switchback-style racing, heavy braking, and unpredictable weather—despite funding and logistical hurdles. They also champion Buddh (India) for modern-car suitability and Turkey (Istanbul) for its character, long straights, and Turn 8 drama. Listener suggestions expand the discussion to Kailami, Bahrain’s short/outer loop, Mugello, Paul Ricard, Magny-Cours, Portimão, Hockenheim, and even a wild Vietnam idea.
This month's unfortunate race cancellations got us thinking about some of the best circuits not currently on the F1 calendar. So join us as we chat about what tracks we'd love to see back on the calendar and why we'd love to see F1 head to some amazing new places.
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"Again, another circuit that was that kind of mid-2000s, 2010s era that I think missed the boat with Drive to Survive. You do wonder, had they been a little bit later to the game when Formula One was booming like now, that they would have survived"
Drive to Survive is the Netflix F1 show. They’re saying it helped make F1 more popular worldwide, and that timing might have mattered for this circuit.
“Drive to Survive” refers to Netflix’s Formula 1 documentary series, which boosted global interest in the sport. The speaker suggests that earlier timing of the show could have helped certain markets/circuits gain more attention and commercial support.
"although there is talk about it potentially coming back and they've done things like MotoGP racing there in not too recent years."
MotoGP is top-level motorcycle racing. They’re saying the track has hosted motorcycle races too, not just cars.
MotoGP is the premier motorcycle road racing series. The speaker notes that the Buddha International Circuit has hosted MotoGP events, implying it’s been used to keep the venue active even when F1 scheduling is uncertain.
"So this is interesting though, because... ...we're talking about F1 circuits that we would bring back and seeing as you've rung me right now, what would be one circuit you would bring back on the F1 calendar?"
In Formula 1, cars race on specific tracks called circuits. If someone says a circuit should come back, they mean it should be added again to the official F1 race schedule.
“F1 circuits” are the specific race tracks used on the Formula 1 calendar. When people talk about bringing circuits back, they usually mean re-adding a venue that was previously removed, often to change the racing character and variety of tracks.
"...But then also the final sector, some incredible flowing corners. I remember, you know, Sebastian Vettel in that newy red bull beast of a car would just fly around the kind of fast section."
A “sector” is part of the track, and the “final sector” is the last section of the lap. Drivers care a lot about it because it can make or break your lap time right before you cross the finish line.
The “final sector” is the last portion of the lap, typically where drivers string together multiple corners to maximize speed and traction. In lap-time terms, it’s often where setup and tire condition show up most clearly because you’re balancing cornering speed with exit acceleration.
"It looked absolutely amazing turn 10 and 11, kind of this like sweeping long corner that's"
They’re calling out two specific corners on the track. When corners come in a pair like that, drivers try to keep the car fast through the first one so they can set up a better line for the second.
“Turn 10 and 11” indicates a specific two-corner sequence on the circuit, likely part of the flowing section the speaker is describing. Multi-corner sequences like this are where drivers often gain time by carrying speed through the first corner and setting up a strong exit for the next.
"...in an era of Formula 1 where I guess we didn't get great racing most places we went to."
Formula 1 is the highest level of open-wheel racing. Teams race on different tracks around the world, and the track layout can change how exciting the races are.
Formula 1 (F1) is the top tier of open-wheel racing, with teams competing on a global calendar of circuits. The cars are highly technical and changes in circuit layout can strongly affect overtaking and race strategy.
"...It's a circuit that is just stone-cold banger... Yeah. Are you going for the Turkish Grand Prix with the ice rink or normal?"
The Turkish Grand Prix is the Formula 1 race held at Istanbul Park in Turkey. It’s known for producing entertaining races, and the circuit’s characteristics can amplify overtaking and tire-management battles.
"[801.4s] at Istanbul, that circuit was the cars on the absolute ragged edge round Turne,
[809.1s] the triple left hander. Was it just known as one Turne or was it technically three,
[814.9s] but everyone called it Turne?"
A “triple left hander” describes a sequence of three left-hand corners in close succession. In F1, multi-corner complexes strongly influence tire wear, exit speed, and how drivers manage traction through the whole section rather than just one turn.
"[847.7s] I think that's... I'm holding onto those memories of... Was it again, was it Red Bull,
[853.9s] where they were... Were they using... They were opening DRS around it or something?
[859.5s] Yeah, yeah.
[860.2s] There was something because that was when you could use DRS wherever you wanted, wasn't it,"
DRS is a system in F1 that gives the car a temporary speed boost. It’s used in specific areas to help with overtaking.
DRS (Drag Reduction System) is an F1 feature that temporarily reduces aerodynamic drag to help cars go faster in designated zones. The discussion suggests a period when DRS could be used more freely (“wherever you wanted”), which affects overtaking and race strategy.
"essential? And it was such an incredible thing to see the Red Bull going around that corner with the rear wing open and stuff like that. Whereas now they might be a little bit more planted."
Red Bull is a Formula 1 racing team. They make cars that are very fast and good at handling, and the speakers are talking about how their car looked going through a specific corner.
Red Bull is one of Formula 1’s top teams, known for strong aerodynamic development and race-winning performance. In this segment, they’re referenced while discussing how the car behaves through a corner.
"but I still think it's a great circuit with long straights and heavy braking zones. Indeed. I think it's that perfect level a bit like Sipang and India to a certain extent, where"
Heavy braking zones are sections where drivers must slow down significantly, often creating overtaking opportunities. They also test tire grip and brake stability, which can lead to closer racing and more position changes.
"you still want a mix of corners and sometimes you can have a track where there's loads of amazing, exciting high-speed corners, but it doesn't deliver great racing. Whereas this, you know, we mentioned Turn 8"
High-speed corners are turns you take very fast. The hosts are saying that having lots of them doesn’t automatically mean the race will be exciting.
High-speed corners are turns taken at relatively high velocity, often creating impressive visuals and lateral loads. The speaker’s point is that even if a circuit has many high-speed corners, it may still fail to produce good racing if overtaking is difficult.
"So there's great history there. It's a really suitable circuit for Formula One. Just needs a little bit of upgrading, but I think it would be an incredibly exciting circuit."
Formula One is the highest level of open-wheel racing. A track being “good for F1” means it has the right kind of corners, braking, and safety so the cars can race fast and pass each other.
Formula One (F1) is the top tier of open-wheel racing, with cars designed around high-speed cornering, braking, and overtaking. When the hosts say a circuit is “suitable for Formula One,” they’re talking about track layout and safety/standards that allow F1 cars to race competitively.
"I love as well how there is a corner, which is just off of the start finish line. And it's like Austria..."
The start/finish line is where the race timing starts and where the cars cross at the start and end. If there’s a corner right after it, drivers have to fight for position immediately.
The start/finish line is the official line where the race timing is measured and where the grid starts. The hosts mention a corner just off it because that affects how quickly drivers are forced into braking and positioning right after the start.
"...the excitement of him being in the Mercedes, the chaos of the safety car, which meant that they dropped back."
A safety car is deployed when there’s danger on track, such as debris or an incident. It controls the pace of the race and can bunch cars up, changing strategy and often creating dramatic restarts. In the segment, the safety car is credited with turning a likely straightforward result into chaos.
"...I'm just looking at the lap time, 55 second lap it was around that track was the lap record."
A lap record is the fastest time ever recorded for a specific circuit layout, typically in official sessions. In F1 discussions, lap records highlight how a track configuration changes speed and competitiveness. The speaker references a 55-second lap record to emphasize how the modified Bahrain layout felt unusually quick.
"...like watching qualifying and seeing a 55 second lap. You're like, oh, someone's starting a hot lap. Oh, they're finishing it."
A hot lap is one really fast lap where the driver tries to set the best time possible. It’s usually done in qualifying, not during the whole race. The speaker is saying you blink and miss it because it happens so quickly.
A “hot lap” is a single, maximum-performance lap—usually during qualifying—where the driver aims for the best possible time. It’s often done with fresh tires and optimal conditions, so it can look and feel dramatic compared with race pace. The speaker describes qualifying as people starting and finishing hot laps quickly.
"...like watching qualifying and seeing a 55 second lap. You're like, oh, someone's starting a hot lap..."
Qualifying is the session where cars set their fastest laps to determine the starting grid for the race. In F1, qualifying performance can strongly affect race strategy and track position. The speaker uses qualifying as the moment when the short-lap layout made everything feel intense and unpredictable.
"...the important part was Mugello... this is not a circuit for Formula One... it is quite literally a circuit that is made so much more for, for bikes... but not Formula One..."
Mugello is argued to be better suited to motorcycles and other fast-flowing categories than to Formula One. The speaker’s key point is that Mugello lacks heavy braking zones and has a flatter, more continuous layout, which can limit overtaking.
"...it's a bit of a like a Barcelona. I don't like flowy, Tommy... In terms of like flowy, fast circuits are really fun to watching in, say a qualifying thing, but they don't provide the best racing..."
“Flowy, fast circuits” are tracks designed around continuous cornering with high average speed. They can be exciting to watch—especially in qualifying—but may reduce overtaking if there are fewer braking zones and fewer distinct passing opportunities.
"I'd love an alternate universe where Paul Ricard didn't have the kind of seizure inducing runoff area and had gravel and, you know, grass and, you know, grass"
Gravel is loose material placed near the track to help slow cars down if they go off. It’s often used because it’s harder for a car to keep rolling fast on it.
Gravel is a common runoff material used to help slow a car if it leaves the track, because it increases rolling resistance and can destabilize the car. The speaker contrasts gravel/grass runoff with what they see as problematic runoff design at Paul Ricard.
"they're going into a chicane and you look at the chicane and there's like seven different ways they can take it"
A chicane is a part of the track where you have to turn left-right (or right-left) in quick succession to slow down. It can be difficult because the best line can vary a lot.
A chicane is a sequence of tight turns used to slow cars down and add direction changes. In F1, chicanes can be tricky because small differences in braking and line choice can create big gaps, and multiple possible lines can make the action feel less straightforward.
"Allow them to use their boost button on the the blue runoff area and just go for it and see how the race goes. Okay, I like how he just gone completely serious suggestion."
Runoff areas are the “escape zones” next to the track. If you go off the racing line, the surface helps slow the car down more safely.
Runoff areas are the sections beside the track meant to safely slow cars that leave the racing line. Their design (grip level, surface type, and how quickly they slow the car) strongly affects how drivers can push at the limit.
"Although I do think it would quite suit modern F1 in the sense that you have that amazing run down to a big hairpin. Yeah, it's a fun, fast, flowy track."
A hairpin is a very tight turn that you usually have to slow down a lot for. The speaker is saying Magny-Cours has a big one that could make racing exciting.
A “hairpin” is a very tight, slow corner that typically requires heavy braking and low-speed cornering. The “run down to a big hairpin” comment highlights how Magny-Cours’ layout creates a strong braking/traction challenge that modern F1 cars could exploit.
"...if we're getting the French Grand Prix back, I would take this one over Paul Ricard any day."
The French Grand Prix is a major Formula 1 race. The discussion is basically about which track would make the racing more exciting.
The French Grand Prix is one of Formula 1’s historic races, and the speaker is discussing which circuit should host it. That context matters because different tracks have different overtaking characteristics and racing styles.
"I used to do that on our factor mods and stuff. You just cut the corner and just join at turn 14."
Cutting a corner means taking a tighter, shorter path through a turn. In real racing, you can’t just do it anywhere—you have to stay within the track limits.
“Cut the corner” describes taking a shorter line through a section, effectively reducing distance and sometimes lap time. In racing, whether it’s allowed depends on track limits and rules, and it can also affect tire wear and traction.
"...the thing that I remember the best and it's a core memory of mine is Kimmy Reichenan. My God, the guy starting on soft tires in slightly slippery conditions."
Soft tires grip the road better, so the car feels faster. The tradeoff is they usually wear out faster than harder tires.
Soft tires are a tire compound designed for maximum grip, typically offering faster lap times but wearing out sooner. The speaker’s “core memory” highlights how tire choice and conditions can dramatically change race behavior.
"...I think it's sad that we don't have a German circuit, considering there's the Nürburgring and Hockenheim..."
Nürburgring is a legendary German race track. The hosts are pointing out that Germany used to have two major F1 venues and they would swap years.
Nürburgring is another iconic German F1 venue, known for its challenging layout and deep motorsport heritage. The segment mentions Germany having both Nürburgring and Hockenheim, and how they used to alternate on the calendar.
"...Monaco for Vietnam. Look, Monaco is going to be amazing this year. They're going to be 800 overtakes... One of the only high downforce circuits of the calendar."
Monaco is a special F1 race because it’s run on tight streets instead of a normal track. The hosts mention it’s a place where cars need lots of downforce to stay planted.
Monaco is a famous street circuit on the Formula One calendar, known for tight corners and a high emphasis on downforce and driver precision. The segment calls it “one of the only high downforce circuits,” tying circuit characteristics to how cars are set up and how overtaking works.
"it's nowhere near as good as Suzuki in terms of like a track layout and excitement from, you know, a lap"
Track layout is the physical design of a circuit—its straights, corners, elevation changes, and overall flow. Different layouts can change how easy it is to overtake, how tires are stressed, and what makes a lap feel exciting.
Select text to request an explanation
Hello, everybody, and welcome back to the P1 podcast with Matt and Tommy. You thought
we'd disappeared. Oh, no. Oh, no. Yes, it might well be spring break, but we need to talk
about Formula One because we love Formula One very much, and I think this is a very important
topic, Tommy. Circuits are what, it's the lifeblood of Formula One. You have to race around
good circuits in order to hopefully have good racing, and there are some that are missing off
this calendar, some that might be quite obvious to people that have watched Formula One for a while,
but some that might not be as obvious. How are you feeling about this one, sir?
I'm looking forward to it. Yeah, F1 circuits is that kind of thing, isn't it? Where in recent
years, there's always been that worry about classic circuits dropping off the calendar.
We've had a few recently, and there's always that worry of these mega circuits that are appearing.
There's that one in Saudi Arabia that they've started to build that looks almost like something
out of Mario Kart, which is maybe fitting for the new Formula One, but yeah, you want to keep
classic circuits on there as well that provide good racing, and there's a lot to pick from.
There certainly is. So why don't we go through it like this? Okay, so I will pick a track,
you will pick a track, Tommy. Together, we're going to come together as a track, because
as a track, we're going to come together as a track. We're going to combine ourselves to create a
track. No, but we've both got one that we've agreed with pre-recording, haven't we, to talk about
as well, Tommy? Yeah. And then we've also got lots of you to come in with questions, speak
about certain circuits that you love, and then we will discuss those as well. So why don't we
start, Tommy, with the one that we unanimously agree with that needs to come back, and that Formula
One circuit is sepang, Malaysia. There's no debate. There are no notes in the negative side
to talk about when you talk about sepang. It is just such a phenomenal track. If you are
unaware of the track, firstly, go and have a little look. Go load it up on the F1 game. That's
where the love came. Load it up on F1 1999. No, you can get it. You can get it on a more
modern one. Yeah, it will be. Because I used to race on it back in the day, Tommy, when I was
2017 was the last race, I believe. I mean, you say you believe. You know that for
well, because you are. Because I mourn about it every day. But yeah, it's been gone for quite some
time. And there are reasons around government funding, as far as I'm aware, as to why this is
not coming back anytime soon. Of course, this is both, we will consider the actual possibility of
it coming back. But also, we can live in dreamland. But for this circuit, it was just brilliant.
The first couple of corners, kind of like a less extreme China first couple of corners,
you'd have to say. And it always gave that great side by side action into the right and then the
left, which allowed for great overtaking opportunities, not just on lap one, but also
throughout the race. You also had heavy braking zones, none less than the one around the final
corner, which I think gave us some great racing. And I would love to see modern day Formula
1 cars around this circuit, because I think it's wide enough as well in the right areas to be able
to really give the action that we deserve. So for me, Sipang is right up there, probably as number
one of what I would bring back. Yeah, definitely. It's number one for me as well. And we get asked
this question a lot of the track would bring back. And it's always Sipang will go into some
other picks from us, as you say later, but Sipang just delivered almost like in an era where
overtaking was so difficult. And even in years gone by before DRS and things like that, Sipang
still delivered this great action. We got yo-yo racing before yo-yo racing was even a thing,
because they could switch back and actually legitimate passing and repassing, where you could
dive into turn one, and then it would put you offline. And then you go back into that corner.
And something that we did that video with Alex Alban, and it was absolutely fascinating to hear
him talk about why certain tracks work. And their toilets, of course. And their toilets,
of course, which was very important. You will not have a clue what I'm talking about if you
haven't seen that video, but I know a lot of you have. You must have seen it, it's great. The toilet
quality, it was great chat. But Sipang is another one that he mentioned, is it's all about being
able to, particularly in years gone by, get rid of that dirty air. And as soon as you get different
lines, you can swap into corners. And that is what made something like Interlagos so good.
So Sipang, going into that first corner where you could, it was so wide, the other person's then
compromised, you switch back again, then you have this amazing run down to another hairpin,
which allowed for overtaking. It was absolutely brilliant. And I'm gutted that it got dropped
off the calendar, because for all the talk of these new circuits, don't provide great racing,
and maybe some people think they're a bit soulless, and they're lacking excitement.
That was a modern circuit designed by Herman Tilke, who's had a lot of criticism that everyone
loved and provide absolutely brilliant racing. Modern circuit did sometimes struggle with a
Drogon's Lotus, if I'm not mistaken. Well, that was Bernie Eccleston as well.
Would want it the race delayed to help European audiences, but then there would always be a
monsoon every day. Which is another factor at a certain time that it was basically like spa
in the weather that you could just randomly get at this circuit as well. So it provided
everything. You didn't know whether you're going to get a wet quali. I think there's an
amazing Sebastian Vettelap, if I'm not mistaken, around there in the wet. But there's so many
factors that just make this circuit. The number one on our list to come back, but I know for a
fact that there are many challenges in order to bring it back, because it's been almost 10 years
now since we last saw it on the calendar. So big love to Sipang. Please bring it back, however
possible. Thank you so much. Tommy, why don't we now go to a circuit that you have selected
to put on this list? Yeah, so I've gone for the Buddha International Circuit in India.
Again, another circuit that was that kind of mid-2000s, 2010s era that I think missed the
boat with Drive to Survive. You do wonder, had they been a little bit later to the game when
Formula One was booming like now, that they would have survived and been able to continue,
although there is talk about it potentially coming back and they've done things like MotoGP
racing there in not too recent years. But it's another circuit that I think is so well suited
to modern F1, although super clipping down that straight might be something to be desired. Sorry,
I mentioned it. How have you said that word? I thought we were safe. We're talking about circuits.
Okay, but we are. So this is interesting though, because...
Pause. My dad is ringing me and I'm going to get his opinion on... I don't know what he's ringing
me for, but I'm considering... I'm calling, he's going to say Brunsatch. Hi, Dad.
You're outside. Well, that's interesting because I'm mid-podcast.
That's okay. What did you need?
Oh, I'm sorry.
Yeah. Okay. Yeah, are you sure? Okay, well, I'm sorry that I'm having to... I mean,
you don't live too far away, so it's not like you've driven two hours. But we're talking about
F1 circuits that we would bring back and seeing as you've rung me right now, what would be one
circuit you would bring back on the F1 calendar? Oh, Brunsatch? I said it. I literally predicted
it. Incredible. Tommy's predicted that from a mile off. So yeah, Brunsatch. Okay.
I knew he was going to say Brunsatch. Yeah, it's a standard staple, isn't it? Okay, thanks, Dad.
Sorry, I can't see you right now. All right. All right. Love you. Bye.
Incredible. Got to love. Got to love just my dad turning up out the blue. Not I'm on my way or
anything like that. Just slightly disappointing that normally when your dad calls it's because
someone's been disqualified or there's some breaking news, you know, maybe, you know,
some crazy thing had happened, but... But he wants me to look in his engine cover instead.
And I'm like, what? I don't know. Just because I like Formula 1. I don't know what goes on the
side. Sorry, I said it again. Okay, so India, right, India, the Indian Grand Prix circuit.
Yeah, a great track, again, has that kind of same vibe as a Supang where you've got long
straights into heavy braking zone, which we know. But then also the final sector,
some incredible flowing corners. I remember, you know, Sebastian Vettel in that
newy red bull beast of a car would just fly around the kind of fast section. It looked
absolutely amazing turn 10 and 11, kind of this like sweeping long corner that's
maybe almost like a turkey turn eight kind of vibe. But the other way. And yeah, really,
really cool, cool track and one that I hope we see back at some point, because I think it would
be really well suited to modern F1. I think so as well. I'm in complete agreement. I think it's
a circuit that was perhaps even underappreciated when we did have it. I don't think it got the
amount of hype that it deserved as a circuit. We were kind of, I don't know, in an era of Formula
1 where I guess we didn't get great racing most places we went to. And even if it was a great
circuit like India, I don't know if I remember particular bangers there when we were there
back in the day. But that was more testament and the reason was because of the Formula 1 cars
themselves. Hamilton and Masa having one of their many collisions that year is one of my long
term memories of that. They just constantly came together one of those years, wasn't it?
It was when Hamilton just joined, wasn't it? It was 2011. It was 2011. They were always colliding.
But yeah, India for sure, I'm in complete agreement. I think it's a great circuit.
Again, all of my track knowledge comes from playing the F1 game. I have a pretty good recollection
of it. I know they'd be great down the straight. I can't remember how wide it was in the middle
part of the lap. But it's still a circuit that I think deserves to be on the calendar, not purely
just because of the circuit, but I think India deserves a race track as well. So
incomplete agreement when it comes to that. Now, my circuit that I am putting on the table
and no, I am not trying to just get Ws from everybody because I know that everybody's going
to agree with it. But it is, of course, Turkey. Now, Turkey, we have seen not too long ago
when we had the COVID calendar. And it's a circuit that is just stone-cold
banger. It's just a circuit that, again, similar to Sipang, always tended to deliver. We had some
very strange racing during COVID, especially when they did the track resurfacing and it was
essentially an ice rink, which was definitely made for strange viewing.
Yeah. Are you going for the Turkish Grand Prix with the ice rink or normal?
No, I felt like that was a bit silly. That was ridiculous. That was when we were talking about
slick tomediates and things like that, weren't we? It was a unique experience.
Yeah, Bottas won't want to remember that one, would he?
No, he had the worst race of his life, I think, around there.
But then actually, didn't he win? He won, didn't he? Yeah, the year after. So he had that
absolutely horrendous race. And then there was all these questions of, can Bottas do well in the
wet? And then he just brilliantly won the race the next year. So good times.
Was it dry that time? No, it was a wet race in 21, I'm sure it was.
Goodness. Bottas was unfamiliar with you. Well, I wasn't unfamiliar. I've always been a Bottas fan.
So yeah, Turkey is 100% right up there, probably just behind Sipang.
Turne is phenomenal. How phenomenal it would be watching them go around it in these years,
I'm not so sure, because I think one of the incredible things to watch
at Istanbul, that circuit was the cars on the absolute ragged edge round Turne,
the triple left hander. Was it just known as one Turne or was it technically three,
but everyone called it Turne? Because I feel like it must have been more.
It was one Turne, it was just called Turne, even though nowadays...
It's been crazy when you've got like Austria with the tiniest kink in a straight and they're
like, that's a corner. Yeah, exactly, because there's essentially four kinks in the straight,
but it's just a Turne eight. Whereas, yeah, Austria, like you say, and I think when they
do MotoGP accounts as a corner, so then they add the turns into it. Whereas maybe because
Turkey was never used for motorcycle racing, maybe that's why that it's just...
Whatever it is, it made absolutely no sense when you compare to other Formula One circuits.
I think that's... I'm holding onto those memories of... Was it again, was it Red Bull,
where they were... Were they using... They were opening DRS around it or something?
Yeah, yeah.
There was something because that was when you could use DRS wherever you wanted, wasn't it,
essentially? And it was such an incredible thing to see the Red Bull going around that corner with
the rear wing open and stuff like that. Whereas now they might be a little bit more planted.
Well, I guess 2025 in particular, 26, they're resting in the car a little bit more, but
maybe a tiny bit of glimmer would come off of that because of the cars that we have now,
but I still think it's a great circuit with long straights and heavy braking zones.
Indeed. I think it's that perfect level a bit like Sipang and India to a certain extent, where
you still want a mix of corners and sometimes you can have a track where there's loads of
amazing, exciting high-speed corners, but it doesn't deliver great racing. Whereas this,
you know, we mentioned Turn 8 and that's like the big memory. I also remember that brilliant
battle with Paris and Hamilton where they're going through 12, 13, 14, and almost like a
mini version of Sipang where they can switch back into every corner. And you saw that a lot
in the track because you have that amazing run from turn 10 to turn 12 where there's the slight
kink to the right. They kind of slip through them all down and then you dive into that corner and
then, yeah, you can... I love watching basically the switchbacks and that's maybe no surprise why
we picked Sipang in the first place. Tommy likes racing. News just in. Yeah, shock. Yeah.
But that's what we watch Formula One for and it delivers the most excitement. So I'd love
Turkey to come back because it's not just Turn 8, which is a brilliant turn, but the rest of it
actually genuinely provides really good, exciting racing as well and can provide great
overtaking, which is what we want to see in Formula One. You want lots of overtaking, but you still
want to see the cars provide good action and have exciting turns as well and Turkey has the best of
both, I think. It has character. However you can describe character, it's difficult. It's difficult
to really pinpoint that, but you just look at certain circuits and you go that has character
and I guess maybe it's this man-made... I know they're all kind of man-made, but some of them are
so polished nowadays and so pristine that it doesn't feel like it's a proper racer. I don't
know. It's a strange thing. It's amazing how the nostalgia though of it changes, whereas I think
had Twitter and stuff, F1 Twitter existed back in the days of like Supang joining the calendar,
it's like, why are we going to Malaysia to race? What's the point? And then it's kind of gone
and come back and it's like, oh, this is amazing. We love this circuit and I think that some of
these circuits, whenever there's a new circuit, there's always a little bit of skepticism. I
think Vegas is a perfect example of the kind of worry towards that and then how it ended up
providing great racing. But Turkey, yeah, at the time maybe was a little bit like, oh,
this is an unusual kind of spot for a Formula 1 race kind of in the middle of nowhere in Istanbul
because I think it became a car park or a car dealership or something for a while and there
was talk of had it been destroyed. But then, yeah, it did make that return and there's also
heavily rumoured that it might come back, which please would be amazing.
Make it happen. We need it. We need these iconic circuits to come back to add some flavour
to the calendar once more. Question, right. Well, not question, comments, suggestions,
whatever it might be. The first one comes in from P1Patreon member PiperMZMimicX,
Kailami, because it'd be nice to have F1 races on every continent, excluding Antarctica, of course.
I'm in for that. No, get the Penguin race going. Yeah, hell yeah, let's do it.
Kailami, if you are unaware, is an absolute banging South African circuit, which I don't
know what the current status is because there have been moments, haven't there, where they've
turned it into a tier one circuit and they've tried to make it as ready as possible for Formula
One and it looks so cool. Back to my previous point about character, this one, oh my God,
I'd love to see it in Formula One and I completely agree as well that having an F1 race on every
continent, that's, you know, it's a world championship. So it really needs to happen.
But it is such a cool circuit that I would be so excited if this was announced.
Absolutely. I mean, one of the terms is called the crocodiles, if that's not a reason to have
a race track there. Is that a crocodile mouth or is it a crocodile tail?
I don't know. It's just called the crocodiles. What a great term name. But it is a very cool
circuit. I just looked, it is grade two. There was talk of it basically being upgraded. We would
love to see it. There's been a lot of talk about we'd need a race in Africa and I do completely
agree. I would like them to race here rather than making some purpose, like a brand new
circuit somewhere else, because you've got a great circuit here with history. You know,
the race there in the past, not just in, you know, the kind of mid 90s way back,
slightly different circuit, but you know, they were racing there in the 60s and 70s as well.
So there's great history there. It's a really suitable circuit for Formula One.
Just needs a little bit of upgrading, but I think it would be an incredibly exciting
circuit. You're just looking at it fast sweeping corners with, again, heavy braking zones and
stuff for overtaking. So it's what we need. I love as well how there is a corner,
which is just off of the start finish line. And it's like Austria, where you have the tiny little
kink and it's called the kink as term one. So turn two is actually the first braking zone.
And also I'm reading that the, and this might well have been updated since then, but the
grade two that they have expired at the end of last year, in August last year. So whether that
means anything to upgrade the toilets. Yes, that's what's stopping them from being a grade one.
Alex Alvin's had a word.
Exactly. So yeah, we'd love to see this one on the circuit, but it needs a bit of upgrades.
Yeah, I wonder what happened to the grade one,
sort of rumours and chat that had initially and quite heavily been spoken about, I would say.
So yeah, Kyle Armey is a great shout. Another one from P1Patreon, remember Kieran slash Mega.
If it counts Bahrain Outerloop, if it doesn't count, Mugello.
Okay, let's talk about Bahrain Outerloop. Does it count? No, because it was a way to get two
different races, wasn't it? So the Outerloop is the short circuit, right? Bahrain short, yeah.
Yeah, because I can see how some confusion might be here where we're talking about the old Bahrain.
There was that terrible one that they did in 2010 where they extended it. It was called
Bahrain Endurance and they added it. It was an endurance for everybody.
It was. It was an awful, awful circuit where if you are unaware, they added,
it was basically the endurance layer, which has an extra section added to it.
And the thing, particularly in that era of Formula One, you don't want these slow, clumsy corners
because it just separated the cars and basically meant there was so much dirty air and stuff.
And that was just what it did. So Bahrain is a great circuit anyway, I think. It has provided
some really good action. And it's become that race that I think you do look forward to now,
because you know it is going to provide some good action, which is crazy to think.
But the outer loop, I'm still unsure whether it was kind of almost good luck that you had that
crazy race with George Russell, the excitement of him being in the Mercedes, the chaos of the
safety car, which meant that they dropped back. Because until then, maybe it just would have
been a lights to flag victory and not a lot happened. And then there was just this crazy
ending where it was really exciting. So it was cool to watch because the excitement of
watching them do a really short lap and just flying through these crazy corners was really fun.
But I don't think it's an upgrade. I don't think it's an upgrade on Bahrain. If I take my
nostalgia and the novelty of that race that we had there in 2020, I'm just looking at the
lap time, 55 second lap it was around that track was the lap record. And yeah, I think
if I take that off, it's much better to have the actual Bahrain Grand Prix circuit, I think.
Yeah, I agree. If I had to pick between the two of them, it would be Bahrain as it is because
I think it's one of the best circuits on the calendar and provides us great racing. It's such
a shame it's been canceled, but obviously it makes perfect sense as to why that's happened.
I think it was just a, in my opinion, like a really exciting random thing for us to watch,
like watching qualifying and seeing a 55 second lap. You're like, oh, someone's starting a hot
lap. Oh, they're finishing it. It was, you know, blink and you miss it kind of vibe, which was
great. You know, it made it really, really close and it was different. I think that was the exciting
part of it. If we had that every year, I don't know if it hit the same as you see. Especially
if you had one boring race, you'd go, ah, we should have just raced at the normal track.
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, standard Formula One fans not happy with anything. But the second part of
Kieran's suggestion, and this is the, the important part was Mugello. That is, that is an actual
suggestion. Tommy, I am going to straight up, you know, this might anger some MotoGP fans,
say that this is not a circuit for Formula One. I, I'd be happy to not see this come back. No
disrespect to Mugello, but it is quite literally a circuit that is made so much more for, for bikes
and for fast flowing vehicles, but not Formula One. There's not a single heavy braking zone
really to allow for, for big moves. You could maybe say turn one to a degree, but even then it's
flat. It's a bit of a, yeah, it's a bit of a like a Barcelona. I don't like flowy, Tommy. I really
don't. So for me, Mugello, I will say, look, it was cool. And I always find it cool to see
Formula One cars on a different circuit. And that's what we've got, of course, with COVID.
But would I want it as a staple? No.
Quali, Quali was incredible there to watch a Formula One car go around and you just know
that the drivers would love it. You're right. In terms of like flowy, fast circuits are really
fun to watching in, say a qualifying thing, but they don't provide the best racing. And, you know,
if we're talking about another track that is going to be, you know, ditched from the calendar
potentially, if we're choosing between having, you know, second race in Italy, I'd much rather see
Imola stay because I think there's potential there and it has provided some some decent action.
It still may be a little bit old school and difficult to overtake. You never know with these
newer, newer cars and that the fact they're a lot smaller and it would still be, it would still be
challenging. But I do think you'd see, you know, overtaking down the straight and stuff. Whereas
Mugello, yeah, it was almost too fast and flowing. I'm very, very glad we got to see it particularly
in an era where, you know, there was that incredible Mercedes. It was the W11, would it have been in
2020? You know, one of the best Formula One cars we've ever seen and being able to watch that in a
qualifying lap, go around a track like Mugello, it was just epic. But I don't think it is the
greatest thing for Formula One cars that is a bike track. And also, 2026 qualifying,
is it even going to be that great to watch around Mugello? Yeah, it would be the lifting
coast Grand Prix. No, no, that's another trigger word, another trigger phrase that's just happened
like a, oh no.
Okay, let's go to another one from Jersey Paul 90. I really liked Paul Ricard, actually,
but I don't think many others did. Which of the 173 layouts did you like? Any of them?
Oh, no. I don't think, yeah, I'd love to, I'd love an alternate universe where Paul Ricard
didn't have the kind of seizure inducing runoff area and had gravel and, you know, grass and see
what the public perception would have been. I do think there's just something about it looking
like a test track always just gives it a disservice and makes me not like it, even though
if I look at everything of the layout itself, you go, okay, great, long straights,
braking zones, kind of quite cool corners and things. But there's just something about the
nature of the runoff and how it's quite a weird watch when you can see all the different
layouts on the same time, you know, they're going into a chicane and you look at the chicane and
there's like seven different ways they can take it and it kind of makes it, even though you,
as a Formula One fan, know where the track is, it's just a weird watch in my opinion.
Yes, yeah, it is. It doesn't feel special. Like it doesn't feel as though this was purpose built
for Formula One. It's like this was built for everybody. Which is mad because it's a retro
track as well. It's not even like it's a new track where we go, oh, that's just built for
Modern Formula One, it's soulless. They've been racing there since the 70s.
I know what they needed to do. So keep the 173 layouts, but they sort of litter it with neon.
Okay, so which shows the track limits, right? But each lap it changes. Each lap,
one of the 173 layouts is the next lap and they have to follow the neon lights into that next
thing. Oh, and you could put some boxes with question marks on the track and then they have
to drive through them and then they get the boost button more if they go through the boxes.
Yeah, I mean to be fair, because they've already done the technology around the outside where if
you spin off it's got like really grippy. That was that weird thing that just destroyed the tires
and stopped you from going into the wall unless you're Charlotte Clair. I don't want to talk about
it. That's why I hate Paul Ricard actually, it was just that one moment. But yeah, there could be a
way in which you have the really sticky stuff that slows you down, but the really like fast
stuff as well. Like this is what Paul Ricard is doing. It would be fun actually to watch,
you know, when you play Mario Kart and you can go on the grass and the gravel and as long as
you've got like the golden mushroom, you can make corners. Allow them to use their boost button on
the the blue runoff area and just go for it and see how the race goes. Okay, I like how he just
gone completely serious suggestion. But that's because Paul Ricard as of right now, no, it just
feels, it feels as you say, a test track. No, I don't think many people do apart from Jersey
Pool 90. And also the fans probably don't miss it either because they have horrendous traffic
control around there from what I heard. It literally took people hours and hours, they miss practice,
they miss qualify, just trying to get into the circuit because it's not really made for it.
So I don't think many people miss Paul Ricard. But I'd gladly drive a Formula One car around
it because I know they do lots of testing with F1 cars. Okay, let's go to the next one.
People on Patreon remember just stallion. Magny Core always seemed like a fun one.
Also, Port Amal. Both seemed to have some decent racing. Okay, let's start with Magny Core.
Tommy, you're old. So, you know, I know it as well. I know I'm also old. But Magny Core thoughts.
It's a cool track. Narrow. Yeah, it is. Although I do think it would quite suit
modern F1 in the sense that you have that amazing run down to a big hairpin.
Yeah, it's a fun, fast, flowy track. I see why they did it because it worked better
where you had another heavy braking zone going into turn 15 and then a little chicane. They used
to have almost like a double chicane going into the final sector, which I remember watching,
which was quite exciting and playing on the old PlayStation F1 game showing my age here.
But I think it's a cool circuit. It's one of those though that I don't think was particularly liked
at the time. And maybe it just kind of feels nostalgic now just because you remember it from
back in the day. But yeah, it's fast and flowy, but does have a nice heavy braking zone as well,
which could provide some overtaking opportunities. But if we're getting the French Grand Prix back,
I would take this one over Paul Ricard any day.
Uh-huh. Yes, agreed.
But that's not really a high bar, is it?
Yeah, I think this would kind of hit the same way as like an Imola returning where I don't know
if I'm fully expecting the greatest racing to come out of it. But as an older school Formula
1 fan, you go, that's pretty cool that it's come back because I would be interested to see how
the racing would be. I think it would need to be widened to some degree to allow for the racing
to potentially make sense around here. There's also an alternate layout, which makes it a lot
quicker if they just at turn five, which is called Adelaide, you just then go straight to turn 14.
I used to do that on our factor mods and stuff. You just cut the corner and just join at turn 14.
And maybe Aston Martin could do that layout and see who would win, see if it gives them a chance.
And speaking of Imola as well, there is actually a corner called Imola. So that's
they're all named after them. They are like classic tracks. You've got Esther Real,
Golf, Adelaide. We're going to Adelaide by your P1 live show tickets.
So yeah, MagniCorp could take or leave it, but it would be interesting to see maybe for a one-off.
And then PortaMau, PortaMau was... That is coming back.
That and also the thing that I remember the best and it's a core memory of mine is Kimmy Reichenan.
My God, the guy starting on soft tires in slightly slippery conditions.
And that was just goat things. I absolutely loved that.
As a circuit, how do I feel about it? I think it is pretty cool. It's got undulations.
It's like a roller coaster, right? And I don't mind it being on the calendar. Once again,
I'd much prefer this kind of circuit than another one built in the desert, in my opinion.
I think we've got enough of those and something with, again, ding ding ding character.
I don't mind PortaMau. Is it the best circuit for racing? I'd say it's probably not top tier, but
good enough.
Yeah, it is good enough. I loved watching it. It was a cool track. I do think you desperately need
Turn 1 to be a hairpin there or a much heavier braking zone in terms of... Because the way PortaMau
is at the moment is quite a quick right-hander. The only overtakes you're getting are in previous
years, DRS passes, and this boost pass is where you're not actually getting the overtake done in
the braking zone. You just fly past them on the straight. The stroll yeets someone into Turn 1
because of the fact that it was... It was Verstappen and Stroll. Verstappen and Stroll,
and they just turned in and they collided. It's just such a clumsy first corner way.
It is a clumsy first corner. The problem is that Turn 5 does have that nice hairpin from a
straight, but you've already lost all the momentum from Turns 1, 2, 3 and 4 being able to follow
each other. That is where would be the best overtaking spot, but unfortunately, the first
four turns, you lose a lot of that. It's a good circuit. Of course, I'm glad to see it back.
I am very much of the opinion that I would love to see the calendar mixed up more. I thought that
might happen after what we saw with the COVID calendar and these cool circuits coming back,
but it's all about contracts, isn't it? People want to sign these big money contracts
while Formula One is booming and it's never going to happen. In a perfect world, I would love to see
more circuits rotated because it's exciting when you return to these circuits. Mugello,
we mentioned before, it's not the perfect circuit, but if you had it one year, it would be quite cool
and then next year it's similar and stuff like that. I'm excited to see Porto Malbec.
For sure. I think it'll be a good addition. Let's see how that one unfolds with these
brand new cars. Question, not question. Comment, whatever you want to call it.
Suggestion from Arnie Cuttingham, the old blast through the forest, Hockenheim.
I've got a controversial take on this one. Go on then. Be sourcing.
I will. This is coming from a fan that grew up in the mid-90s and this circuit. I get it.
It's very, very cool, but it's not good for racing at all. I think you look back on it with
a lot of nostalgia and I think it's one of those things that you can watch back videos from the
90s and 80s and 2000s and you can hear a screaming V10 through the forest and it looks absolutely
awesome. But in terms of the racing there, it was always one of the worst grand prix there
because there's nowhere to pass. The circuit was too long that if you go there as a fan,
you're not seeing the cars very much at all because they would fly past on the straight
and then you wouldn't see them for another two minutes. In terms of it being a classic layout,
it's really cool and I love watching those old videos, but in terms of an actual grand prix,
I don't think it's as good as everyone remembers. I don't think it would be a good race and for
a high-speed circuit, we have Monza which provides much better action. I actually think that the
redesigned Hockenheim that they did in 2002, I believe, where they shortened it and you have
that run down to the hairpin and then equally like another little section where you can do lots of
passing and repassing is a much better circuit than the old-school one if we take the nostalgia
out of V10 screaming through the forest. I actually really like the Hockenheim from 2002 onwards
where they shortened it and made it a much more suitable racetrack for overtaking and passing
excitement.
Yeah, then that's too much of a controversial opinion, Tommy, because there were so many reasons
as to why they won't ever do the blast through the forest. I mean, not less the safety of doing that
and that was the reason why they got rid of it in the first place, wasn't it? It was because of the
fact that it wasn't safe. They introduced a chicane, didn't they, into the blast through
the forest? There were lots of chicanes there. Initially, they didn't have chicanes and they
did have chicanes, but one of the real struggles there was, of course, when you've got a massively
long circuit in the middle of the forest, it's very hard to police and have the security and
one fan managed to get on the track to protest about a race. It's a very core memory if you
were watching Formula One in the 90s where I think it was a Mercedes employee that had been fired
and out of protest, he got onto the track wearing a flag protesting Mercedes and was like running
across the track and that's the danger, I guess, of it's hard to police when you've got this enormous
circuit in the forest. And yeah, it was a crazy, crazy moment, that grand prix.
It certainly was. But back to this circuit, I would love to see Hockenheim back in its current
form. I think it's sad that we don't have a German circuit, considering there's the
Nürburgring and Hockenheim and they used to interchange each year. I feel like they absolutely
do deserve a Formula One circuit, does Germany, because just think about all the champions that
have come from Germany and I'm sure there are a lot of teams as Audi and Mercedes racing as well
now. Come on, whoever needs to sort this out, please do, because yes, it looks like we might
while we're turning this into a 30 race calendar, if we keep saying please add more circuits. But
at the same time, I think it's a shame that we're not racing around Hockenheim, because it's one
of my core memories as a kid watching this circuit. Next one comes in from morgues underscore, take,
dump Monaco, give Vietnam a chance. Wow, Monaco for Vietnam. Look, Monaco is going to be amazing
this year. They're going to be 800 overtakes. Ferrari get a one two, my guy. One of the only
high downforce circuits of the calendar. But yes, that is a wild, wild take. I can't believe this
track never actually even, they never even race there crazy. But it's still there from what I
know. It's very abandoned though. It's abandoned, but it's still there. It's giving like Valencia
vibes where at least Valencia had some races. I can't believe they built it and then we never
saw it. It's in the F1 game, isn't it? You can drive it on one of the F1 games because they were
expecting to race it. It is if you've not unaware and go check out the track map. The final sector
is basically the start of Suzuka backwards. And then they've basically got Shanghai and merged
Suzuka and Shanghai together to create like one circuit. It feels like and it would have been
cool to see I know a lot of people that played the F1 game thought the circuit was really good
and really liked it. Is the we mentioned about having a long straight and heavy braking zone,
have they gone too extreme with it potentially? But it would have been interesting to see them
do a race there and it's a shame it never happened because you know, for them to spend all that money
building a circuit and then for it to never even host a race is absolutely insane. You know, not
even the fact that maybe like Formula One didn't race there and they're still doing MotoGP or some
GT racing just gone. So the reason they didn't race is quite an interesting one. But essentially
all boiled down to the arrest of a key local promoter on corruption charges. And then once
he was arrested, that was essentially the backbone of the support for this Formula One race. And
then they just dropped it, which is mad to think that there wasn't more support for it to keep it
going, considering, fair enough, if it was just at the blueprint stage, but it literally built. I
can't believe it was done. Yeah, it's ready to go once to see how it goes. But but no. And back
to the point, would I dump Monaco for Vietnam? No. Monaco deserves its place on the calendar
because why are we going to win it? Okay, next one, people want better remember still head.
I'd like to see Fuji come back in some capacity personally because I like the layout. Tommy,
I'm not going to lie, the only thing I think about is Mark Webber throwing up in his helmet.
That is the first thing that I think of when it comes to Fuji. Mine is
Cupidza and Massa swapping positions and then basically doing track limits are optional.
Which was great. In 2026, they would have both had 50 seconds worth of penalties.
And maybe that's where we've all gone wrong in Formula One.
Maybe. I think Fuji is a very interesting track because
Suzuki is no doubt epic. The drivers love it. It's an incredible circuit. I'd be absolutely
gutted to see it disappear off the calendar. And it I was when, you know, initially was replaced.
But you can argue that Fuji is a much better circuit for modern Formula One.
You know, with the layout it is and you can't always just have circuits to go,
oh, well, this is better racing because you'd kind of destroy the calendar. But we saw,
you know, it rotate going one year. Maybe that's something that they could do in the future
because it is, you know, it's a grade one circuit. They have, you know, it's kind of staple on the
the WC calendar. And it's a cool, a cool circuit that provides a lot of, a lot of action.
Good long, long straight for passing, but kind of exciting flowing corners as well. So on paper,
it's not a good, it's nowhere near as good as Suzuki in terms of like a track layout and excitement
from, you know, a lap if I was driving it and wanting to see qualifying and things there.
But it would be a cool circuit to see how it would hold up, I think, in modern Formula One.
All right, let's make it a 40 track calendar in that case. Beautiful stuff. I think Fuji, yeah,
was an exciting track, not least because of the changeable conditions and everything else that
we saw, although to be fair, we'd never see racing with the amount of rain we've seen in
previous years around this track. So there we go. Those are the circuits and suggestions that have
been put to this podcast. Let us know your thoughts and your circuits that you would
bring back to the F1 calendar in the comments. Tommy, what are your final thoughts?
I can't wait for the comments going, I can't believe you didn't mention X,
which would probably be the most of it, but we'd be here all day. But that was,
that was really fun. I did enjoy reminiscing about some, some old circuits. It's got me,
hyped to see that the likes have pulled to my back and maybe even Turkey.
So now we just need to, to push for Sopang and India as well.
Perfect. Let's keep pushing, Matt and Tommy, getting Sopang and India back on the circuit
calendar. That is it. We'll see you very soon. Lots of love. Hope you're enjoying spring break.
Take care. Bye.
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