Formula One Tracks & F1 Betting Tips

As one of the most prestigious sports in the world, few events combine as many nations into their calendar as Formula 1. The sport has grown to allow host cities from as far as the Middle East, Asia, South America and more, creating a true global powerhouse.

Below we have a list of the tracks and a little info about some of the characteristics that make them so exciting. For each Grand Prix we also provide tips, stats and analysis of the upcoming race. The main bulk of this page is ordered according to how the F1 calendar runs, starting with the first race of the season, but we also provide an alphabetical quick finder list below.

Schedule

Australian Grand Prix

The Australian Grand Prix is often the season opener and with it has attracted a huge crowd over the years. The race takes place in the heart of Melbourne and with it attracts a capacity crowd of almost 80,000 year in, year out.

The Albert Park track is roughly 5.303km in total length and is most famed for its smooth surface and relatively easy driving nature. As a result, the track is one of the fastest in current circulation within F1 and its proximity to water makes it one of the more visually stunning, along with the Melbourne CBD as its backdrop.

Another unique feature for the track is that for much of year it’s actually open to the public. The park is an area of outstanding beauty within Melbourne, and it allows both fans of Formula and the Melbourne locals to enjoy the location even when motor racing isn’t taking place. Because of its importance to the locals, the Albert Park track is able to run as a way to earn money 365 days a year – something that is not all that common for F1 tracks.

Outside of Formula 1, the track also plays host to a number of other sporting events, such as Supercars Championship, Melbourne 400, Porsche Carrera Cup and the Australian GT Championship, to name but a few.

Bahrain Grand Prix

The Bahrain International Circuit is the home of the Bahrain Grand Prix. It was first opened in 2004 and since then has been a popular spot for both drivers and teams to visit. The extreme temperatures that can be on offer throughout the race weekend makes this both a physically demanding race for drivers and mechanically demanding race for the cars.

The first race in 2004 was met some controversy as organisers had wanted to pull out last minute citing that the track wasn’t quite ready. But, F1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone, refused this request and stated that the track was good enough to go ahead.

The designer behind the track was that of Hermann Tilke, who’s played major roles in a number of F1 racetracks over the years. The $150million project actually includes 6 tracks in total, which is more than any other single F1 track in the world.

The race has been one that’s filled several slots on the Grand Prix calendar and whilst currently lies as the third stop, it’s actually hosted the opening race in that of 2006, allowing Australia to host the Commonwealth games. As different layouts of the track have occurred over the years, the current set up measures 5.412km in length, with a lap record of 1:31.447 being set by Pedro de la Rosa in his McLaren in 2005. The track is also one of the few night races on the calendar that’s run under lights.

Chinese Grand Prix

The Shanghai International Circuit plays host to the Chinese Grand Prix. Construction was completed in 2004 with a total cost of $450million, making it one of the most expensive racetracks in the world. What’s most impressive is that it took the team behind building the track just 18 months to turn what was essentially swampland, into one of the most impressive Grand Prix circuits in the world.

The layout of the track itself was another masterminded approach by that of Hermann Tilke and his company, Tilke Construction. The now signature inclusion from Tilke is that of a long back straight, running into a tight hairpin turn, which is designed to allow for plenty of overtaking and action. The current track layout allows cars to get up to speeds in excess of 300kmph, which makes it one of the fastest tracks in current circulation.

The Grand Prix itself has been a success for the country in what was admittedly a risk, due to the lack of any form of motorsport within China previously. But, spectator numbers of over 260,000 in their first year, with a 10,000 increase in their second year soon put pay to any doubts that the race wouldn’t be a success. Attendances have dipped somewhat since, but the deal in place to 2018 is about to expire, so it remains to see what happens with this grand prix.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Baku city plays host to the Azerbaijan grand prix which is one of the newest stops the F1 rota. The track has been a huge success since the opening in 2016, initially hosting the European Grand Prix, before then getting the first Azerbaijan Grand Prix a year later in 2017.

Another track that’s been designed by that of Hermann Tilke, this track is unique in that it’s a street race, running through the streets of Baku. There have been some alternations made to allow for a more competitive track, but for the most part, the track is run on the original roads that have been in the city for hundreds of years (albeit resurfaced for F1 regulations).

The 6.003km track is the second longest track on the grand prix circuit at the minute. The brief for the track was speed and they were keen to make Baku City Circuit one of the fastest in the world. They were able to achieve status as the fastest street race in F1, mainly down to the fact that cars are able to get up to speeds of 360km/h.

The races have seen some good battles, even though at the time of writing there have only been two. The initial European Grand Prix was met with huge trepidation as there were multiple crashes in the GP2 race that ran before it. However, the only retirements in the race were that of mechanical retirements, highlighting that the track was indeed safe. The winner of the race was that of Nico Rosberg, with Daniel Riciardo winning in the first year as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017.

Spanish Grand Prix

There are few more iconic racetracks in the world that the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The overview is unique as it’s almost a mirror image of itself with each side offering long straights, sweeping corner s and tight ‘s’ bends as well. It’s often through that the track is one of the better all-rounders as a result, offering long straight, but still tight corners to promote overtaking. It’s warm, dry climate that is enjoyed for much of the year means the track is often popular with teams doing car testing out of season as well.

The track has been open since 1991 and was built around the same time that Barcelona hosted the Olympic games, although the two don’t link. The 4.655km circuit has seen some amazing races over the years, with the likes of Mansell and Senna going wheel to wheel down the pit straight in 1991 or Michael Schumacher incredibly coming in 2^nd place after having just 5^th gear for the majority of his race.

The track also plays a huge part in Moto GP, along with other forms of motor racing as well. The layout means that it really suits that of super bikes and whilst the perform very differently to that of an F1 car around the track, the sweeping corners and long straights make for exciting races in both disciplines.

Monaco Grand Prix

When you think of Formula 1, it’s tough to not immediately think of the Monaco Grand Prix. There are few in the world that offer the glitz and glamour that Monaco does. The Circuit de Monaco is famously surrounded by multiple millions of pounds worth of yachts and boats that are in the harbour offering one of the best vantage points of the track.

The street circuit in itself is an iconic venue, with the actual streets of Monaco being used to create the 3.337km track. It’s one of the tightest tracks on the calendar and with it offers drivers a unique chance to showcase their skills. Due to the narrowness of the track, it means that often overtaking is limited, so it means that the drivers need to use their skillset to get around cars or offer up a better overall strategy to come ahead in pit stops and tyre use.

The first of the races were held in 1929, with the founder being that of Antony Noghes. It wasn’t until 1931 that the first official Grand Prix was run and since then has been a favourite fixture for both fans and drivers. Many drivers see winning the race as one of their most prestigious, with Aryton Senna currently holding the record for the most wins with 6 in total. Other notable multi-winners include that of Michael Schumacher, Graham Hill, Alain Prost, Sterling Moss, Jackie Stewart and Lewis Hamilton, to name just a few.

Canadian Grand Prix

First opened in 1978, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve racetrack is situated in Montreal, Quebec. The track is situated on a manmade island on the St. Lawrence River, which makes the track look especially stunning on a summers day. It’s unique in that it’s one of the few island tracks in Formula 1. When race meetings aren’t on, the track is opened to the public to walk, run or cycle around, which makes it a massive tourist attraction in the city of Montreal.

The track itself is one of the fastest in Formula 1, with long straights and tight hairpins. It’s also one of the most exciting as it offers a number of opportunities for drivers to overtake, which is not a hugely common theme for a lot of F1 tracks these days, creating a buzz for both drivers and spectators of the meeting. Whilst not a street circuit as such, the tight barriers for a lot of the track mean that it does have the feeling, which makes it even more imperative that drivers are switched on as one mistake can signal the end of their race.

The track includes a number of famous corners, such as the Senna ‘S’ Turns, Casino corner, the Hairpin Curve and the Wall of Champions, to name just a few. The latter is a popular spot for crashes, with many former champions seeing it up close, hence the name.

French Grand Prix

The French Grand Prix has been in exile since 2008 but is making a long awaited return to the Circuit Paul Ricard for the 2018 season. The previous instalments of the Grand Prix were held at the Magny-Cours track, but the Marseille based circuit was deemed to be more up to scratch with recent F1 safety checks, so were awarded the race.

The tracks main characteristic is the Mistrai straight, which measures 1.8km and is the longest on the F1 rotation at the minute. The 5.861km track is one of the longer ones and cars are able to reach speeds of in excess of 300km/h making it one of the faster ones. The racetrack will be hosting F1 for the first time since 1990, where Alain Prost was at the peak of his powers, winning 6 French Grand Prix’s over the course of 12 years.

Whilst the track has been in F1 exile for a number of years now, it’s been used quite frequently for testing and whilst many of the drivers in the current set up won’t have raced there previously, it is thought that most will have a pretty good understanding from preseason testing.

Austrian Grand Prix

The Austrian Grand Prix is another favourite for drivers, mainly because of the speed of the Red Bull Ring. It’s undergone several branding and name changes over the years, including the likes of the A1-Ring and Osterreichring, which translates as Austria Circuit. The circuit hadn’t seen any F1 action between 2004 and 2013 but were added back into the mix in 2014 to host the Austrian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull Ring, is owned by the drinks company, Red Bull and was purchased in 2011. The main goal was to bring F1 back to the track, something that the country and region needed. Although the track was originally built in 1969, it had been in decline for a number of years until it was removed in 2003 due to safety concerns and being unable to fund the improvement of facilities that F1 now demanded from all its racetracks.

The work needed to make this happen was extensive, with things like grandstands and pit lanes all being demolished and a full resurface of the asphalt track. As part of Red Bull’s goal to create a performance theatre as well as racing, they have been able to host some huge concerts, such as the likes of AC/DC and The Rolling Stones, to name but a few.

British Grand Prix

Silverstone is one of the oldest racing circuits in the world and first hosted the British Grand Prix in 1948. For many years the British Grand Prix was rotated between the likes of Aintree, Silverstone and Brand Hatch, but the Silverstone track got exclusive rights in 1987 and so the race has been held here ever since.

The original circuit was actually part of a World War 2 RAF airfield. Following the war, the huge straights were created into a racetrack and motorsport has been raced there ever since 1947. The track still has many of the old airfield features within it and whilst some sections are still raced on to this day a bird’s eyes view of the track will highlight the ‘X’ where the airstrips ran.

The track is one of the most demanding on drivers, not merely down to its 5.891km length, making it one of the longer ones, but also the range of corners. There are also few better-known tracks for drivers, given that it works with a lot of teams with preseason testing and also the fact it’s one of the ever-present tracks over the last 30 years or so. Corners such as Copse, Becketts, Stowe and Brooklands are hugely iconic on the track and often where many visitors try and get seating near for the best view and most exciting areas on the track.

In recent times the race has been dominated by that of Lewis Hamilton, who has won the last 4 Grand Prix’s there from 2014 to 2017. He’s the joint most successful driver at the track with 5 wins in total, equalling that of Jim Clark and Alain Prost. Other notable multi-winners include Nigel Mansell, Jack Brabham, Miki Lauder and Michael Schumacher.

German Grand Prix

The German Prix is another highlight for F1 fans around the world. The Grand Prix has actually been held at a number of track over the years, including that of Hockenheim (current) and Nürburgring. The return of the Grand Prix in 2018 to Hockenheim is one that has been much welcomed, especially given the German’s love for motor sports and Formula 1 in particular.

The Hockenheim track measures 4.57km in total, which actually makes it one of the smaller tracks. But, it’s technically quite challenging for the drivers and is general an exciting race to watch for spectators given the number of overtaking opportunities throughout. Whilst the original plans to rotate both Hockenheim and Nürburgring were in place, the fact that the Nürburgring withdrew is biannual attendance means that it’s highly likely Hockenheim is going to get full access, although no contracts have been agreed past the 2018 season as of yet.

Whilst F1 is definitely the main attraction to Hockenheim, it does offer a wide range of motor sports throughout the year. The redesign in 2002 enabled for the tack to me lengthened further and now offers a quarter-mile track designed especially for drag racing and annually hosts the NitrOlmpx, which is one of the biggest drag racing events in Europe.

Hungarian Grand Prix

The Hungaroring is now the main host for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The track has been open since 1986 and with it is situated in Mogyorod, Hungary. The track and the Grand Prix was the first to be run behind the ‘Iron Curtain’ and whilst it was favoured a race in the USSR, plans were initially agreed with the Budapest track proving to be a popular choice.

Due to the time of year that the race is ran – midsummer – the track is often very hot and whilst the circuit is pretty favourable for drivers in terms of technicality, it’s very hard physically due to the sheer heat that they have to deal with. The heat also brings issues for tyres and the Hungaroring is famed for having punctures and tyre failures as a result.

Another issue that are found at the Hungaroring is that of dust. The 4.381km track is often very underused throughout the year, which means that clearing the track is tough. What you usually find with F1 tracks is that they become quicker over the week, but dust can settle within just a few minutes, meaning this isn’t always the case. It’s tight corners and turns make it a tough one for overtaking and whilst drivers love it, it’s not always the best spectacle for fans. Many people have nicknamed the track “Monaco without the building” such is the tight nature of the circuit.

Belgian Grand Prix

There are few better-known circuits in F1 than Spa, which is the host of the Belgium Grand Prix. The track has been open since 1920, which also makes it one of the oldest. To add to that, at 7.004km it’s the longest F1 track in the world and often makes for a tough ride for the drivers given the massive inclines and descents that are littered around the track.

The track has seen a number of renovations and improvements, with the biggest coming in 2007 and costing around €19million. The main changes were that of the repositioning of a couple of corners and also that of a new pit lane and grandstand, both of which were much needed on a track that had been lagging behind in terms of facilities.

The first Belgium Grand Prix was run in 1925 and whilst the majority have been held at Spa, other tracks have included that of Zolder and Nivelles, although admittedly only for a couple seasons each. The most successful driver has been that of Michael Schumacher who has 6 wins in total, but it’s his fellow German, Sebastian Vettel, who holds the lap record of 1:46.577, set in his Ferrari in 2017.

Another interesting point to make about Spa is that it is open to the public to conduct track days. It’s not to the extent that somewhere like the Nürburgring, but as long as your car conforms to regulations, you are able to drive on it for a fee outside of any race meetings, which makes it even more popular with motor racing fans.

Italian Grand Prix

Another hugely iconic and popular tracks is that of Monza. Situated in Monza, Italy, not far from Milan. The racetrack spans over 5.793km and holds a capacity crowd of over 113,000. It was built in 1922, which also makes it one of the oldest tracks in F1 as well.

The track is widely considered to be one of the quicker tracks and it’s been reported that drivers can be on full throttle for over 90% of the race. This is mainly down to the fact that the corners are often sweeping, rather than tight. It’s a circuit where constructors are trying to really increase the initially speed of the car, rather than worrying about downforce for corners. Cars are often seen reaching speeds of over 370 km/h, about as fast as you will see in F1.

Due to the stature of the track, many other sports take advantage of the versatility of Monza, including the likes of Superbikes and Touring cars, to name just a few. But, the speed is a big reason why people have called for changes to Monza, with several fatal accidents over the years and the current death toll at that of 52 drivers and 35 spectators, more than any other F1 track.

Whilst Monza isn’t the official home of Ferrari, it is the closest track to their headquarters and in the country of origin. It probably comes as little surprise to see that Michael Schumacher holds the record for most wins around Monza, with 5 in total, with other notable winners including the likes Lewis Hamilton, Nelson Piquet and Sterling Moss, to name just a handful.

Singapore Grand Prix

The Marina Bay circuit is the host of the Singapore Grand Prix and to find a more visually stunning setting, you will struggle. The track is one of the newer to the F1 grid, with work beginning in 2007 and completed a year to the day later in August 2008 at a cost of $33million, which is actually fairly cheap considering what other tracks have spent.

The Marina Bay Circuit is a street circuit and the designer, Hermann Tilke, was set with the brief of creating an Asian Monaco. The fact that it has very tight barriers and that it runs around the bay with on looking fans in multi0million pound yachts certainly gives it that feel. The tracks tightness means that overtaking is tough and often races are more strategic based than anything. They actually hold a unique record of having at least 1 safety car appear at every Grand Prix race to date.

The circuit is unique in that it’s one of the few night races that take place each year. Again, this adds to the stunning visual effects and the customary fireworks that are set off upon the completion of the race have proved to be a massive hit.

Initial concerns about bringing F1 racing to Singapore were vented by many teams, with the unpredictability of how many fans would turn up. The first year of hosting in 2008 saw over 300,000 attendees across the weekend. Whilst this number has dropped slightly, the numbers are still pretty healthy and average around the 260,000 for most weekends since.

Russian Grand Prix

The Russian Grand Prix is another of the fairly new arrivals. They actually had two races in 1913 and 1914, but weren’t then awarded another Grand Prix until that of 2014, 100 years later. The Sochi Autodrome is the host of the Grand Prix and was finished in 2014 some 3 years after construction had started. The track is actually in heart of the Olympic complex that was built to host the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 and was essentially the reason why both construction and the hosting of F1 in Russia took so long to return, given that work started in 2011.

The Sochi track measures 5.848km, which currently makes it the third longest on the scene at the minute, beaten only by that of Spa (Belgium) and Baku (Budapest). The track, another designed by that of Hermann Tilke, is one of the most balanced in operation at the minute. By that, we mean that it offers drivers a good opportunity to overtake, but also requires team strategies to come into play. A lot of drivers call it a ‘proper’ racing track, for this exact reason.

Mercedes have dominated the race since its inauguration in 2014, winning all 4 races at the time of wiring. Wins have come as a mix of two Lewis Hamilton victories in 2014 and 2105, 1 by Nico Rosberg in 2016 and 1 by that of Valterri Bottas in 2017.

Japanese Grand Prix

Suzuka is one of the most iconic and yet fitting F1 tracks in the world. It was originally designed to be a test track for Honda back in 1962 so they could not only test that of production cars, but also motor racing cars. But, the track proved to be so popular that it was soon getting plaudits from around the world. As Formula 1 continued to grow, the need to tap into the Asian market was apparent and the F1 of Japan arrived in 1976.

But, the first Grand Prix was actually held at the Fuji racetrack and it wasn’t until 1987 when Suzuka for their first taste of F1. The Japanese grand prix has been a stable ever since and apart from two years in 2007 and 2008, the Suzuka track has been at the heart of it.

The design of the track is something that is highly unique in that it’s in a figure of 8. In the middle sectors the track runs under the over pass and this is one of the only designs of its type anywhere in the world.

In recent years the Mercedes team have been enjoying great success within the track. They’ve had each winner since 2014, including 3 wins for Lewis Hamilton and 1 for Nico Rosberg. But, it’s the German Michael Schumacher that has the most wins, with 6 to his name. Kimi Raikonnen holds the record for fastest lap, shooting a 1:31.540 in his McLaren in 2005.

United States Grand Prix

The United Grand Prix has a bit of chequered past if through be told and they’ve been unable to long-term tie down a spot within the F1 calendar. They’ve had times through the 2000’s, the 1990’s and the ‘80’s in which prolonged periods of time have passed without a Grand Prix at all. Also, the host of the Grand Prix has also changed hands quite a lot, with Watkins Glen, Phoenix, Indianapolis and now Austin, Texas, all playing a role.

The Circuit of the Americas is the current host. A track that was first opened in 2012, specifically to try and reclaim F1 to America, is situated some 19km south of Texas, which is very much thought to be the home of motor racing within the US.

The designer Hermann Tilke, played a huge role in creating the 5.5km track and with made up elevation changes of over 41m, which is one of the biggest you see in F1 today. The track is very much thought to be a difficult circuit to race on, but that is the type of challenge that a lot of drivers relish in, which is why it’s probably more popular with the drivers than it is the fans. Winners of the race are presented with an iconic cowboy hat as part of the presentation ceremony.

Mexican Grand Prix

The Mexican Grand Prix made its long awaited return to Formula in 2015 after 23 years in exile. What used to be deemed as one of the more exciting race was removed in 1992 down to safety concerns and then a lack of money to make the changes that the FIA deemed necessary. The Host, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez finally got funding in 2013 to make the changes, before a deal was agreed to come back for the 2015 season, spanning through to 2019.

The biggest issue that a lot of drivers have at the circuit is that of the altitude. Not only does it affect them, but also the car is the air flow is very different compared to how it would normally react. Teams often change aspects of the car on the fly throughout the race, which can see big margins between how each team finishes.

The track was built within a public park back in 1962 and whilst the initial building was controversial with locals, the track is very much accepted as a good means of revenue for many local and msall business. The track itself has a good mix of both fast and slow corners. The long straight comes after a fast bend leading into it and then from there a tight chicane meets the drivers, which is seen as the best vantage point for most viewers.

Brazilian Grand Prix

For many years the Brazilian Grand Prix was the final race of the year and as a result has seen many champions crowned and many dramatic races. The circuit it currently runs at tis the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, named after Brazilian racing driver Jose Carlos Pace who was killed in a plane crash in 1977. However, many of the natives and F1 fans simply know the track as ‘Interlagos’.

The 4.309km track is one of the smaller tracks on the calendar, but with it offers a number of technical turns and sweeping corners, meaning that it’s fast in sectors and also makes the drivers work hard. The track is famed for a number of corners throughout the race, including the Senna S’, Sun Turn, Elbow and the Junction, each offering a different problem for drivers to navigate. The track is also famed for having one of the longest pit lanes in F1.

Recent winners of the grand prix include the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. It’s Alain Prost who has the most wins, with 6 in total and Mercedes are the most successful team there with 12 constructor wins to their name.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The conclusion of the F1 season see’s the teams travel to Abu Dhabi where they take on the Yas Marina Circuit. This is undoubtedly one of the best showcases in sport, let alone F1. The track is surrounded by the harbour of Yas Marina and with it are dozens of the world’s biggest yachts which overlooks the track.

Construction of the site cost over £800million, which makes it the most expensive venue in F1. As another factor to add to the atmosphere of the final race of the season, the race is run at night. The stunning backdrop makes the 5.554km track light up and when the undercarriage of the cars catches the track, sparks literally fly!

The track itself is quite tricky and tight, which doesn’t make for an awful of overtaking manoeuvres. But, safety cars are almost always deployed, which means strategy plays a huge role in the race. In recent years, winners have included Valterri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel.