F1's last 10 grand prix venues to fall by the wayside

Which tracks have we lost?

Ewan Gale

Monday 23 January 2023 16:22 Updated: 17:53

F1 welcomes Las Vegas to the calendar this season as the second new circuit in as many years following Miami's introduction in 2022.

Saudi Arabia is in its infancy after holding two grands prix, whilst Qatar returns for its second event following a sabbatical last year due to its focus on hosting the FIFA World Cup.

But with a limit on how many races can be held each year, circuits come and go frequently.

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Here, GPFans takes a look at the last 10 circuits to have hosted a race that no longer holds a spot on the calendar.

Paul Ricard - France [Last race: 2022]

The French venue returned to the F1 calendar in 2018 after a 28-year absence but was met with widespread criticism by fans for its lack of overtaking action.

A year was lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 but the renewal a year later provided excitement, with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas fighting eventual winner Max Verstappen.

But 2022's race proved to be the last at the track as F1 decided against renewing its contract for the upcoming campaign. Whether it will return in the future on a rotational basis remains to be seen.

Istanbul Park - Turkey [Last race: 2021]

One of the best-loved modern race tracks to have graced the F1 calendar, Istanbul Park dropped off the schedule after hosting the 2011 Turkish Grand Prix.

But when Covid hit in 2020, the venue stepped in to add to the numbers for F1, providing the setting for Hamilton to secure a seventh championship in remarkable fashion given the newly resurfaced track was like ice in the wet-weather conditions.

Another opportunity arose in 2021, but the substitute performance came to an end there.

Sochi Autodrom - Russia [Last race: 2021]

Russia joined the calendar in 2014 and provided some exciting moments in otherwise forgettable races.

The final race at the venue was a barnstormer, with rain late on cruelly denying Lando Norris a first grand prix victory when the McLaren driver opted not to pit for grooved tyres.

But the invasion of Ukraine and subsequent war saw Russia's involvement in worldwide activities almost completely cut-off, with F1 acting swiftly to cancel its contract with the country's event.

Algarve International - Portugal [Last race: 2021]

Another substitute venue in the Algarve International Circuit.

The Portimão track hosted two grands prix in 2020 and 2021, providing F1 with a vastly different challenge to the norm given the rollercoaster-style undulations.

Lewis Hamilton won both races for Mercedes and whilst under consideration to replace the Chinese Grand Prix this year, Portugal remains off the calendar for the foreseeable future.

Nurburgring - Germany [Last race: 2020]

One of the classic F1 tracks, the Nürburgring was forced to settle with alternating with Hockenheim as host of the German Grand Prix before falling off the calendar in 2015 after last staging the race in 2013.

But a return came during the pandemic in 2020, though the weather conditions wiped out Friday running in October.

The Eifel Grand Prix signalled the end for the circuit in F1, with a return unlikely in the coming years.

Mugello - Italy [Last race: 2020]

A one-off venue in 2020, the Italian circuit provided a new challenge for drivers.

Old-school high-speed sweeping corners up and down hills provided spectacular viewing, as well as an action-packed grand prix that involved a restart meleé and a hefty hit for Lance Stroll in the Racing Point.

But the circuit was only ever a replacement and with two races already scheduled in Italy [Imola and Monza] it is unlikely that will change anytime soon.

Hockenheim - Germany [Last race: 2019]

The final German Grand Prix was a corker as rain hit .

The circuit had, admittedly, lost some of its soul when redeveloped at the beginning of the century, leading to the omission of the blast into the forest.

But the redevelopments helped provide some classic races, particularly when Mercedes had a shocker as it celebrated its 125th year in motorsport.

Verstappen headed Sebastian Vettel and Daniil Kvyat on the podium in the wet, before the circuit was dropped.

Sepang - Malaysia [Last race: 2017]

A track almost seemingly loved by all, the Sepang International Circuit fell off the calendar at the end of 2017.

The Malaysian venue made its debut in 1999 and featured near-parallel straights punctuated with heavy-braking zones and hairpins to promote overtaking.

Its contract to stay on the schedule was due to expire in 2018, but rising hosting costs and dwindling ticket sales conspired against the venue.