Formula One — The Forgotten Tracks

Formula One, by its very definition, is often seen as the pinnacle of motorsports. This holds true in many aspects, especially in the fact that the circuits that the cars race are some of the best in the world. Many tracks have been on the calendar for decades, and are world renowned, such as Spa-Francorchamps, which shares its status as a mecca of speed with the Temple of Speed, aka Monza. There are other tracks that have been built and certified by the FIA to Grade 1 status, which is needed for Formula One to race there.

Yet, through economics, mismanagement, or simply bad timing, many tracks have come and gone throughout the decades of the world championship. Some were dropped for safety reasons, such as the “Green Hell” that is the Nurburgring Nordschleife, or the old Kyalami circuit in South Africa, which saw multiple injuries and even a fatality occur on its slithery, snaking tarmac. Others, however, have simply been forgotten, lost to the annals of time and rarely, if ever, talked about, even amongst F1 enthusiasts.