Greatest and worst ever circuits

[Andyoak]

Perhaps it is a mark of how standards have fallen that tracks like the new Nurburgring or Hungaroring are now considered "classics" by many.

That said, the Hungaroring DOES seem to provide better racing these days than it ever did in the first 20 or so years.

Thank you for recognising Hungaroring. I've always felt this was much maligned when we've had great races there.

Suppose I better stick my offerings in then...

Best (at risk of sounding like an old fart):
Brands Hatch
'Old' Ostereichring
Kyalami
Spa
Adelaide

Worst (as above):
Barcelona
Valencia
pretty much any corporate bland offering from Tilke with special honours to China, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi
also pretty much any US track since Pheonix.

I have stuck to what I have seen in my time as a fan. It seems a shame to be stuck in the past and we have seen great racing this year but that feels as if it is despite the circuits.

 

[The Artist.....]

Andyoak - I presume you mean the *Old* Kyalami - not the revised one that was raced on in 1992/93?

 

[Andyoak]

'fraid so... does that make me old too?

 

[Johnny Carwash]

Best Tracks

Spa Francorchamps
Hockenheim, before 2002
Suzuka
Paul Ricard
Zandvoort

Worst Tracks

Valencia street circuit
Dallas
Aida
Caesars Palace Car park

 

[Vortex]

I’m definitely in the minority when I say I always liked Magny Cours tho.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Perhaps it is a mark of how standards have fallen that tracks like the new Nurburgring or Hungaroring are now considered "classics" by many.

Surely how a person rates certain tracks depends entirely on their opinion, just like it's your opinion that the tracks you said are not classics.

 

[Slyboogy]

Best:
Spa - driving wise and great races, challenging, although some of the challenge has been removed, nevertheless been modified several times and is still one of the best tracks around!

Suzuka - driving wise, nice flow, no room for error, contains several hard corners, all sectors are pretty much great one mistake and that's the lap ruined.

Monaco - driving wise, races may be poor but there is no room for error, precision is key!

Montreal - such a unique track, semi-street circuit, always a pleasure to see the cars go round it.

Turkey - great first two sectors, sector 3 is not too shabby either, has probably one of the best corners in F1, needs to remove some off the tarmac and replace it with gravel.

Worst:
Valencia - by far one of the worst tracks, even a flamingo can design a better track than that, from it's slow corners and straights which aren't really straights, to it's horrible run off area and eye sore apex and banners! This track should never have been made, whoever made it shouldd be ashamed of themselves...oh wait they get paid a healthy salary for a such a poor job! I will design one for free!

Abu Dhabi - fast flowing at the start, chicanes in the worst possible spots, then a Valencia style of slow corner sequence, massive run off, why? Never needed, just makes the track look pretty poor (oxymoron right there), and the way the track looks is actually it's main asset!

Pheonix Street Circuit - Never seen a race there, but just looking at the circuit map that mjo posted it makes Abu Dhabi look better than it really is.

 

[Andy Karter]

Well looking at the current calendar the best for me is still Spa, worst is Bahrain closely followed by Valencia.

 

[The Artist.....]

Slyboogy... If you've never seen any races at Phoenix, I would recommend watching the 1990 race... really great race!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8558344.stm

 

[Josephiah]

Nothing particular to add to this discussion that others haven't already said, other than to say that for some reason I very much enjoyed this:

even a flamingo can design a better track than that

 

[mjo]

I have read and taken into account everybody's nominations and after consulting my super - hi-tech scoring system (windows notepad) it is clear that Spa, Montreal and Valencia are streets ahead (if you pardon the pun).

I think I'm going to give it a couple of days to get all the nominations, and then I will do a checkbox poll (click as many as you like) of the most frequently said nominations and see which circuit(s) will be crowned as the best/worst ever! (to host an f1 race).

 

[Andrea_Moda_Rules]

My Greatest F1 Tracks:

Spa - Need i Say more?
Old Hockenhiem - i liked the long straights, big braking zones and the techincal challenge brought by the fiddly bit at the end.
Interlagos - great overtaking chance into the first corner, techincal challenges. And punishment if you go off
Monaco - Yh its a bit of a marmite track, but there's something to be said about threading an F1 car through an eye of an needle at 150 mph.

My Worst F1 tracks

Valencia Bay - if you Compare it to a clolur, it would be the colour beige. Slow turns, no skill needed, nothing to challenge the car or driver. Set around the what looks like the dullest place on the planet.
Nurburgring - shame that this is the replacement to its big brother, Dull unless you flood the place.
Marina Bay - Same has Valencia except it has blingy bits round the side. All sytle no substance!
New Hockenhiem - Just whats the point, its a place that leaves me feeling cold, nothing that makes you go woooaahh!.

 

[Vortex]

Yeah I’m sure there’s more good and really bad circuits we’ve forgotten

 

[teabagyokel]

Yeah I’m sure there’s more good and really bad circuits we’ve forgotten

Namely the Clip the Apex International Circuit

 

[Slyboogy]

Namely the Clip the Apex International Circuit

Now is that good or bad?

 

[Josh]

It's the best

 

[Vortex]

Its so good it shouldn’t be allowed in the poll, give the rest a chance!

 

[The Artist.....]

I've been trying to think of circuits that I know nothing about - one that springs to mind is the Aintree circuit - Was that ever any good?

I can't quite imagine them going through beechers brook

 

[Slyboogy]

It's the best

Its so good it shouldn’t be allowed in the poll, give the rest a chance!

I think it will give drivers a headache, especially the dizzyness caused by Vortex's corner (thing, whatever it is,)

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

I've only been watching since '09, so for me:

Best:

Spa-Francorchamps - went there in August and it is utterly breathtaking. The hills and the forest, plus Eau Rouge - what a corner!

Montréal - such an exciting track. The perils of Monaco with much more overtaking. Perfect.

Suzuka - proper circuit. One mistake and that's it. Into the Armco via the gravel. And it's held many a championship decider, including '89 and '90.

Good:

Magny-Cours - fast and flowing. Didn't produce perhaps the best races, but for a one-off lap, just marvellous.

Melbourne - also fast and flowing. Produces great races, but I do have to get up at 5am to watch it , which as a teenager is hard work.

Silverstone (2010- ) - maybe the minority but I prefer the new layout, it adds a bit of finesse to a brute strength circuit.

Fuji - just liked it. Maybe it was the massive straight?

Bad:

Bahrain (2004-2009, 2012- ) - fairly fast and interesting circuit, just in the middle of nowhere with no atmosphere at all.

Istanbul - Bit controversial, but I think it's rather awful. Turn 8 has now become a synonym for Istanbul Park, and is now used in EVERY SINGLE Tilkedrome.

Monaco - just fairly poor to be honest.

Worst:

Bahrain (2010) - let's not go into detail, but this sums it up...

Valencia - just no real atmosphere or any memorable corners.

Feel free to argue...