Over nearly 70 years, the Formula One traveling circus has visited scores of race tracks around the globe. These are our favorites among abandoned and unused former F1 circuits — some a victim of safety issues, others financial, but all of them missed. There remain, sadly, many more that didn’t quite make F1A&G’s final cut.
Imola
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
There are not many races more sacred on the Formula One calendar than the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, with no other venue having hosted more World Championship events. Monza’s only non-appearance in an F1 season came in 1980 when the Italian GP was held at Imola; the success of that event led to the track being given its own race in the form of the San Marino Grand Prix a year later. Situated just 100km (62 miles) from San Marino itself, the circuit can hold almost twice as many fans as there are people living in the microstate. Imola was originally a terrifically fast, flowing circuit 
with a series of relatively gentle bends and curving straightaways linking the slow Rivazza and Tosa corners interrupted only by the Piratella and Aqua Minerale. It remains one of a very few European circuits run in a counterclockwise direction and held a World Championship race every year from 1980 to 2006. Usually it held a special place as the first European race of the season, which meant more media attention as those who couldn’t make it to the flyaway races showed up, while also the first annual appearance of the teams’ trucks and palatial motorhomes.
with a series of relatively gentle bends and curving straightaways linking the slow Rivazza and Tosa corners interrupted only by the Piratella and Aqua Minerale. It remains one of a very few European circuits run in a counterclockwise direction and held a World Championship race every year from 1980 to 2006. Usually it held a special place as the first European race of the season, which meant more media attention as those who couldn’t make it to the flyaway races showed up, while also the first annual appearance of the teams’ trucks and palatial motorhomes.Imola has been the scene of triumph, tragedy and controversy. It was here that Didier Pironi disregarded Ferrari team orders and passed Gilles Villeneuve in the closing laps of the 1982 race, where Gerhard Berger’s Ferrari exploded in flames after a stunt in 1989 and, of course, Imola will forever be remembered for the dark weekend of the 1994 San Marino GP in which Roland Ratzenberger and triple World Champion Ayrton Senna lost their lives, resulting in a number of changes to the circuit to make it safer — including another chicane before the fearsome Tamburello corner, which had been a flat-out left-hander taken at more than 190mph, with an unforgiving concrete wall situated on the outside. 
(The morphing of Tamburello into a chicane meant the circuit-defining 20-second period on full throttle between the final corner and Tosa, which included a trip through one of the fastest, thrilling curves in F1, was lost forever.) The 1995 moment of silence observing the one-year anniversary of Senna’s death was especially poignant. But Imola has also been the stage for some of Formula One’s greatest moments, including Patrick Tambay’s emotional victory following Villeneuve’s death, and epic battles between a young Fernando Alonso holding off the challenge of Michael Schumacher in 2005, one of the best instances of defensive driving one will ever see, and again in 2006, with Schumacher the winner in the rematch. And Schumacher reigns as the master of Imola, winning won the San Marino GO an incredible seven times including six of the last eight races. Satellite View.
(The morphing of Tamburello into a chicane meant the circuit-defining 20-second period on full throttle between the final corner and Tosa, which included a trip through one of the fastest, thrilling curves in F1, was lost forever.) The 1995 moment of silence observing the one-year anniversary of Senna’s death was especially poignant. But Imola has also been the stage for some of Formula One’s greatest moments, including Patrick Tambay’s emotional victory following Villeneuve’s death, and epic battles between a young Fernando Alonso holding off the challenge of Michael Schumacher in 2005, one of the best instances of defensive driving one will ever see, and again in 2006, with Schumacher the winner in the rematch. And Schumacher reigns as the master of Imola, winning won the San Marino GO an incredible seven times including six of the last eight races. Satellite View.
Zandvoort
Circuit Zandvoort
Nestled in the sand dunes on a North Sea beach west of Amsterdam, Zandvoort hosted the Dutch Grand Prix for more than 30 years, with the “Tarzanbocht” (Tarzan) hairpin, the circuit’s first corner, proving to be its standout. It was a spectator’s dream, as fans were able to get every close to the circuit 
while wandering in the sand and gorse. And a driver’s challenge, with strong winds and loose sand characteristic of the seaside venue. The track’s heyday was the 1960s, when famous drivers such as Graham Hill, Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart all won at least one Grote Prijs van Nederland. Clark’s spectacular 1963 victory from pole position — by more than a lap over the rest of the field — followed the introduction a year earlier at Zandvoort of Colin Chapman’s bombshell into Grand Prix racing in the form of the Lotus 25. Featuring an aluminum monocoque chassis (three times stiffer while weighing only half as much) providing greater rigidity, lighter weight and simplicity of engine mounting, the model made all other Grand Prix car designs outmoded.
while wandering in the sand and gorse. And a driver’s challenge, with strong winds and loose sand characteristic of the seaside venue. The track’s heyday was the 1960s, when famous drivers such as Graham Hill, Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart all won at least one Grote Prijs van Nederland. Clark’s spectacular 1963 victory from pole position — by more than a lap over the rest of the field — followed the introduction a year earlier at Zandvoort of Colin Chapman’s bombshell into Grand Prix racing in the form of the Lotus 25. Featuring an aluminum monocoque chassis (three times stiffer while weighing only half as much) providing greater rigidity, lighter weight and simplicity of engine mounting, the model made all other Grand Prix car designs outmoded.The 1967 race was another classic, witnessing the debut for Team Lotus of the Ford Cosworth DFV engine — which would become the dominant F1 power plant for a generation. It was won again by Jim Clark by some 24s from Jack Brabham and Denny Hulme as the Scotsman fought his way through the 
field to record the car’s first victory in its first race. Lotus won again with a 1-2 from Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson in the ground effects Lotus 79 in 1978, but the 1970 deadly accident of Piers Courage, when the British driver ran off the race track and died on the scene, and the 1973 demise of Roger Williamson in a fiery crash with insufficient extinguishing tools available (the race was not red-flagged and eventually won by Stewart) had put a damper on things at Zandvoort. After more safety improvements, the circuit returned to the F1 calendar and held its final GP in August 1985, Niki Lauda’s last Formula One win. Alain Prost placed second and a talented, young Ayrton Senna finished third. Satellite View.
field to record the car’s first victory in its first race. Lotus won again with a 1-2 from Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson in the ground effects Lotus 79 in 1978, but the 1970 deadly accident of Piers Courage, when the British driver ran off the race track and died on the scene, and the 1973 demise of Roger Williamson in a fiery crash with insufficient extinguishing tools available (the race was not red-flagged and eventually won by Stewart) had put a damper on things at Zandvoort. After more safety improvements, the circuit returned to the F1 calendar and held its final GP in August 1985, Niki Lauda’s last Formula One win. Alain Prost placed second and a talented, young Ayrton Senna finished third. Satellite View.Old Hockenheim
Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg
Germany’s Hockenheim still exists (at least some seasons) as a Grand Prix venue, but most motorsport fans would agree it’s a shadow of its former self after being drastically remodeled in 2002. The classic circuit was characterized by two long, high speed 
sweeping straights through forests — very hard on engine reliability — culminating in a stadium section. After Jim Clark was killed on 7 April 1968 in a Formula 2 accident, two fast chicanes were added and the track was lined with crash barriers. A small memorial was placed in the trees near the first chicane, named after Clark, at the site where his Lotus left the tarmac. Another chicane was added at the Ostkurve (east curve) after Patrick Depailler was killed there in 1980. For the 1992 German Grand Prix, the Ostkurve was changed yet again, from a quick left turn into a more complex right-left-right chicane, after Érik Comas crashed there in 1991. Now that majestic, remote run through the forest has been abandoned to weeds in favor of a dramatically shortened, Hermann Tilke-designed “point-and-squirt” circuit of just 1.6 miles in length surrounded by massive grandstands.
sweeping straights through forests — very hard on engine reliability — culminating in a stadium section. After Jim Clark was killed on 7 April 1968 in a Formula 2 accident, two fast chicanes were added and the track was lined with crash barriers. A small memorial was placed in the trees near the first chicane, named after Clark, at the site where his Lotus left the tarmac. Another chicane was added at the Ostkurve (east curve) after Patrick Depailler was killed there in 1980. For the 1992 German Grand Prix, the Ostkurve was changed yet again, from a quick left turn into a more complex right-left-right chicane, after Érik Comas crashed there in 1991. Now that majestic, remote run through the forest has been abandoned to weeds in favor of a dramatically shortened, Hermann Tilke-designed “point-and-squirt” circuit of just 1.6 miles in length surrounded by massive grandstands.
The 1982 race produced one of the most memorable GPs at the old Hockenheimring. Didier Pironi set the fastest practice time in his Ferrari, but was seriously injured in qualifying and never raced in Formula One again. With the track wet thanks to persistent showers, Pironi was on a fast lap when he hit the back of Alain Prost’s slow moving Renault at high speed, vaulting over the top of before landing tail-first and cartwheeling to a stop in eerie similarity to Gilles Villeneuve’s fatal accident earlier in the season. Pironi survived but suffered severe leg injuries and did not manage to return to F1 before his death in 1987. 
Pironi’s accident also had a profound effect on Prost, who never forgot the sight of the Ferrari flying over his car, the crash firming his views on driving F1 cars in the wet where visibility was virtually zero if behind another car. Thanks to those long straights, the turbocharged cars were overwhelmingly dominant: the slowest turbo qualifier was Riccardo Patrese, placing 6th, still 2.9 seconds faster than the quickest normally aspirated qualifier, 7th placed Michele Alboreto, driving a Tyrrell-Csworth. Pole position was left empty for Pironi at the start. Meanwhile, Nelson Piquet led the race, but collided with backmarker Eliseo Salazar while lapping him at the reconfigured Ostkurve chicane, which BBC commentator James Hunt called “an absolute disgrace.” After the two cars came to a stop, an irate Piquet quickly climbed out of his Brabham, approached Salazar, and then punched and kicked the Chilean in a rage, which continued for some time after the collision. Patrick Tambay, driving the other Ferrari, won his first of only two career Formula One victories. Satellite View.
Pironi’s accident also had a profound effect on Prost, who never forgot the sight of the Ferrari flying over his car, the crash firming his views on driving F1 cars in the wet where visibility was virtually zero if behind another car. Thanks to those long straights, the turbocharged cars were overwhelmingly dominant: the slowest turbo qualifier was Riccardo Patrese, placing 6th, still 2.9 seconds faster than the quickest normally aspirated qualifier, 7th placed Michele Alboreto, driving a Tyrrell-Csworth. Pole position was left empty for Pironi at the start. Meanwhile, Nelson Piquet led the race, but collided with backmarker Eliseo Salazar while lapping him at the reconfigured Ostkurve chicane, which BBC commentator James Hunt called “an absolute disgrace.” After the two cars came to a stop, an irate Piquet quickly climbed out of his Brabham, approached Salazar, and then punched and kicked the Chilean in a rage, which continued for some time after the collision. Patrick Tambay, driving the other Ferrari, won his first of only two career Formula One victories. Satellite View.Montjuïc
Circuit de Montjuïc Park
This gorgeous and challenging former street circuit located just outside Barcelona, Spain, had a long history in motor racing. The Gran Premio Penya Rhin was held at Montjuïc starting in 1933 — with legendary “Little Great Man” Tazio Nuvolari winning the classic 1936 contest in his Alfa Romeo against the powerful German teams of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union. After World War II, the foundations for Montjuïc Circuit to be reborn were laid when the Montjuïc Cup for Sports Cars, and the Nuvolari Trophy, hosted international races once again. 
When F1 returned in 1969, alternating annually with Madrid’s Jarama, it arrived with some of the turmoil that would eventually spoil the circuit for Grand Prix racing. High-mounted, manually adjustable rear wings wings had just been introduced into Formula One. During the GP, Graham Hill lost control when the wing collapsed and crashed his Lotus into the guardrail. Leading on lap 11, teammate Jochen Rindt’s car went off at the exact same spot, plummeting down into the wreckage of Hill, to retire the Team Lotus contingent. (The ultra-consistent Jackie Stewart won in a Matra-Cosworth after Chris Amon’s Ferrari retired with an engine failure.) Wings were thereafter banned for Monaco and the balance of the ’69 championship series.
When F1 returned in 1969, alternating annually with Madrid’s Jarama, it arrived with some of the turmoil that would eventually spoil the circuit for Grand Prix racing. High-mounted, manually adjustable rear wings wings had just been introduced into Formula One. During the GP, Graham Hill lost control when the wing collapsed and crashed his Lotus into the guardrail. Leading on lap 11, teammate Jochen Rindt’s car went off at the exact same spot, plummeting down into the wreckage of Hill, to retire the Team Lotus contingent. (The ultra-consistent Jackie Stewart won in a Matra-Cosworth after Chris Amon’s Ferrari retired with an engine failure.) Wings were thereafter banned for Monaco and the balance of the ’69 championship series.Montjuïc was like a street track like out of your dreams. Faster, more varied and more challenging than Monaco, more picturesque as well. The variable character of the counterclockwise course (with one half slow and the other very fast) made setting the cars up correctly a major challenge. The backdrop was one of rich green foliage and flowers of the hill’s parkland 
interspersed by elegant architecture, with an abundance of domes and spires, most notably in the imposing and opulent Palau Nacional, around which the track circulated. And the rich blue Mediterranean lay beyond all of this. Frank Williams aptly described Montjuïc as “a great circuit for drivers requiring much courage…definitely for men and not for boys.” Yet its days in F1 were short, as safety controversies and tragedy plagued the 1975 Spanish GP.
interspersed by elegant architecture, with an abundance of domes and spires, most notably in the imposing and opulent Palau Nacional, around which the track circulated. And the rich blue Mediterranean lay beyond all of this. Frank Williams aptly described Montjuïc as “a great circuit for drivers requiring much courage…definitely for men and not for boys.” Yet its days in F1 were short, as safety controversies and tragedy plagued the 1975 Spanish GP.Everything looked good for the opening of the European season, except when time for practice arrived there were no drivers — they were all out on the tarmac with Emerson Fittipaldi, pointing out that the guardrails and debris nets were badly fixed, many bolts missing altogether, others lacking plates under the heads to stop them pulling through the holes in the rails. 
With five miles of double row armco in the park and something like 500,000 bolts and fixings, instant action was a bit unrealistic. Memorably, on race day morning, Ken Tyrrell himself went out onto the circuit with a wrench to personally make sure the barriers were how they should be. The result was a near boycott by a newly formed Grand Prix Drivers Association (Fittipaldi had already returned to his home in Switzerland) and then a calamitous race in which Rolf Stommelen, leading as he started lap 26, crashed into the barriers at 150 mph, taking down a lamppost and a length of wire debris net as his Lola destroyed itself. Miraculously, Stommelen was still alive, but with a fire marshal and four spectators killed and 10 more injured, the race was red flagged and only half points awarded. Montjuïc was dropped as a World Championship venue and the location later was significantly redeveloped for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, although in 2004 the city installed a commemorative plaque memorializing the layout of the old circuit. Satellite View.
With five miles of double row armco in the park and something like 500,000 bolts and fixings, instant action was a bit unrealistic. Memorably, on race day morning, Ken Tyrrell himself went out onto the circuit with a wrench to personally make sure the barriers were how they should be. The result was a near boycott by a newly formed Grand Prix Drivers Association (Fittipaldi had already returned to his home in Switzerland) and then a calamitous race in which Rolf Stommelen, leading as he started lap 26, crashed into the barriers at 150 mph, taking down a lamppost and a length of wire debris net as his Lola destroyed itself. Miraculously, Stommelen was still alive, but with a fire marshal and four spectators killed and 10 more injured, the race was red flagged and only half points awarded. Montjuïc was dropped as a World Championship venue and the location later was significantly redeveloped for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, although in 2004 the city installed a commemorative plaque memorializing the layout of the old circuit. Satellite View.
Estoril
Circuito do Estoril
Officially known as Autódromo Fernanda Pires da Silva, the Circuito do Estoril is Portugal’s shrine to motor racing. The track hosted the Portuguese Grand Prix from 1982 through 1996 and was the principal site of Formula One winter testing for decades. Yet this once glamorous resort — favored as a place in the sun for deposed monarchs in the period after World War II — has seen its grandeur slip in recent years. 
And notwithstanding major renovations and facilities improvements, including a revised layout from Hermann Tilke, the circuit is sadly now state-owned and relegated largely to Formula 3. With the Portuguese economy ravaged by the global financial crisis, even the sanction fees for MotoGP were seen as untenable for a government-owned facility and that motorcycle race was quietly dropped in 2012.
And notwithstanding major renovations and facilities improvements, including a revised layout from Hermann Tilke, the circuit is sadly now state-owned and relegated largely to Formula 3. With the Portuguese economy ravaged by the global financial crisis, even the sanction fees for MotoGP were seen as untenable for a government-owned facility and that motorcycle race was quietly dropped in 2012.Built in 1972 on a rocky plateau north of Lisbon near the village of Alcabideche, a stone’s throw from the city of Estoril — the beach resort lending its name to the circuit — Estoril has seen its share of F1 drama. Typically staged near the very end of the season, the Portuguese GP provided many gripping moments during its 13-race run. Who doesn’t remember Niki Lauda’s runner-up position in 1994, handing him his 3rd and last World Championship title? Or Ayrton Senna’s first pole position, debut F1 victory in 1985 at the wheel of his Lotus JPS under heavy rain, and fabled 1987 “cannonball” qualifying lap. 
But that’s not all. Estoril witnessed Michael Schumacher’s second F1 win, Gerhard Berger’s first pole and Damon Hill’s second. The 1989 event produced another exciting race with Nigel Mansell ignoring a black flag and then colliding with rival Senna. The move led to Berger picking up the pieces to win the race for Ferrari while Mansell was banned from the following Grand Prix in Jerez.
But that’s not all. Estoril witnessed Michael Schumacher’s second F1 win, Gerhard Berger’s first pole and Damon Hill’s second. The 1989 event produced another exciting race with Nigel Mansell ignoring a black flag and then colliding with rival Senna. The move led to Berger picking up the pieces to win the race for Ferrari while Mansell was banned from the following Grand Prix in Jerez.Estoril’s layout was remarkably similar to Catalunya, with long, sweeping corners and a tight infield section connecting a long, wide and fast main straight. Perhaps not awe-inspiring, the track tended to promote close racing and, with a history including the most iconic Formula One photograph of all time — four current and future World Champions friendly seated together on the pit wall in 1986 — Estoril is one to be remembered. There are recurring rumors that the Portuguese GP may be restored to the F1 calendar. In an era of global and Asian expansion, those seem unfortunately like pipe dreams. Satellite View.
Kyalami
Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit
The original, sweeping Kyalami circuit in Midrand, meaning “my home” in Zulu, was built in 1961 and hosted 18 South African Grands Prix (moving from East London) between 1967 and 1985 — often as the opening GP of the season — when political sanctions due to apartheid eliminated the race from the Formula One calendar. The French Government banned the state-financed Renault and Ligier teams from taking part in the 1985 race as part of the anti-apartheid campaign. 
Then, when increasing violence in the country led to the declaration of a state of emergency which would last until 1990, motor racing turned its back on South Africa. Only after political reforms, the release of Nelson Mandela from prison and a reconfigured 1991 layout, which included a new pit building, did Kyalami again host F1 rounds in 1992 and 1993. After 2010, however, the dated facility started losing its international status and was eventually put up for auction.
Then, when increasing violence in the country led to the declaration of a state of emergency which would last until 1990, motor racing turned its back on South Africa. Only after political reforms, the release of Nelson Mandela from prison and a reconfigured 1991 layout, which included a new pit building, did Kyalami again host F1 rounds in 1992 and 1993. After 2010, however, the dated facility started losing its international status and was eventually put up for auction.Notable races included the first event, a revived non-championship Rand Grand Prix, in December 1961, won by Jim Clark; Clark’s last GP victory at the opening race of the 1968 Formula One season — also the last race in which Team Lotus appeared in pre-sponsorship traditional colors; Mario Andretti’s first F1 win for Ferrari in 1971; the 1976 Grand Prix, when Niki Lauda and James Hunt crossed the line just 1.3s apart, establishing the form for the rest of that epic year; 1978, when Riccardo Patrese almost won for the new Arrows team; and 1985, when Nigel Mansell scored his second win when Williams teammate Keke Rosberg spun on oil left by a backmarker. There were notable tragedies, as well. 
In 1974 Peter Revson was killed at Barbecue Bend while testing for Shadow, while Tom Pryce was killed during the 1977 race n a bizarre accident after an errant marshal ran out to tend to a broken down car on the pit straight. Pryce was killed instantly when the fire extinguisher being carried by Frederick Jansen van Vuuren struck him in the head; van Vuuren aslo succumbed to his injuries.
In 1974 Peter Revson was killed at Barbecue Bend while testing for Shadow, while Tom Pryce was killed during the 1977 race n a bizarre accident after an errant marshal ran out to tend to a broken down car on the pit straight. Pryce was killed instantly when the fire extinguisher being carried by Frederick Jansen van Vuuren struck him in the head; van Vuuren aslo succumbed to his injuries.Those memories are all that is left of F1 in South Africa for the foreseeable future. As Kyalami circuit spokesperson Christo Kruge observed in 2018: “There’s a heritage that we would like to see back again; the African continent deserves an actual Formula One race again. But the prohibitive costs of hosting Formula One is really the bugbear. It’s just not financially feasible in the current structure to host F1.” Satellite View.