Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsports, with some of the longest and most challenging racetracks in the world.
The Formula One tracks of the 21st century are a homogeneous bunch. The creeping Tilke-isation of the calendar means race tracks increasingly resemble each other in length, corner numbers, and character.
Of F1’s current venues, all but Monaco and Spa are between 4.3km and 5.9km long. Almost all of them have between 15 and 20 corners, minimal elevation change, similar average speeds, and are almost entirely made up of slow corners.
But it was not always this way. For the first few decades of the world championship, before the FIA’s notion of maximum circuit length had been born, Grand Prix regularly took place on circuits far longer than we see today.
Given the costs involved in building long race tracks and the difficulties of properly managing them, it is perhaps understandable that the FIA now recommends new circuits to be no longer than 7 km.
Here are the top 5 longest Formula 1 tracks ever used:
1. Sebring, USA (8.356 km)
While the Indianapolis 500 counted towards the world championship until 1960, Sebring was the first true host of F1 in North America. The Florida circuit hosted the 1959 season finale, which crowned Jack Brabham as a champion for the first time, in its one and only F1 appearance.
The circuit bore some resemblance to its modern-day successor which continues to host American sports car races, but was substantially longer. Like many of its contemporaries of the era, it was built on a former airfield in 1950, with wide, flat straights laid out along vast concrete runways.
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2. Circuit des 24 Heures, France (13.626 km)
The Circuit des 24 Heures, also known as the Circuit de la Sarthe, is a motorsport race track located in Le Mans, France. The circuit is most famous for hosting the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, but it has also been used for Formula 1 races in the past.
The original layout of the track was 17.262 km long and included public roads, but it has been modified several times over the years. The longest version of the track ever used for a Formula 1 race was 13.626 km long and featured 38 corners. This version of the track was used for the French Grand Prix in 1967.
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3. Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium (14.120 km)
Before the current layout of the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps was created, the track was even longer than it is today. The longest version of the track ever used for a Formula 1 race was 14.120 km long and featured 21 corners.
This version of the track was used for the Belgian Grand Prix in 1950 and 1951. It was known as the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps 14 km and was considered to be one of the fastest and most dangerous tracks in the world.
In conclusion, these are the top 5 longest Formula 1 tracks ever used. Each of these tracks has its own unique history and challenges, and they have all played a significant role in the development of the sport. From the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps to the infamous.
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4. Nürburgring Nordschleife, Germany (22.835 km)
The Nürburgring Nordschleife is a motorsport race track located in the Eifel mountains in Germany. The track is famous for its long and challenging layout, which includes over 150 corners and more than 20 km of track.
The track was first used for Formula 1 races in the 1950s and was a regular fixture on the calendar until the 1970s. The longest version of the track ever used for a Formula 1 race was 22.835 km long and featured 176 corners. This version of the track was used for the German Grand Prix in 1967.
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5. Pescara Circuit, Italy (25.800 km)
The Pescara Circuit was a motorsport race track located in Pescara, Italy. The track was created by joining together public roads and was one of the longest circuits ever used in Formula 1.
The circuit was used for the Pescara Grand Prix in 1957, which was the only time it was used for a Formula 1 race. The track was 25.800 km long and featured 16 corners. Despite its length, the track was considered to be very dangerous and was not used for Formula 1 again.
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