These Tracks Are Built For F1 But Left Off The Grid

To get a Formula 1 race, a track has to earn the governing body of the FIA’s coveted Grade 1 certification. This isn’t just a gold star sticker — it’s a standard so high that it makes you wonder if the rulebook was written by a team of diabolically obsessive engineers. This holy-grail of motorsport text dictates everything from the maximum length of a straight (1.25 miles,so the cars don’t accidentally achieve low-earth orbit) to the minimum width of the tarmac (40 feet, for, you know, racing). A track has to be a masterclass in safety and consideration to earn the FIA seal of approval — featuring miles of layered Tecpro barriers, gravel traps designed to stop a car at high speeds and runoff areas uniquely tailored to the speed and angle of every single corner.

The biggest expense, however, is the mandatory medical center, which must be staffed like a frontline field hospital. We’re talking resuscitation specialists, burn surgeons, and spinal injury experts, all of whom have to be fluent in English and ready for the absolute worst. Every detail is scrutinized, right down to the special, high-friction paint used for the track markings. Achieving and maintaining this Grade 1 status is a financially mammoth, stringent ordeal. So, it’s pretty shocking to see which tracks have actually made the cut, only to be left on the sidelines.

Yes, that Indianapolis. The Brickyard. The crown jewel of the IndyCar calendar. While its F1 history is most famous for the disastrous 2005 United States Grand Prix where a Michelin tire crisis led to a comical six-car race the road course layout, however, still remains fully Grade 1 certified. The idea of F1 cars screaming past those iconic grandstands is tantalizing, but the relationship between the speedway and the series is, shall we say, complicated. 

The 2005 fiasco left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. F1 has since found new homes in the U.S. at Circuit of the Americas, Miami, and Las Vegas, but Indy remains the spiritual home of American motorsport. It currently hosts major IndyCar and IMSA events on the road course, proving its capability. Would F1 ever return? It seems unlikely with three other American races on the docket, but in a world where money talks, you can never say never to the most iconic racetracks this side of the Atlantic.

The Korea International Circuit is a spectacular cautionary tale in how not to launch a Grand Prix. Built for hundreds of millions of dollars, the project was a masterclass in misplaced optimism. The grand vision was to attract and build Formula 1 talent, and possibly a team, from the area,but promoters made one fatal error: location. Dropped into a remote, undeveloped corner of South Jeolla province, over 200 miles from the capital of Seoul, the track was left isolated as a half-finished construction project.

This geographical blunder was compounded by a massive cultural disconnect. Formula 1 had no grassroots history in South Korea, leading to consistently poor attendance. In fact, reports from the time suggested many locals were utterly baffled by the event, comically mistaking the “F1” promotions for the “K-1” mixed martial arts organization, which was far more popular. With low ticket sales and no ability to cover the massive hosting fees, the event was a financial catastrophe. After just four races from 2010 to 2013, F1 packed its bags. Today, the partially abandoned circuit is a “white elephant” that, shockingly, still holds a Grade 1 license and stands a monument to spectacularly disproving the “build it and they will come” philosophy.

Here’s a track you’ve probably never heard of, built for a race that never happened. For years, the Russian Grand Prix was held at the Sochi Autodrom, a sterile track winding through a former Olympic park that was criticized for producing uninspired racing similar to the parade procession known as the Monaco GP. Igora Drive, located near St. Petersburg, was meant to be the solution. This modern Hermann Tilke design, featuring significant elevation changes and a blend of fast, technical corners, was designed to take over hosting duties starting in 2023 and finally give Russia an exciting Grand Prix.

The circuit received glowing reviews from some, and everything was set for its grand debut. Then, geopolitics intervened. Following the invasion of Ukraine, Formula 1 canceled the Russian Grand Prix contract entirely, severing all ties. The result is a brand new, F1-spec circuit that may never have an F1 race. It is a track frozen in time, perhaps the most pristine and under utilized Grade 1 facility in the world. It stands as a modern motorsport tragedy born from circumstances far beyond the racetrack.

It’s not just new or forgotten tracks on this list. Fuji Speedway is an absolute legend, having hosted Japan’s first-ever F1 race in 1976 — the dramatic title decider between James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Owned by Toyota, it boasts one of the longest straights allowable by Grade 1 regulations and sits in the breathtaking foothills of Mount Fuji. So why isn’t it on the calendar?

After a brief F1 return in 2007 and 2008, Honda’s Suzuka Circuit saw F1 consolidate its Japanese presence at the latter. It’s wild to think a venue with such history, owned by a global automotive giant like Toyota, is the country’s “backup” F1 track. While some, like Jeremy Clarkson, might wish for more track turnover for more exciting racing, Fuji is proof that even legends can get sidelined. It remains a premier venue, hosting the World Endurance Championship and Japan’s Super Formula series, among other regional and cup series.

While the Thai government is currently pushing a massive, billion-dollar bid for a street race in Bangkok, the country already has an F1-ready ace up its sleeve. The Chang International Circuit in Buriram, yet another Tilke project, has held an FIA Grade 1 license since it opened in 2014. It’s a proven, modern facility that regularly hosts major events like MotoGP.

The real story here is “The Albon effect.” Williams’ driver Alex Albon, who races under the Thai flag, is immensely popular in the country and that popularity has help supercharge the country’s interest in Formula 1. The Thai government is so serious that Albon himself has been involved in the discussions, hoping to bring a home race to fruition. Combining a hugely popular local driver with a nation that seems eager to join the F1 party could be a recipe for a sell-out crowd, whether it’s on the streets of Bangkok or at the already prepared circuit at Chang International.

While these tracks may have a license to thrill, there is no contract to fill — yet. A spot on the F1 calendar may seem like the ultimate prize, the enduring value of a Grade 1 license is that it’s a strategic asset. It’s a seal of approval that makes a circuit a top destination for other major racing series. In the end, the phantom grid isn’t a sign of failure — it’s a strategic reserve. These tracks represent a deep well of quality and history that the sport can, and has, drawn upon when needed. For the tracks on the waiting list, the Grade 1 license is their lottery ticket — a quiet confidence that in the ever-evolving world of Formula 1, the phone could ring at any moment.