Future Destinations for an F1 Grand Prix

 

1. New York City 

The bright lights and expensive cars that already roam the streets of New York are no stranger to the roar of an F1 car. In fact, Red Bull pulls their drives over to the big city at least once every year for promotional reasons. Despite the fact that New York is one of the most expensive urban land markets on the planet, series like Formula E have carved out areas for their choosing. Ideally an accessible track just west of the Hudson would place an extra 21 million fans within reach of a Formula 1 race. The United States currently enjoys two full-time Grand Prix contract and is expected to add a third in 2023 with Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the inclusion of this race still matters to the expansion of Formula 1. Accessibility is a huge problem when it comes to racing in the United States. Series like Nascar stay confined to one area of the country to ensure their fans can make it to their races, and IndyCar likewise will basically skip out n swathes of the country where there are not enough people to support races. New York is over 500 miles away from Florida, and more than twice that to both Las Vegas and Texas. Imagine if English fans were required to fly to Morocco for their nearest Grand Prix. That problem will continue no matter what, but for the sake of increased interest in the United States adding a New York City Grand Prix would massively increase the functional reach of the sport.

2. New Dehli

Despite F1's first Indian owner showering his investment in controversy, the fervent support he received from his home country was never short of amazing. The world's second most populous country delivered three races at the Buddh International Circuit just a few miles outside of New Dehli, and the loss of Force India has isolated those existing fans. For the sake of reigniting interest, and rewarding those long-term fan, India deserves a renewal of their contract. The track itself isn't the most popular. Tilke designed it in preparation for 2011. After three consecutive dominating performances by then champion Sebastian Vettel, the track became famous for being one of the original "Tilkedromes". A term used to criticize tracks created by racetrack designer Herman Tilke, and a descriptor of circuits lacking distinctive corner designs. A return to the circuit with F1 under the new management of Liberty media would likely see some changes implemented, the long 'S' combinations would likely either morph into DRS zones or be removed completely, and the long straight followed by a hairpin neither extended or accentuated by a sharper first corner. F1's footprint in India is large, and to neglect this portion of the globe is leaving a large contingent of fans without their favorite sport.

3. Johannesburg

There have been frequent and audible calls to re-introduce a Grand Prix in the continent of Africa for some time. Lewis Hamilton recently himself came out to re-introduce the idea among discussions of the race in Saudi Arabia. There are two potential candidate circuits that have at least a grade 2 rating by the FIA. A circuit needs a grade 1 rating to host an F1 circuit, and tracks are graded from 1-6. Grade 2 tracks are commonly seen in endurance racing, IndyCar in the United States, or Formula E for street circuits. Below that, Grade 3 will host autocross and some Formula E races, and Grade six is comprised entirely of rally courses. The Kylami circuit in South Africa meets the requirements for length and layout, but would need improvements to its safety and spectator infrastructure. These improvements are easily made in cases such as the Circuit of the Americas in preparation for the 2012 race, but nevertheless take time. There would likely be between 2-3 years of preparation before a race could take place at the Kylami International Circuit.  The second Grade 2 track in the continent is Morocco's Marrakech street circuit. The general layout of this track would require significant altercations before any F1 team would ever dream of taking part in a Grand Prix there. This barrier is not impossible to cross, but may well disqualify Morocco from any immediate Grand Prix consideration.

4. Buenos Aires 

Of all the countries that spring to mind when considering F1 Driver Champions, Argentina has yet to truly penetrate the mainstream. You could be forgiven for forgetting that Argentina's one and only world champion, Juan Miguel Fangio scored his five championships all the way back in the 1950s, and long before F1 was the spectacle it is now. Brazil, England, and Germany are all permanently enshrined in the F1 cannon as the gold standard of Formula 1 drivers' nationalities, and sitting right underneath them is Argentina. It's been 24 years since the last Grand Prix in the nation, and despite their international circuit dropping to a Grade 2 specification, its been rumored an attempt was made a decade ago to reinstate the race onto the calendar. For all its practically ancient history in the sport, Argentina deserves what tracks like Belgium and Monaco currently enjoy. A landmark event celebrating and reminding fans of its illustrious history. When the rumored F1 rotational calendar of historic tracks comes into effect, there is the argument that below the Nurburgring and Brands Hatch, the Autodromo Termas de Río Hondo deserves equal placement among those tracks.