By Selin Soyer
The Sporting Case for Istanbul Park, Kyalami, and the Hockenheimring
The Formula 1 World Championship has expanded rapidly in recent years, with an increasing number of races hosted at newly constructed circuits designed to maximize commercial return and global visibility. While this expansion has strengthened the sport’s financial stability, it has also reignited debate regarding the sporting quality of the championship calendar. Circuit design is not a neutral backdrop to competition; rather, it directly shapes overtaking potential, strategic diversity, and the extent to which driver skill can influence race outcomes. Therefore, the exclusion of several historically significant circuits warrants reassessment through contemporary regulatory and statistical frameworks.
The FIA (The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) provides clear criteria for circuit inclusion, primarily through its Grade 1 safety regulations and guidelines emphasizing driver challenge, safety margins, and competitive racing (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile [FIA], 2024). Importantly, many circuits removed from the calendar are absent not due to regulatory incompatibility, but because of financial or logistical considerations. This article evaluates three such circuits Istanbul Park, Kyalami, and the Hockenheimring, arguing that each remains relevant to modern Formula 1 when assessed through sporting and regulatory lenses.
Istanbul Park represents a model of modern circuit design that prioritizes racing quality over spectacle. Designed by Hermann Tilke, the track combines high-speed sections with technically demanding corners, most notably the multi-apex Turn 8, which places sustained lateral load on both drivers and tires. This feature rewards aerodynamic efficiency and car balance, aligning closely with FIA objectives that emphasize technical differentiation and driver skill (FIA, 2024). Statistical evidence supports Istanbul Park’s competitive value: the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix featured high strategic variability, frequent on-track position changes, and significant tire performance differentials under low-grip conditions (Formula One Group, 2020). Crucially, Istanbul Park already holds FIA Grade 1 certification, indicating that its absence from the calendar is not safety-related but commercially driven.
Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit adds a crucial geographical and sporting dimension to the discussion. As Formula 1’s former African venue, its absence represents a significant gap in the championship’s global representation. Following extensive redevelopment in 2016, Kyalami now features a flowing layout with pronounced elevation changes and high-speed corner sequences. These characteristics introduce natural performance variation, particularly at altitude, increasing the importance of power unit efficiency and tire management. While Kyalami currently holds FIA Grade 2 certification, feasibility studies suggest that upgrading to Grade 1 status is achievable (FIA, 2024). Its reintroduction would therefore align with Formula 1’s stated objectives of global inclusivity without compromising competitive integrity.
The Hockenheimring offers a different but equally compelling case. Although the original forest layout was replaced in 2002 for safety and logistical reasons, the modern configuration has consistently produced competitive racing. Heavy braking zones, long straights, and variable weather conditions have historically contributed to high overtaking counts and strategic unpredictability. Statistical analysis of races held between 2002 and 2019 indicates that the Hockenheimring frequently exceeded seasonal averages for on-track overtakes (Formula One Group, 2019). The 2019 German Grand Prix, in particular, highlighted how the circuit rewards adaptability and penalizes errors, qualities increasingly rare on contemporary calendars. As a fully FIA Grade 1-compliant venue, its exclusion is primarily financial rather than sporting.
Taken together, these three circuits challenge the assumption that newer venues inherently provide superior racing. Istanbul Park demonstrates that modern design can enhance competition when driver skill is prioritized. Kyalami offers geographical expansion paired with sporting merit, while the Hockenheimring exemplifies how overtaking and unpredictability can coexist within modern safety frameworks. Evaluating these tracks through FIA regulations and race statistics reveals that several former venues remain not only compatible with modern Formula 1, but potentially essential to preserving its sporting identity.
Rather than viewing calendar selection solely through commercial considerations alone, Formula 1 may benefit from adopting a rotational or merit-based approach to circuit inclusion. Reintroducing select former tracks would strengthen competitive diversity, enhance global representation, and reaffirm the championship’s commitment to sporting excellence.
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