F1 circuit: Who will replace Zandvoort after 2025?

Formula 1 has announced that the Dutch Grand Prix will no longer be contested following the end of its current contract, meaning Zandvoort will be removed from the calendar. With the number of races currently set at 24 per year, this opens the door to the integration of a new circuit to replace the Dutch event.

Will we see the arrival of a new circuit on the Formula 1 calendar? Or will we see old favorites again?

Rwanda

Rwanda is emerging as one of the main candidates to host a future Formula 1 racehaving officially announced his candidacy at the beginning of the month. The country hosted the FIA ​​awards ceremony in Kigali on December 13, and Max Verstappen also performed an act of community service there following inappropriate comments at a conference in Singapore, by attending an event dedicated to the development of motor sports.

Discussions to bring Formula 1 to Rwanda have been underway for some time, and Alexander Wurz is already designing a circuit near the capital. The president of F1, Stefano Domenicalisaid earlier this year that the country was “seriously considering” and that a “good plan” had been drawn up to host a Grand Prix in the future.

Formula 1 has not raced in Africa since 1993, when the last South African Grand Prix was held in Kyalami. Several drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, have expressed their wish to return to this continent. Hamilton said: “I think holding a Grand Prix there would highlight the beauty of the place and attract tourists. Why are we not present on this continent?”

Max Verstappen also shared his opinion: “We need a race in Africa. We already race on all the other continents, so I think this would be the next step for Formula 1. South Africa has a history in F1, and this would be a great addition to the calendar.”

South Africa

Kyalami is the South African circuit which hosted Formula 1 from 1967 to 1985 and from 1992 to 1993 as part of the South African Grand Prix.

The circuit seems a logical base for the championship, given its rich history as an F1 circuit. Earlier this year, David Coulthard visited Kyalami with the 2011 RB7 and also performed a demonstration in Johannesburg: “To have a real world championship it should be present on this continent. I believe in the interest and the will, and if those who have to sign can find an agreement, then yes, we are ready to return”.

Although Kyalami does not currently have the FIA ​​Grade 1 classification required to host F1 races, if the track manages to obtain it by 2027, there is a possibility of seeing the return of the Grand Cirque to this layout in place of Zandvoort.

Türkiye

Formula 1 has not visited Istanbul since 2021, when Valtteri Bottas won the Turkish Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez. This circuit, located near the capital, began its journey in 2005, before an interruption between 2011 and 2020, during which it made a short return due to the consequences of COVID-19.

Earlier this year, FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayemmet the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the return of the category: “Istanbul Park is a modern circuit and popular with drivers, and the city of Istanbul is a thriving metropolis that would happily welcome the return of Formula 1.”

Can Bilim Egitim Kurumlari AS replaced the previous tenant, Intercity, and will be the operator for the next 30 years, with the ambition of returning Turkey to the Formula 1 calendar.

Saudi Arabia

At the start of this year, plans for the new Qiddiya Speed ​​Park circuit in Saudi Arabia have been revealed, including several new features.

This circuit, located between impressive rock formations, will have an uphill section and will be surrounded by various attractions, such as roller coasters and a water park.

Pilots like Lando Norris have spoken positively about the project, saying it could offer a never-before-seen experience: “The video and visuals look amazing, there are some places that aren't even remotely that animated.”

Construction of the site is underway and could be completed by 2027. Although an immediate return to replace the Dutch Grand Prix appears unlikely, this circuit could appear on the calendar to replace the current route of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah.

Argentine

After the substitution of Logan Sargeant by the young Franco Colapinto at Williams following the Dutch Grand Prix, Formula 1 observed a large influx of Argentinian supporters. However, the Grand Circus has not set foot on Argentinian soil since 1998. Despite the absence of its driver in 2025, interest in the return of the Grands Prix to the country of Juan Manuel Fangio remains.

Daniel Scioli revealed that they are starting to work on the possibility of bringing Formula 1 back to Argentina, having met with Stefano Domenicali, but without a specific timetable: “We are starting the steps to bring F1 back to Argentina. There is a lot of work to be done to achieve this goal, we have to work on the circuit and on the demands of such a sophisticated event”.

After 26 years of absence, a return in 2026 may seem ambitiousbut if Franco Colapinto succeeds in securing a full-time drive soon, it could reignite demand for a race in his homeland.

Germany

With the arrival of a new major German manufacturer on the grid in 2026, when Sauber becomes Audi, theenthusiasm for a return of Formula 1 to Germany is undeniable. Despite its status as the second most victorious nation, the country has not hosted a race since 2019 at Hockenheim.

According to German media, an investment group plans to invest 250 million euros in the circuit over the next five to ten years. The General Director, Tim Brauersaid: “We are also thinking about Formula 1, but we are approaching that with caution. We will not embark on a financial adventure, but we will look for models to bring Formula 1 back to Germany.”

Spain

The Barcelona-Catalonia Circuit has hosted the Spanish Grand Prix since its creation in 1991. However, it was announced last January that the championship would move to Madrid from the 2026 seasonwhere a new track will be built on the outskirts of the city.

Although it seems unlikely, if no other tracks come forward soon enough to fill a slot for the 2027 season, Formula 1 could eventually return to Barcelona, ​​even as a reserve.

No circuits

It is also possible that Formula 1 will choose to have one less round in the calendar, given that almost half of the weekends of the year are already occupied by Grands Prix. The schedule is demanding and requires drivers and team personnel to cross multiple time zones on five continents.

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At the start of the 2024 season, several drivers spoke out against the overcrowded calendar, including Carlos Sainz, who said: “I hope we don't exceed 24 races, because otherwise it risks being very complicated for everything. the world”.