Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle
Formula One (F1) is in danger of losing its soul. With the announcement of yet another street race, this time in Madrid, it’s becoming painfully clear that F1 is steering itself into a corner.
The pinnacle of motorsport, known for its speed, intensity and legendary circuits like Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone, seems to be turning into a traveling roadshow of tight, narrow street circuits devoid of any real character.
The Madrid Grand Prix, replacing the Circuit de Catalunya, is now the latest symptom of a trend that’s undermining one of the key facets that makes F1 special.
In fairness, not every street circuit is inherently bad. Monaco, despite all of its professional racing, is iconic. It’s the place to win. Even Las Vegas, despite all of its hectic and over the top nature, has produced some great races, particularly last year.
Yet, for every Vegas, there’s a Miami or a Baku where drivers end up spending most of the race stuck in a DRS train, unable to overtake due to the narrow track and complete absence of any rhythm.
After the first lap or pit stop, the grid is practically set, save for a pit stop or rare move. Races should not rely on pit strategy for overtakes, the action needs to occur on track.
What’s even worse than just boring races is that many of the new circuits are visually and even technically sterile. The new Madrid layout, based on early previews, looks more like an oversized go-kart track than an actual grand prix circuit.
It’s squeezed through urban sprawl, built on uneven roads with barely any elevation change or corner variety. The track has no character, no history and certainly no soul.
Furthermore, the surface is a patchwork of different asphalt types, which are notorious for low grip and high tire degradation.
To be clear — Formula One is not Formula E. The essence of F1 is natural circuits, places like Interlagos, Monza and Suzuka, where drivers can fully embrace the most advanced cars on the planet. F1 cars are not built for 90-degree corners, painted walls or 1 car-width sections like the Baku Castle section. Forcing drivers and their cars into awkward stop-start layouts stifles the very nature of the sport.
This isn’t emanating from a lack of circuits either: iconic tracks such as Hockenheimring, Nurburgring, Portimao or Kyalami are all missed by fans.
Any of these aforementioned tracks could be tweaked to produce better races, if that’s even necessary.
Yet, instead of watching an exciting race on an iconic track, we’re stuck trying not to fall asleep while watching Singapore or Abu Dhabi.
So why does F1 keep doing it? Money, mostly. Street races bring the sport to cities, maximizing exposure while minimizing infrastructure costs. Promoters and sponsors love it, but fans and drivers are growing weary.
Max Verstappen, for instance, described street circuits as the “worst experience.” It’s a lack of enjoyment with an increased risk of damage and injury for minimal racing payoff.
The magic of F1 isn’t just the spectacle: it’s the competition.
If Liberty Media wants to preserve F1’s growth without compromising the sport’s integrity, it needs to rethink this obsession with city centers and neon lights. Real racing belongs on real tracks.
By Eli Casey
emcasey@vwu.edu
