Five Countries That Need F1 Races
By Alex Herbst
San Marino
Perhaps a track that holds the most infamy in F1 is the closest to returning to the sport. Home to the San Marino Grand Prix from 1981 to 2006, could Imola climb out of its dark past and into a future where they help lead the charge among the European world championship races?
Considered the home track for Ferrari, Imola dropped off the F1 calendar over safety concerns, especially after the track experienced a number of high profile deaths in 1994, highlighted by the passing of Ayrton Senna. While the facility worked to make safety improvements in the years following, the track needed major improvements to remain on the schedule.
Since 2006, the track has undergone a number of improvements and was considered as a potential replacement for Monza as the home of the Italian Grand Prix in 2017. Despite having a contract in place to host a race going forward, a deal was reached with the primary home of the Italian GP to continue hosting in the coming year. That certainly does not discount the track’s future prospects, however.
Imola has been known for its throngs of Ferrari fans migrating to the track to root on the red devils. And with Ferrari linked to a potential Alfa Romeo junior team in the future for F1, the track located just 80 kilometers from the home of the reds would be the big attraction the sport may need in the region. Many of the European races have seen sagging attendance and questions about their future, necessitating the need for strong races on the continent with big fan appeal.
Next: Where Else Should F1 Go in the United States?
Of course, there are many other countries that have hosted F1 races (Portugal, Turkey, and Germany to name a few) that would like to come back to the sport. There are also other countries that have never hosted races that have been linked to the world championship too. The Formula One calendar can only expand by so much, and any additional races will face deep scrutiny and questions from team principals. But at the end of the day, if the owners of F1 want to see more of their product, one can anticipate some new races coming into the fold.
What countries would you like to see Formula One visit that are not on the calendar now? Are there any current races you’d like to see dropped?