The 2023 F1 season will require a great effort from all members of the paddock traveling the world for 8 months with a journey from Bahrain to Abu Dhabi visiting 21 different countries – there will be 22 until the fall of another calendar year of the Chinese GP – with 23 appointments in four of the five continents.
The most notable novelty is the debut of Las Vegas Street Circuit, penultimate test of the calendar, already baptized with the promising name: ‘the circuit that never sleeps’. This will be the third date on American soil where ‘the Great Circus’ has registered the biggest increase in fans, they say, supported by the success of the Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’ which has just released its fifth season. They will arrive at the temporary Miami International Autodrome circuit from May 5 to 7, they will cross the Atlantic again to enter Texas at the permanent Circuit of Americas (COTA) in Austin, from October 20 to 22, and they will close the American tour. on October 17. to November 19 in the middle of ‘Downtown’ Las Vegas in another urban circuit favored by Liberty Media, the owner of the F1 rights.
Las Vegas: The Never Sleeps Circuit
After more than three decades of absence, the state of Nevada is hosting a new appointment in its most famous city. It is an urban layout, at night and located on the tourist The Strip, the avenue of Las Vegas Boulevard where hotels-casinos, shops, restaurants, nightclubs and shows abound. Drivers will complete 50 laps of the 6,116-meter track, with 14 curves, 3 straight lines -the longest 1,920 meters- and 2 DRS zones. The route will pass emblematic places such as Cesars Palace, Bellagio and the Venetian. With an average speed expected to match Monza and an estimated top speed of 342km/h, it promises plenty of action and overtaking.
old school circuits vs. urban circuits
The championship promoter is trying to negotiate between the ‘old school’ permanent circuits, which drop year after year from the calendar even though they are drivers’ favourites, and the new-style temporary street circuits that taking F1 to the heart of the cities follows the glamorous Monte Carlo formula for the rich and famous although lately they seem more set on ‘Blade Runner’.
In 2023, the proportion will be 14 permanent circuits compared to nine urban ones, either temporary, semi-permanent or permanent, and with pits as their workhorse.
They prevent the fall from the calendar temples already visited in 1950 as spa-francorchamps, one of the circuits most appreciated by Formula 1 drivers, with its mix of long straights and fast corners that allow them to push their cars to the limit of their abilities, whenever it is dry, with the most famous that sequence of world curves, Eau Rouge.
SilverstoneDespite many layout changes over the years, it retains the essence of being one of the fastest circuits on the F1 calendar, while historic corners such as Maggotts, Becketts and Abbey offer some of the biggest challenges for drivers.
Monza is synonymous with speed, the fastest lap in Formula 1 history was set at Monza, with an average of 260.6 km/h. It’s full throttle for 80% of the lap and they hit their top speed on the start/finish straight of the circuit, and from there, they head into the historic section of the park, where a series of big stops in tight that chicanes tests the brakes.
Zandvoort It entered the calendar two years later than their three and after a break, through modernization, it returned to respond to the impact of Max Verspapen. It has all the characteristics of an ‘old school’, fast, crazy, winding with the feel of a permanent roller coaster in its flow between the sands – located in front of a famous Dutch beach.
suzuki, the circuit commissioned by Honda, This is another temple of high speed that poses many challenges to pilots with an eight-shaped layout that makes it the only one with a crossroads -initially there were three-, with winding “S” curve, the compromise. The Degners and the fast 130R are emblematic points.
Imola It’s another exciting ride in an F1 with adrenaline curves like Acque Minerali or Piratella. The anti-clockwise loop is definitely fast, with an old-school feel.
In urban, whether temporary or permanent, stands out above all for the charm that has lasted since 1950 Monte Carlo, although its layout was not one of the drivers’ favourites, as the races were decided in the scheduled session on Saturday. “It’s like riding a bicycle in the living room at home,” Nelson Piquet memorably said.
the semi-permanent Montreal It is one of the favorites of urban riders because of its speed and low downforce. A ‘start-stop’ track, with lots of hard braking chicanes and the famous hairpin. Out of corners it is quick and fluid.
Another favorite, probably related to its high speed -Hamilton took the pole position in 2019 with an average of 235 km/h- is Melbourne located on existing roads in Albert Park. It has been on the calendar since 1996, the fourth oldest of the urban ones.
They are entering the 21st century Marina Bay, one of the most physically demanding on the calendar due to its irregular and wet surface and its 23 curves that force the steering wheel to work hard on ‘hot laps’. Turn 18 is one of the most photographed because it is under a grandstand.
And eventually the countries of the Persian Gulf entered the competition to see who could design the most impressive permanent or urban circuit. He Bahrain International Circuit Tilke designed this pioneer in 2004 and now it remains at the F1 Test Days and the opening of the championship. In 2009, Abu Dhabi chose to stay for its Yas Marina, also designed by Tilke, in either the penultimate or the final round of the championship. And recently two enemies in the area like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have also entered the equation. The first at the Jeddah circuit in an urban tour along its Corniche and the second at the Lusail International Circuit originally designed to host MotoGP
Matches Formula 1 and MotoGP
Up to five permanent circuits will double their efforts by hosting Formula One and MotoGP Grand Prix.
Barcelona-Catalonia, Having been the track where the pre-season took place for many years, it’s no secret for the drivers that it has a good mix of high and low speed corners, with the challenging right-hander Turn 3 to test the car’s balance . This 2023, the original layout has been recovered without the chicane before the finish line that the drivers did not like much, the recovery of fast corners opens the door to stop having the reputation of promoting boring that race due to lack of overtaking.
The following visits according to the F1 calendar are at the circuits Red Bull Ring and Silverstone and that in the fall they will tread the Lusail International Circuit which they have modernized in recent months. From there they will go directly to Circuit of the Americas, the COTA in Austin, a puzzle made with the Maggotts/Becketts curves of Silverstone or the S of Suzuka (from 3 to 6) and the Hockenheim stadium (from 12 to 15) with the emblematic climb towards the blind curve 1 .
the 23 circuits
GP Bahrain (Sakhir) March 5
1st GP 2004. Length: 5.4 kilometers; Laps: 57
Saudi Arabia GP (Jeddah) March 19
1st GP 2021. Length: 6.1 kilometers; laps: 50
Australian GP (Melbourne) April 2
1st GP 1996. Length: 5.3 kilometers; Laps: 58
Azerbaijan GP (Baku) April 30
1st GP 2016. Length: 6.0 kilometers; Laps: 51
GP Miami (Miami) May 7
1st GP 2022. Length: 5.4 kilometers; Laps: 57
GP Emilia Romagna (Imola) May 21
1st GP 1980. Length: 4.9 kilometers; Laps: 63
Monaco GP (Monaco) May 28
1st GP 1950. Length: 3.3 kilometers; Laps: 78
GP Spain (Barcelona-Catalonia) June 4
1st GP 1991. Length: 4.6 kilometers; Laps: 66
Canadian GP (Montreal) June 18
1st GP 1978. Length: 4.3 kilometers; laps: 70
Austrian GP (Spielberg) 2 July
1st GP 1970. Length: 4.3 kilometers; Laps: 71
British GP (Silverstone) 9 July
1st GP 1950. Length: 5.8 kilometers; Laps: 52
GP Hungary (Budapest) July 23
1st GP 1986. Length: 4.3 kilometers; laps: 70
Belgian GP (Spa) July 30
1st GP 1950. Length: 7 kilometers; Laps: 44
GP Netherlands (Zandvoort) 27 August
1st GP 1952. Length: 4.2 kilometers; Laps: 72
Italian GP (Monza) September 3
1st GP 1950. Length: 5.7 kilometers; Laps: 53
Singapore GP (Singapore) 17 September
1st GP 2008. Length: 5 kilometers; Laps: 61
Japan GP (Suzuka) September 24
1st GP 1987. Length: 5.8 kilometers; Laps: 53
GP Qatar (Lusail) 8 October
1st GP 2021. Length: 5.3 kilometers; Laps: 57
United States GP (Austin) 22 October
1st GP 2012. Length: 5.5 kilometers; Laps: 56
GP Mexico (Mexico) 29 October
1st GP 1963. Length: 4.3 kilometers; Laps: 71
GP Brazil (Sao Paulo) November 5
1st GP 1973. Length: 4.3 kilometers; Laps: 71
GP Las Vegas (Las Vegas) November 18
1st GP 2023. Length: 6.1 kilometers; laps: 50
Abu Dhabi GP (Yas Marina) November 26
1st GP 2009. Length: 5.2 kilometers; Laps: 58
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
