After hosting the first World Championship Grand Prix in 1950 at Silverstone, a total of 76 circuits hosted an F1 Grand Prix.
Some, like Monza, Spa-Francorchamps, Circuit de Monaco, and Interlagos, are steeped in history. Others, like Yas Marina Circuit (Abu Dhabi), Marina Bay Street Circuit (Singapore), and Circuit de Barcelona (Spain), have become popular despite their late introduction to the sport. Then there are the likes of Suzuka and Osterreichring, tracks that have an illustrious history without the longevity of many.
Each F1 track has its own trademark style based on the layout, with some twisting and turning while others are characterized by long straights. For ardent fans, these tracks are easily recognizable at whichever angle they are viewed at.
While aerial shots of the tracks are common in Formula 1, pictures of 19 different tracks from space were shared on social media by a fan account. With Baku, Monaco, and Singapore having street circuits, they were the only ones that weren't clearly distinguishable from the city they were located in.
From Hockenheimring to Suzuka: F1 tracks as viewed from space
Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi was the first circuit to feature on the Twitter thread. The Ferrari-branded theme park next to the circuit in Ferrari's iconic color and the visible prancing horse logo stood out even from several hundred kilometers high.
Next was the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, Belgium. It hosted its first Grand Prix in 1925 and is also home to other events like the 24 Hours of Spa and the World Endurance Championship.
The Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom, is difficult to miss with its trademark curves. It hosted its first F1 World Championship race in 1950 and continues to feature on the F1 calendar to date. It is also the venue for the British leg of the Moto GP series.
France's Circuit Paul Ricard is easy to spot with its huge red and blue runoff areas. The circuit first opened in 1970 and has hosted F1 races intermittently since then.
The Circuit of the Americas in Texas, USA is a relatively new circuit. It opened in 2012 and hosts the F1 US Grand Prix, along with other championships like NASCAR, MotoGP, and World Endurance Championship, to name a few.
The Hockenheimring is located in the Rhine Valley in Germany and first played home to an F1 race in 1970. Having been used intermittently since then, it last hosted the German Grand Prix in 2019.
The Shanghai International Circuit in Jiading, Shanghai is another relatively new track in motorsport history. It opened in 2004 and the same year, Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello became the first F1 winner at the venue.
The Red Bull Ring is located in Styria, Austria, and was first known as the Osterreichring and later as the A1-Ring. Red Bull purchased the track and rebuilt it, and subsequently named it after themselves when it opened in 2011.
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec was originally called the Ile Notre-Dame Circuit and opened in 1978. Its current name honors Ferrari driver Gilles Villeneuve, who hails from Quebec.
Long straights and a slew of corners make the Circuit de Barcelona in Catalunya, Spain instantly recognizable. It was originally called the Circuit de Catalunya before a sponsorship deal with the Barcelona City Council saw the name changed.
The Hungaroring, located in Budapest, Hungary, opened its gates in 1986 with Williams-Honda's Nelson Piquet as its first winner in F1.
The Monza Circuit in Italy is the oldest motor-racing circuit in mainland Europe. It has hosted F1 every year since 1949, with the exception of 1980.
The Suzuka Circuit in Japan is one of the most iconic names in motor racing. Owned and operated by Honda, it first opened in 1962. It is the home of the Japanese Grand Prix, along with other series like Super GT, Super Formula, and Endurance World Championship, to name a few.
The Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City is named after brothers Ricardo Rodriguez and Pedro Rodriguez. It has been home to the Mexican Grand Prix in stints, from 1962 to 1970, 1986 to 1992, 2015–2019, and from 2021 to date. It was recently announced that the circuit will remain on the F1 calendar until 2025.
The Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia is famous for its wide straights and sweeping corners. The hairpin turn between the two long straights stands out on the circuit even from space.
The Interlagos Circuit in Sao Paolo, Brazil, was inaugurated in 1940. It was renamed Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in 1985 to honor Formula 1 driver Jose Carlos Pace following his death.
It intermittently hosted the Brazilian Grand Prix between 1972 and 2019. After the 2020 race was canceled due to COVID-19, it has hosted the Sao Paulo Grand Prix since 2021 and will continue to do so till 2025 at least.
While the Baku City Circuit (Azerbaijan), Circuit de Monaco (Monaco), and Marina Bay Circuit (Singapore) stand out as street circuits on the F1 calendar, it's difficult to spot the racing track when the cities aren't gearing up to host the Grand Prix.