Top 10 Butchered Formula 1 Tracks

[@RaphaelJones-sl7ny]

Love the video. I am surprised that Silverstone is not in the list. It has constantly changed over the years, but now is unrecognisable compared to how it was in the early 80s. They have even moved the start / finish straight! Fast tracks (which are loved by drivers / riders) are no longer favoured.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

In 2018 I wanted to visit Silverstone. But they didn'd respond to my email, so I went as a normal visitor. Unfortunately, that day it was not open for public. So I don't have footage from Silverstone. I let the community choose from a selection of circuits from which I have footage. Else, Silverstone would have been in this video.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

PS: Drivers love circuits with fast corners. Not fast tracks with only long straights and slow corners.

[@wibblewabblewoo6249]

For me, a lot of these tracks are quite fun in RF2 / AMS2 / AC etc in both their old AND new configurations. I love this KZbin channel, but I actually disagree with the premise that all tracks were better in the past. In some circumstances, for racing, I think modern Hockenheim & Silverstone have been improved, i.e. with better overtaking opportunities. I know I’m in the minority thinking this, but trust me - if you’re actually in a grandstand watching the racing, it’s better when the layout is shorter because you don’t have to wait so long for the cars to come back around for the next lap. It means you see more laps not less! Zandvoort is simply more fun now with the exaggerated banking. The modern track that I personally find completely unsatisfying is Imola. Drive the old 1970s track in VR then the modern layout, the flow truly has been butchered

[@RaphaelJones-sl7ny]

@@CircuitsofthepastYes, fast corners as opposed to fast tracks. And there are fewer and fewer really fast corners due to safety concerns and the amount of run off required.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

@wibblewabblewoo6249 And who say's that all tracks where better in the past?

[@daz4627]

Some beautiful old circuits that we'll never see again... I'd add Interlagos and Reims to this list ... two vastly different but iconic old tracks that ooze F1 history.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

If I had footage of Interlagos it would also have been in this video. Reims is another story. The layout was not changed so drastically that it should be included in this list. Apart from the disposal of the part by the village.

[@simmadpaul2880]

I noticed one of your patreons is Sergio Loro. If its the same guy he creates a lot of historic tracks for the racing sim Assetto Corsa. Brilliant tracks keeping the circuits of the past alive.

[@arjenh7214]

And most of all, he did Grand Prix Legends before that. The community loves him a lot.

[@McRocket]

Wonderful video, imo. Well written, filmed, edited and narrated...thank you. BTW, my first thought when I saw this title was 'Hockenheim'. And I think the people who voted on this are true race fans. Or, at least, fans who think as I do on the subject. ☮

[@motelghost477]

11:05 As a sim racer I've never been a fan of the Osterreichring. For me this is a VERY rare example of the modern track being better than the vintage track.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

For real racing the old one was way more challenging than the current stop and go circuit. The Österreichring was was mentioned in the same breath as the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps.

[@dallas8692]

I would have voted for Silverstone. Changes every few years, and sticks the names of fabulous old corners onto whatever they have become now.

[@MooncricketsInc]

Loved seeing the old hockenheim on tv in the late 90s/00s, those beautiful sounding v10s and that awesome victory by Barrichello in 2000(great time to be a ferrari fan). It's a shame it got butchered and then dropped for the disgusting middle east tracks.

[@masterkamen371]

And then I get downvoted to hell on Reddit any time I say the modern middle eastern tracks are crap. They literally are, everyone just quietly accepts them even though the only reason they exist is to glorify the regimes.

[@mattg432]

Still remember the old Hockenheimring from 1974. The biggest "crime" of 2001 was the megalomanical idea to have the whole motodrom surrounded with those new towering grandstands. They wanted to seat 200 000 "Schumania" spectators, each one paying like 500 Deutsche Mark. Only the Südkurve section was built, though, the rest remained "low". And nowadays? F1 is wrecked and not racing in the traditional GP countries anymore. Schumi a tragedy, too.

[@AlonsoRules]

It is a disgrace that Germany does not have a race but Monaco and Hungary are back every single year

[@nihildwo4874]

@@AlonsoRules well, its a combination of many factors. #1 the license is very expensive. #2 the ticket sales are not high enough to recoup those losses. #3 The political landscape in germany has no interest in supporting hockenheim or F1, unlike how it is in other countries. The last race in 2019 could only take place because mercedes actually paid the entry fee, because they wanted to have a german GP for the 125th anniversary of the company.

[@JCCyC]

Can I suggest a video on circuits that completely vanished with NO trace of any piece of layout? I can think of three: Riverside, Caesar Park, and Jacarepagua. Any other?

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Nivelles, Roskilde Ring

[@LoganHunter82]

@@Circuitsofthepast Keimola

[@Circuitsofthepast]

I never visited Keimola. But I heard there is still a part left, waiting for recontruction to residential area.

[@Arcaniac]

@@Circuitsofthepast Add the late great Oran Park to that list too, sold off to housing development iirc

[@squidcaps4308]

Charade is one that is lost too. Insane track to be honest, incredibly difficult to get consistent laptimes there no matter how many times you go around it. It is like twisty Nordsleife married Spa.

[@weerwolfproductions]

Donington Park in the UK lost the Moto GP because they butchered it in order to become an F1 racing circuit. The organisation went bankrupt before modifications were completed and the family that owned the grounds the racing circuit is located on bought back the racing exploitation license. When it still ran Moto GP some drivers would complain about the frying oil on the track left behind by the metal festival Download that is still being held there annualy, although the racetrack itself is no longer part of the music festival layout. As far as I know Moto GP never returned to Donington Park.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

I remember the plans to change the track for F1. But as far as I know they didn't change anything to the track, since the 1980's.

[@weerwolfproductions]

@@Circuitsofthepast I can't remember how far along the modifications were. I remember seeing enormous piles of dirt in the infield from the campsite of the metal festival, and broad ditches dug across the track itself in several places. The plans included changing the location of the pits and the finish straight and changing the loop. How much of it actually changed I don't know as I stopped camping during Download festival after 2010. Wouldn't surprise me if none of the plans made it to completion. At the time there were rumours of financial problems from the start. I felt sorry for Donington losing the moto GP over it though.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

@@weerwolfproductions None of these plans are completed. The track is still the same as it was 30 years ago.

[@keithhoughton4308]

@@CircuitsofthepastI still miss the spark plug commentary position.

[@nihildwo4874]

i remember back in the day, the commentators talked about donington to be so slippery, and that there is a myth that planes who land on a nearby airfield would drop excess kerosine before landing. and how this "urban legend" seemingly is not dying.

[@exist]

I'd also love to add Long Beach, the 1970s layout to the list, from the cars blasting up to Ocean Ave, and all the way across to the right hander, Cook Corner, and down into Linden Ave.

[@casscroute8706]

At least we can still experience most of these ancient circuits on Assetto Corsa

[@rickclogston5205]

I was surprised that Reims and Avus didn't make the cut. But, since they're more than butchered, maybe they don't qualify.

[@bullfrommull]

The hokienhiem (most probably spelt wrong) was one of the best. I hate the new one. Rubin’s win was easily one of the best.

[@20ege008]

I personally think new hockenheimring is good too. But it will always be overshadowed by the old forest section...

[@KapiteinKrentebol]

Me too, I play it in F1 simulators, the old one was more pitoresque but kind of boring to drive, the new one is quite fun to drive albeit unremarkable like most modern circuits.

[@davidius74]

I would like to mention even the old version of the shortened Spa has been butchered by the current version. I mean that final tight chicane which they still call the bus stop is nothing like a bus stop which is what the older double chicane version was 200-300 metres back from where it is now.

[@maxduke1943]

The current final chicane is horrible. The Bus-Stop was much better, and faster

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Funny. In the 1990's drivers and FIA didn't like the real Bus Stop Chicane and asked for a better and permanent solution. Now there is a permanent solution, the fans are dissatisfied.

[@Noonecanknow879]

Feel like Fuji has to be on here. The current layout is awful.

[@unitoftemp]

God, I absolutely despise that final complex. There is no flow at all.

[@igorR061]

Very nice list. Here we got Interlagos, never seen the original layout, but it looks nice too.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Unfortunately I never visited it, so I don't have footsage of it. Else it would have been in this video. Old Interlagos also came to mind when prepairing this video.

[@ryklatortuga4146]

Kyalami - Riverside - Jacarepagua - Interlagos - Mexico City - Les Essarts. Maybe the Silva-stun too. Nice - if rather sad video.

[@andresronco]

Correcta la elección de los circuitos. Si quisiéramos agregar algunos mas, seguramente Interlagos y Kyalami estarían entre los primeros.

[@mr.cheese4635]

While Imola has undergone massive, and very necessary changes it is still amazing to drive imo. I love driving it on games be it the pre 1994 version or the modern layout

[@Circuitsofthepast]

It may be a controversial opinion, but I think it is even better now. The pre-1995 version had too much chicanes and the Tamburello and Villeneuve Corner were actually curved parts of the straight. Today it has less chicanes, two fast straights and some medium fast corners. It is now a more varied circuit than then.

[@MooncricketsInc]

I don't mind the current layout, except them removing the chicane before start/finish line.

[@PanAm747Clipper]

when was Charade built? cuz there could have been a point in time where germany had two nürburgrings

[@samuelgarrod8327]

Huh?

[@Circuitsofthepast]

That's what I thought too

[@PanAm747Clipper]

@@Circuitsofthepast construction of the old semi-permanent track began in ´57 soo germany sadly did not have 2 nbrs

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Oh you're hinting at the occupation during WWII? Then I have news for you. This region belonged to Vichy France and was not occupied by Germany.

[@samuelgarrod8327]

@@PanAm747Clipper It wouldn't be 'another' Nurburgring anyway. It's a different circuit in a different place. 🙄

[@AJBa83]

It's a minor thing but thankyou for literally being the only place I've ever seen that describes how the Tamburello-Tosa straight was realigned to make the 'chicane' at Villeneuve.

[@stealthracer]

Bloody Tilke!!

[@davidius74]

Yeah, I don't like any circuit he has had a hand in designing or redesigning. they just don't have the character the older circuits had.

[@mattg432]

Was he involved at all in any of these tracks? Except minor changes at Nürburgring surroundings?

[@goslonomo]

Wonderful collection.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Thank you!

[@PanAm747Clipper]

senna died on my birthday, thats a sad fact, (although 14 years bfore i was born) i do a silent minute for him every birthday

[@spd7693]

That was my uncle's 20th birthday and Senna was his favourite driver.

[@PanAm747Clipper]

@@spd7693 ah damn

[@spd7693]

@@PanAm747Clipper I've never seen him watch a race on Imola. That day I was still a baby. Maybe he doesn't want to remember it. And has never watched a race on Imola ever since.

[@PanAm747Clipper]

@@spd7693 thats sad

[@ScorpionPOL]

On the day of my 18th birthday died Allan Simonsen... We wrote to each other on messenger that day and he said that he'd like to get as many autographs from buddies on track as he can to expand my collection... From that day I'm not celebrating my birthday... 😢

[@YuriBruschi]

Great compilation, bravo Herman 🍀🏁❤️

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Grazie!

[@lanc3man]

Great compilation - what about Brands Hatch, no longer a GP circuit !!

[@Circuitsofthepast]

But alsmost the same layout as in the old days. So not butchered.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

PS: I visited Brands Hatch in 2018. Here the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g53OmmVmqNpgbNU

[@stuartross282]

Add Paul Ricard just ruined with the painted concrete run off

[@Circuitsofthepast]

But the layout is almost the same as original.

[@robertwilloughby8050]

There should be NO interference with that glorious straight! In fact, it should have been longer. (Ok, I might be in a minority, but a track where a car can't reach it's top speed for at least 10 seconds isn't worth anything!)

[@maxduke1943]

@@robertwilloughby8050 Engines gonna engine !

[@sandrinedefaux3290]

The Austrian grand prix was a f\/cking rollercoaster during the 70's ! And I looooved the old Interlagos, it was so fast as well !

[@fmondeo]

The track changes I dislike the most are for the Österreichring. Of course, it would have absolutely dreadful racing compared to the modern Red Bull Ring but it would be a wonderful track to drive on. The Red Bull Ring is like a castrated version of its former self.

[@chicobicalho5621]

Interlagos would have fit into this list quite nicely. It was well and truly butchered from a gorgeous 8 km long circuit into a Mickey Mouse track like Montreal or Hungary.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

It was one of the circuits that came to mind when I did the preparation works for this video. The reason it is not in the video is because I have never visited, so I don't have footage of it. However, it is still on my to do list.

[@alaeriia01]

I would not call modern Interlagos "Mickey Mouse". That is reserved for terrible tracks like Sochi and Yas Marina.

[@skraegorn7317]

It’s not F1 but if you haven’t covered Circuit Jean-Pierre Beltoise it has an interesting story. The track still exists for karting and track days, but it was intended to be a third European oval for the CART series, after Rockingham and the Lausitzring. The deal fell through but the track was completed.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Interesting. Thanks for bring this under my attention. Unfortunately, I just planned a trip to Belgium. If I would have known before, I maybe could fit this one into the journey too. Maybe the next time.

[@ibast1]

the Österreichring of the 80s looked fun to drive but made for bad racing. There was almost no overtaking and it was widely criticised for it. And yep, I'm still angry about Hockenheim. The section lost didn't add much to the racing, but to see the cars go out into the forest at high speed and back again was one of the great sights of the whole calenda. It was a reminder of the classic era of F1. The fact that it was Tilke that ruined it was just salt in the wound. I'm convinced he doesn't actually like motor racing.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Tilke actually wanted to modernize the old track by making it wider. It was the circuit owners who want to change Hockenheim from an extended circuit to a compact circuit.

[@DavidM-u8s]

immediately recognized that voice. miss the failcast. cheers simon

[@mitchellhenning158]

Where is interlagos 1973

[@phil4986]

Spa...they made so much runoff, the drivers flat foot around many corners now. It should never be like that. Really sad to see. It is not safer if they go flat out around the entire track.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

I agree. Too many parts are too easy flatout now.

[@stashtvm]

1:18 Rabbits!!!

[@Circuitsofthepast]

MEEP MEEP WOOSH

[@IGG2002]

I'm surprised that Barcelona and Abu Dhabi are not in the list.

[@Loraine286fac]

Brilliant as always

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Thanks

[@deepinthewoods8078]

The banking of Monza was actually not very interesting, just very bumpy and dangerous. The track is much better without this section ...

[@roderickmain9697]

The Mexican grand prix circuit I seem to remember differently from today. Maybe not quite "butchered" but changed.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

If I had footage of it, it would have been in this video, because of the loss of the Peraltada. However the corner is still there and could be used again, if they want.

[@amjan]

Your content is very good but you need to improve your graphics. The whole video is just talking about things that you can't visualize based on the text. You should've superimposed the newer track versions on the older ones, so we can see what you're actually talking about. When you just show the new version separately - I don't remember what the old one was exactly like to see the comparison.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Yes that would be very cool. But there is one problem... Copyrights! I have to deal with the footage I made by myself from the many circuits I visited. It's hard to get other material. However some other KZbinrs take it from the web without persmission. But that's not my style. Soon or later they will get a penalty for copyright infringement.

[@CarlosPereira-gk4st]

Old Interlagos, São Paulo, Brazil ...

[@Circuitsofthepast]

If I had footage of it, it would have been in this video.

[@SVPSkins]

Very Surprised Silverstone and Kyalami isn't on this list.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Both came to mind when brainstorming for this video. But I don't have footage from both circuits. Kyalami because I never visited South Africa. Silverstone because they didn't respond to my mail and didn't let me in.

[@johnkochen7264]

Our narrator also managed to butcher the name of Clermont-Ferrand.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Yes, and he knows that. Simon (the narrator) often makes jokes about him butchering foreign names.

[@mauricioce9806]

Very nice 👋👋

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Thanks

[@paulhamilton6109]

And the avus ??? The avus is way More dangerous than the track In the video

[@Circuitsofthepast]

This is not a top 10 of dangerous tracks.

[@meerkat7361]

It's a top 10 of butchered tracks. Tracks that are near unrecognizable today compared to when they opened.

[@danmc_2783]

Reckon not having Fuji on this list is a bit of a travesty

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Would be a good one in this list. But unfortunately, I have never been there, so no footage of it. However, it is still on my to do list.

[@danmc_2783]

@@Circuitsofthepast Fair enough. I'm too young to remember it but it holds a special place in my heart because it was "Track 1" on an old Segs Master System F1 game that I played as a kid in the 80s and my dad recognised the layout and told me about it Was NOT the same after it came back, gimme the old school genuine speedway style back please

[@Circuitsofthepast]

@@danmc_2783 Yet it has an intersting history. It was actually intended as a speedway. But the project went bankrupt during construction. Then a new investor completed the track as a road circuit, with a banked corner which was already built. As far as I know, the bnanked corner is still there left abandoned. So definitely worth a visit.

[@danmc_2783]

@@Circuitsofthepast Yeah, it was the 76 GP layout with the hairpin at the end of the straight that I remember being in that video game (and later inspired Gran Turismo's High Speed Ring). Would be amazing to see the cars of today on that track.

[@Brommear]

I would put Kayalami at the top of the list!

[@Circuitsofthepast]

I would like to have it in the video. But I couldn't get content of it. I contacted Red Bull, but I was only allowed to use footage from their content pool if I would publish about an event. I contact Kyalami Circuit, but they didn't respond.

[@Gigidag77]

#1 better be Hockenheim Edit: *not dissapointed*

[@DavidTheConkerer]

Great memories! :)

[@maxmustermann6612]

Hockenheim, no question

[@GrandPrixDecals]

Good video, not so sure it needs the ‘jokes’ tho, ‘haha’ 😞

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Thanks. Oh yeas it needs the jokes. Video's must be entertaining in the first place.

[@AlonsoRules]

What about Mexico City? One of the worst tracks on the calendar - not one corner that's satisfying. Should be dropped.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

The Esses are not satisfying?

[@AJBa83]

Agreed. I can understand losing the last corner (though with Safer barriers and modern cars who knows) but why did all the Esses had to be reprofiled from rounded corners to pinched nothing Tilke-corners?

[@thatoneguy7191]

Zolder is the very definition of butchered. Such awful chicanes there

[@brettbuck7362]

Mexico City is high on my list of botch jobs.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

I actually also wanted it in the video. But I couldn't get footage of the track for this purpose. Same with Kyalami.

[@brettbuck7362]

@@Circuitsofthepast I will look around. The evil hand of Hermann Tilke strikes again.

[@AlienWooshie]

Can we talk about the butchered drumroll that sounded a bit like a trumpet, or a wet fart, I can't decide 😂😂😂 Either way a really enjoyable video 😊

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Thanks :)

[@roydrink]

Driving simulators with modern F1 cars on long classic circuits shows that they would be taken at near top speed, lacking any racing interest. Also that with modern circumstances with finances, the older tracks could not make as much money as shorter tacks with more spectators.

[@Alan-cg8gx]

Did F1 ever race at Le Man's.

[@Circuitsofthepast]

Yes, at the Bugatti Circuit in 1967.

[@GabrielCCCP]

Interlagos

[@KapiteinKrentebol]

I'm kind of glad Monza lost that stupid oval.