Ranking every American F1 track: from fan favorites to total duds
This weekend, the F1 championship arrives in Austin, Texas, for the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas. This track is a modern classic, loved by fans and drivers for its excitement and challenge.
Over the years, F1 has raced at many American circuits—some great, some not so much. Let’s take a look at them all, ranked from worst to best. Do you agree with our list?
The Phoenix Grand Prix ran from 1989 to 1991 but was overshadowed by an Ostrich Racing Festival happening at the same time! More people came to watch giant birds than F1 cars. The track’s sharp right-angle turns gave it little character. After three years, F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone dropped the race.
Before the Las Vegas GP, there was the Caesars Palace race in 1981 and ’82, held on a casino’s parking lot. McLaren’s John Watson said it was “probably the least appealing grand prix circuit” he ever raced on. F1 didn’t return to Vegas for another 40 years.
The Miami Grand Prix takes place on a flat track built around the Miami Dolphins’ stadium parking lot—so it’s no surprise it struggles to excite. Although Lando Norris got his first win there in 2024 after a lucky Safety Car, the races mostly lack drama. Still, it’s been a big commercial hit, with celebrity fans and sold-out stands.
In 1984, the Dallas Grand Prix took place in Fair Park. The heat was so intense the track started breaking apart! Some teams had to work in old barns, and drivers like Niki Lauda and Alain Prost even tried to boycott the race. But it went on, with Keke Rosberg saying, “If the money’s right, we’ll show up anywhere.”
Detroit hosted a tough street race for seven years. While the F1 crowd never loved it, the cars flying past the Ford Renaissance Centre looked pretty cool.
Indianapolis, famous for the Indy 500, hosted F1 races from 2000. However, the Mid-West never really took to F1. The 2005 race was a disaster when a tire issue forced most teams out, leaving only six cars to race—one of F1’s biggest embarrassments.
America’s first F1 championship race was at Sebring, Florida, in 1959. It became legendary when Jack Brabham pushed his car over the finish line to win his first title. Bruce McLaren, who later founded the famous McLaren team, won his first race here too. The bumpy airport runway track only hosted F1 once.
Las Vegas really shows F1’s recent rise in popularity thanks to Netflix’s Drive To Survive. The race on the famous Strip has given us some thrilling battles, like the one between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen in 2022.
Riverside in California was a famous desert track that disappeared and became a shopping mall. Drivers loved its challenge, but it was very dangerous and saw many accidents. F1 only raced there once, with Stirling Moss winning.
The Circuit of the Americas in Austin is a big, exciting track with everything—steep hills, sharp turns, and fast straights. It’s a fan favorite and has seen some epic battles, like Lewis Hamilton versus Max Verstappen in 2021 and Ferrari’s stunning 1-2 finish in 2024.
One of the sport’s greatest street races is Long Beach in California. Since it started in 1976, it’s been iconic, with a mix of sharp slopes and a view of the Queen Mary cruise ship nearby.
Many consider Watkins Glen in Upstate New York the best American F1 track ever. Its fast and flowing layout suited the fastest drivers of the time, from Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart to James Hunt and Niki Lauda. NASCAR still races there today.
So, what do you think? Which American F1 race is your favorite?