Photo: Race Pictures

Ex-driver names one circuit he would axe from F1: ‘It's completely soulless’

18:58, 18 Dec

Updated: 18:59, 18 Dec

bySamson Ero

Karun Chandhok has singled out the Chinese Grand Prix as the one race he would remove from the current Formula 1 calendar if given the chance.

“Oh, China! Yeah, 100%.”

- Karun Chandhok

The 41-year-old singled out the Shanghai International Circuit, citing the swamp land and bugs around its location.

“Oh, China! Yeah, 100%, only because the paddock is completely soulless. It’s built on swamp land, there are bugs everywhere, you can’t find anyone, and everyone just disappears into these little buildings,” Chandhok said on the Fast and Curious podcast.

Further aiming his criticism at the track’s location relative to Shanghai, he added:

“They say the Grand Prix is in Shanghai, but it’s like saying we had a London Grand Prix and it was actually up in Corby or something. It’s nothing to do with Shanghai; it’s miles away. So, I would immediately remove it – that would be the one,” he concluded.

The Shanghai international circuit is home to the Chinese Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures

Quizzed further about which F1 track he would love to see return, the former Lotus driver responded:

“I really liked Malaysia. It was a fantastic track to drive. I loved racing there. I raced there in different categories, brilliant track to drive, always had good racing,” he said.

“The weather was a bit wild and wacky, the people were lovely, a nice place to go, hot and really humid, but that’s the one I always miss. I think Turkey as well, we saw good races there, but Malaysia, if I had to pick one, that would be the one,” he added.

Conversations about circuits have recently been in the spotlight in Formula 1, particularly with the announcement of the return of the Portimao circuit. The Portuguese racetrack, which last featured on the F1 calendar in 2021, is set to make its return for the 2027 and 2028 seasons.

Formula 1 circuit contract lengths

Earlier, GPblog spotlighted an extensive list of the contracts of existing circuits on the Formula 1 calendar.

The list featured tracks like Zandvoort, whose contract is set to expire in 2026, and the Miami street circuit, which is set to stay on the calendar until at least 2041.