Over the last few years, for better or for worse, the Formula 1 race calendar has been expanding, with street circuits added to new cities around the world to broaden the Formula 1 experience and brand.
From a fan’s perspective, more races on the schedule is generally a positive thing, because who wouldn’t want to watch more races? However, not every new race that has been added to the calendar has brought a very enjoyable experience.
A normal Formula 1 race calendar used to consist of between 18 to 20 races. However, the 2024 schedule consists of 24 races, and future seasons have the potential to get even longer.
Some believe that more than 24 races may be too many for the drivers and teams to handle, but with the popularity of the sport still growing worldwide, expansion into new markets undoubtedly remains a major possibility.
When new cities submit ideas for tracks, they are more likely than not going to be for street circuits. In 2021, Jeddah Corniche Circuit was added in Saudi Arabia. In 2022, Miami International Autodrome was added in Miami, Florida. And in 2023, the Las Vegas Strip Circuit was added in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Additionally, a deal was in place for the addition of a Vietnamese race on the streets of Hanoi in 2020, but COVID-19-related restrictions caused those plans to be pushed aside. There have also recently been rumors of a street race coming to Chicago, Illinois.
With a good amount of street circuits already on the calendar following this recent infusion, many fans are starting to get a little bit tired of new ones being added and would like to see the drivers return to older tracks from the past.
Many would like to see Formula 1 return to iconic tracks such as the Nurburgring or Hockenheimring in Germany or Mugello in Italy, the host of a fan-favorite one-off race in 2020.
New city looking to add Formula 1 street race in 2026
A country that Formula 1 has visited in the past is looking to add a race in 2026, and continuing with the recent trend, the rumored addition is indeed a new street circuit.
The South Korean city of Incheon had representatives present at the Japanese Grand Prix two weekends ago to submit a formal letter of intent to host a new Grand Prix by as early as 2026.
South Korea is no stranger to hosting Formula 1 races, as it played host to the Korean Grand Prix from 2010 to 2013. But all four of those races took place at Korea International Circuit, a road course, in Yeongam.
The proposed Incheon street circuit would not be the only new street circuit added to the calendar for the 2026 season, as it has already been confirmed that the Spanish Grand Prix will be moving from Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to a new track on the streets of Madrid.
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It remains to be seen if an Incheon race will be added to an already jam-packed calendar for 2026, but given the expansion of Formula 1 and the continued addition of street circuits, it would not come as a surprise to many to see a new Korean Grand Prix in 2026.