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The 2025 Formula 1 season has come to an end, and for all the personnel who visit all 24 races, a much-needed break is on the horizon.
The F1 calendar has always been a hot topic of debate within the sport, not only in terms of the number of races in the schedule, but also where they should be held.
Stefano Domenicali is ready to discuss more Sprint Races being added to the calendar, while Formula 1 will be visiting a completely new track in 2026.
You’re now in charge of Formula 1. What’s the one rule change you think the sport needs to make right now?
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The Madrid Grand Prix will be the latest street circuit raced on in F1, but there’s always plenty of mixed feelings in the paddock about the current races held in urban environments.
Karun Chandhok has been speaking about one circuit in particular that he doesn’t enjoy visiting in his role as an F1 pundit.
READ MORE: He is the F1 driver who once replaced Michael Schumacher at Ferrari but never won a race
Karun Chandhok says he would remove ‘soulless’ Chinese Grand Prix from the F1 calendar
Chandhok was asked which tracks he would like removed from the calendar on the Fast and the Curious podcast.
He replied: “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.
“They say the Grand Prix’s in Shanghai, it’s like saying we had a London Grand Prix and it being 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.
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Asked which track he would like to have back in Formula 1’s rotation, Chandhok added: “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.
“The weather was a bit wild and wacky, 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 in Turkey, but Malaysia, if I had to pick one, that would be the one.”
READ MORE: Five unforgettable Chinese GP moments from Schumacher’s last win to Hamilton’s rookie blunder
How the first Chinese Grand Prix made Formula 1 history
The Chinese Grand Prix arrived on the calendar in 2004, when Rubens Barrichello won from Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher.
Schumacher had already wrapped up his seventh and final title heading into the race, which was far later on the calendar than its current position.
The race in Shanghai made history as it was the first Grand Prix where radio communications were broadcast to viewers on television.
A staple of any race weekend now, but fans finally got a small insight into what was being said between a driver and their engineer.
Lewis Hamilton is a big fan of the circuit in Shanghai, stating in an interview in 2016, via The Guardian: “This has been a strong circuit for me. It is partly to do with the fans, and also I love this track.”
Hamilton was disqualified from this year’s Chinese Grand Prix on his first visit as a Ferrari driver due to excessive plank wear.
He’s still by far the most successful driver at the circuit, having won there on six occasions, with Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg the only other repeat winners.
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