Seven times Formula 1 nearly raced on new circuits

With the recent news from Tuesday (10/11/20), that the Vietnamese Grand Prix is off for 2021 due to arrest on corruption charges of a key officials responsible for the race in Hanoi. 2020 never happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So this post is Seven times Formula 1 nearly raced on new circuits! Simple rules the new circuits never been on a Formula 1 calendar before and heavily updated circuits that hosted a Grand Prix before that would have been accept as a new circuit count as-well.

Starting with number one.

Number 1: 1983, 1984 and 1985 New York City Grand Prix/United States Grand Prix at Flushing Meadows
Story: Bernie Ecclestone wanted a third Grand Prix in the United States for 1983 replacing Las Vegas, the propose New York City/United States Grand Prix supposed to be held on a street track at Flushing Meadows in the New York City borough of Queens was set for late 1983. But, nine weeks before the Grand Prix was going to be held the race was cancelled due to local protests around the New York area. Resulting Brands Hatch replacing it for the European Grand Prix.

Bernie Ecclestone tried his luck for 1984 have the race on once again, once again it was cancelled due to local protests, this time Nurburgring replacing it for the European Grand Prix. Once again Bernie Ecclestone tried his luck again for 1985 have the race on once again, once again it was cancelled due to local protests, this time Brands Hatch replacing it, not the last time Bernie tried to host a Grand Prix around the New York City area.

Number 2: 1984 Spanish Grand Prix at Fuengirola
Story: located in the town of Fuengirola in Southern Spain set to be on a street track for 1984 Spanish Grand Prix. But, in the middle of 1984 the race was cancelled due to local protesters and safety reasons, replaced by Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril. By 1985, the race was moved altogether to Jerez for the Spanish Grand Prix for 1986 till 1990.

Number 3: 1993 Pacific Grand Prix at Autopolis
Story: located near Ōita Prefecture, in Japan, Autopolis circuit was set to host a Grand Prix in 1993 as the Pacific Grand Prix for Japan's second Grand Prix in a season after Suzuka. By the start of 1993, investment banker Tomonori Tsurumaki who owned the track, his company run went bankrupt resulting the Grand Prix being cancelled. Donington Park, replacing it for the European Grand Prix in 1993 while the TI Circuit Aida in Japan would host the 1994 and 1995 Pacific Grand Prixs' instead.

Number 4: 1999 Chinese Grand Prix at Zhuhai International Circuit
Story: located near Guangdong, in China, Zhuhai International Circuit was set to host a Grand Prix in 1999 for China's first ever Grand Prix. By the start of 1999, the circuit subsequently lost its place in the calendar after failing to meet the international standards set by the FIA. However, the Chinese government did not give up and eventually in 2004 the Chinese Grand Prix was on the F1 calendar at the Shanghai International Circuit is still on the F1 calendar going into 2021.

Number 5: 2010 British Grand Prix at Donington Park
Story: By July 2008, Donington Park got the right from Silverstone to host the British Grand Prix from 2010 till 2026. The deal included a new pit paddock and Grandstands along Starkey's Straight and increasing the circuit length to three miles for minimum requirement to host a F1 race, with the addition of a new infield loop, resulting to be new circuit replacing the old track from 1993. By 2009, the lease owners of Donington Park called DVLL went bankrupt due to the global rescission from 2008, with the owners of Donnington Park did not want to host a Grand Prix. By November 2009 Silverstone got the rights back for the 2010 British Grand Prix to host the British Grand Prix till 2019. Silverstone is still on the F1 calendar going into 2021.

Number 6: 2013 and 2014 Grand Prix of America at Port Imperial Street Circuit
Story:Just like in 1983, Bernie Ecclestone wanted a second Grand Prix in the United States for 2013, in 2011 Bernie Ecclestone made a deal with the state of New Jersey to host a Grand Prix on a street circuit in New Jersey on the outskirts of New York City from 2013 onwards. By March 2013, Bernie Ecclestone announced that the contract with organisers in New Jersey had been nullified, and organisers later confirmed that the race had been removed from the 2013 calendar and rescheduled for 2014. The race was canalled altogether due to the failure to get all of the necessary permits to hold the race from multiple branches of state and federal government departments in New Jersey.

Number 7: 2020 and 2021 Vietnamese Grand Prix at Hanoi Street Circuit,
Story:By November 2018 it was announced that Vietnam was set to host its first Grand prix on the Hanoi Street Circuit. By 2020, the race was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. Recently the 2021 Grand Prix is off for now due to arrest on corruption charges of a key officials responsible for the race.

Hopfully, Hanoi will return to the F1 circult in 2022 with people who are not naughty.