It's been eight long years since we last saw classic or retro circuits grace the official Formula 1 game. Despite the F1 game's continued improvements in both the quality and quantity of its content, these have never made a return.
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With EA now owning Codemasters though, there is huge scope for a potential return via DLC. We won't be including circuits like Portimao and Imola that will be added via DLC later this year, but these are the five we'd choose for F1 2021!
1 - Brands Hatch
One of the classic circuits from F1 2013 was Brands Hatch and we'd love to see it make a return in F1 2021. Thanks to its small pit area, Formula 1 will never go back here in real life. So, that makes the official F1 game the perfect place to enjoy Brands.
Brands hosted the British and European Grands Prix on and off from the mid-1960s to the mid-80s. While not on the level of Silverstone (few circuits are), Brands' short distance and high-speed layout make it a thrill ride in a modern F1 car.
Fast racers will likely be able to lap the circuit in less than a minute, meaning that long races will see lapped traffic come into play for the leaders. Corners like the famous Paddock Hill Bend and Hawthorns make this circuit a real challenge and one we'd love to try this year's F1 cars around.
2 - Fuji
The Fuji Speedway hasn't seen a lot of Formula 1 action over the years, but it's always provided entertainment. In 1976, Fuji played host to the championship decider between James Hunt and Niki Lauda, one of the most dramatic seasons ever.
While making a brief cameo return in 2007 and '08, Fuji also saw the heavens open once more to let Sir Lewis Hamilton take a memorable victory. Like Brands, Fuji is not on the level of the circuit which hosts the Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka), but it is a fantastic track in its own right.
It'd be great to see the cars power down the long start/finish pit straight and round corners like the mighty 100R.
3 - Kyalami
There have been so many calls for a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Africa in recent years. The most likely location would be a return to South Africa's Kyalami circuit.
Kyalami has changed a lot since it was last on the calendar in the 1990s. The circuit has received massive upgrades and is now knocking on the door of becoming an FIA Grade 1 circuit.
The track layout used in the 1960s through to the 1980s was the best in our opinion, but because of licensing issues, Codies would have to use the current layout. That being said, corners like Sunset and Leeukop are thrilling to drive, and would be fantastic to see the current F1 cars race around them.
4 - Adelaide
Formula 1 has found a home in Australia's Albert Park, but the circuit that it used to travel to is another fine track. Adelaide was used for the Australian Grand Prix between 1985 and 1995 and produced some fantastic contests.
These include Nigel Mansell's blowout in 1986 and Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill's controversial crash in 1994. The circuit was also prone to wet weather too, as those in the 1991 contest found out, the shortest ever.
This is a proper street circuit, as the walls are never far away from the edge of the track. This makes Adelaide up there with Monaco and Singapore in this regard, as all mistakes are punished.
5 - Indianapolis
Rumours are rife at the moment of a second USGP at Indianapolis this year. While that hasn't been confirmed, we could see Indy come back as a classic circuit in F1 2021. Formula 1 had a troubled relationship with this circuit, but in pure racing terms, it's a great one to race around.
The F1 (road course) layout sees you go backward out of the oval's first corner and up the pit straight. The infield section is also a real challenge for the cars, despite its flat nature.
There's no getting around it, The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the premier venues of motorsport and to have a Formula 1 race back here would be fantastic. Just a note as well, the layout of the road course has changed slightly since 2007, with a chicane being added before the final banked corner. If only they had that in 2005...
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