The Formula 1 race calendar is far too monotonous for Jacques Villeneuve: the Canadian is in favor of exotic locations and would like to see a race on the polar day
The Formula 1 race calendar will once again feature a record number of 24 races in 2025, taking the racing cars around the world several times. However, apart from a few changes in the order of events – the season opener will once again take place in Australia instead of Bahrain – fans will look in vain for new tracks on the calendar.
If former world champion Jacques Villeneuve has his way, the premier class will not do itself any favors by keeping the same venues for years. The Canadian calls for more variety and advises those in charge to dare to do something different: “I would love to see a Grand Prix in Scandinavia or Iceland – but Africa would also make sense,” says the 1997 champion in an article for PrimeCasino.
Villeneuve explains: “I would go to a couple of unusual places, like Iceland. At least one race a year should not just be about the money it can bring to F1, because of course there is not a lot of population there – but just about the place itself: Hawaii, Iceland, I don’t know, something out there that is fun and edgy,” said the Canadian, who believes ‘it makes it exciting for the whole season, it’s something that would stand out.’
Race on the polar day in northern Sweden or Finland?
As an example, Villeneuve cites the classic in Monte Carlo: “When we come to Monaco, some people say it’s a boring race, but it’s still a special place. It would be sad not to have that anymore because it stands out when you otherwise have 23 races that are all similar. It’s good to have a few that are a little different, a spark, a star in the calendar.”
The former Williams driver believes that Formula 1 doesn’t have to change everything: “Once a year, it would be good to have a race that moves around the planet, to go to a curious place, even at the expense of F1 – to make it more international, more exciting, more fun, more original.”
The 53-year-old would also like to see a change in the conditions under which the races are held: “I would go to northern Sweden or Finland, at midsummer, when there is no night. Race at midnight in the sunshine,” demands Villeneuve: “That would be cool, just things like that, that are crazy. Just one or two races like that, the rest can stay the same.“
”Villeneuve’s vision” led to New York, Paris, Rome
Incidentally, Villeneuve’s opinion on the subject is anything but new: as early as 20 years ago, the Canadian expressed his ideal ideas regarding the race calendar in the computer and Playstation game “Speed Challenge – Jacques Villeneuve’s Racing”, which he co-developed in 2002. Even then, the ex-world champion was way ahead of his time with his ideas:
In futuristic cars, which are strongly reminiscent of Adrian Newey’s Red Bull X2010 and X2014 prototypes developed for Gran Turismo around ten years later, the game took players into the middle of cities and to exotic places such as New York, under the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Colosseum in Rome – a bit like Formula E eventually took up.
The Villeneuve game also included a race around the pyramids in Egypt. The Canadian is still convinced that in 2025, Formula One will urgently need to close the gap in the race calendar that the absence of the African continent has left behind for a good three decades: “F1 is global, more than ever, and Africa is the continent that is missing,” he says.
Africa comeback: Rwanda is in the starting blocks
“So it seems logical that there should be an effort to go to Africa. Where? I don’t know enough about Africa to really make a good suggestion about where it would be good,” says Villeneuve. However, one thing is clear: Formula One is indeed in advanced negotiations with Rwanda about a race, and the FIA gala was held there in mid-December – though it also had to take some criticism.
“To be honest, it’s also very political where you go. F1 is expensive, so you have to be careful with it,” warns Villeneuve, and at the same time raises the question: ”Would it be a new track or would it be better to go to the city, as in Las Vegas, which also seems to be a good trend, to have a good balance?” Ex-F1 driver Alex Wurz is said to be in charge of planning the circuit near Kigali, and he is currently also working on the new track in Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia.
The last time Formula 1 was on the African continent was in 1992 and 1993, when the South African Grand Prix was held in Kyalami. However, talks about a return to the historic venue have repeatedly come to nothing. Now the relatively small country of Rwanda could take the helm – and bring the premier class at least a little closer to Villeneuve’s vision…
