F1 circuit left abandoned and derelict a decade after famous Fernando Alonso win

Given the booming popularity of the sport, now is a good time for a new track to join the F1 schedule.

Miami arrived earlier this year while Las Vegas will become the third US race in 2023. The sport is also likely to return to Africa in the near future while is talk of another grand prix in South America, as well as street races in ‘destinations cities’ like London, Madrid and Nice.

However, for all the successful grand prix venues which have become staples of the calendar, there are those that have fallen off the venue. Some are still functions and could even return to the schedule one day, but others have fallen into complete disrepair and have been consigned to the F1 history books forever.

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Take the Valencia street circuit which hosted the European Grand Prix between 2008 and 2012. A part permanent, part temporary track skirting the city's harbour and America's Cup port area, it had a lot going for it.

But aside from a couple of memorable moments, it produced mostly dull racing. It lasted just five years on the calendar before race organisers, not F1, pulled the plug as they ran out of money two years before the end of its seven-year deal.

The track is perhaps best remembered for Mark Webber's spectacular crash in 2010 which saw him hit the back of Heikki Kovalainen's Lotus and somersault through the air. Fortunately, the Aussie landed the right side up and escaped unharmed.

There was also a dramatic victory for home favourite Fernando Alonso in 2012 – the final year of the grand prix – as he somehow fought Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel for the title in a decidedly slow Ferrari. That race also saw the final podium finish of Michael Schumacher's illustrious F1 career as he came home third in his Mercedes.

Which former F1 tracks would you like to see brought back? Tell us in the comments section below.

The temporary parts of the circuit soon returned to normal but around a third of the track was permanent and remains largely abandoned and open to the public.

While Valencia is a popular city break destination, a trip to the site of the F1 track perhaps wouldn’t be on your visitor checklist as much of the area is overgrown and strewn with rubbish and broken glass. Many of the concrete barriers and steel fences remaining standing while many of the sponsors’ logos are still visible.

But according to F1 vlogger Matt Amys, who visited the site recently, plans to clean up the area and spruce it up are finally underway, with parts of the track now being used for parking.

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