F1 HISTORY
By Graham Duxbury @ TheRealDux
FULL CIRCLE: Formula One keeps returning to the streets
The world’ s very first motor race was run on the dusty, rutted roads between Paris and Rouen on 22 July 1894. Often travelling no faster than the horse-drawn carriages with which he shared the route, Count Jules de Dion, in his steam-powered“ tractor”, won after an exhausting six hours and 48 minutes behind the wheel- or more correctly, the tiller. He averaged just over 18 km / h and covered 128 kilometres.
Graham Duxbury is a former professional racing driver, celebrated SA champion and acclaimed motorsport administrator and commentator. A South African Hall of Fame Inductee, he made history in 1984 by winning the famous Daytona 24-hour sports car race in the USA in an all-South African team. Today, he heads Duxbury Networking, a leading IT company.
His prize? Two thousand French francs- roughly R1,000 in modern terms- a tidy sum in those early days of motoring.
The idea of racing between cities quickly captured the public’ s imagination. As the automobile emerged from novelty to practical transport, France became the cradle of competitive motoring. Races soon linked Paris with Bordeaux, Marseille, Amsterdam and beyond. These events were as much tests of endurance and reliability as they were contests of speed. They were run on open public roads with minimal safety provisions.
City-to-city racing flourished until the dawn of the 20th century, when tragedy struck. During a race from Paris to Berlin, a fatal accident involving a young spectator prompted the French authorities to ban open road racing. Under pressure from the growing motor industry, the government relented only once, allowing a final“ great race” from Paris to Vienna before the era came to a close.
It was the Belgians who offered a practical solution to the French ban. Rather than racing from one city to another, why not compete on a closed loop? Their answer was the Circuit des Ardennes, an 80-kilometre public-road
Photo Credit: Red Bull circuit. The concept proved immediately popular. It was seen as safer as it was closed to public transport and easier to police. What’ s more, it allowed spectators to witness multiple laps of the action.
Thus, road-course circuit racing- the foundation of modern motorsport- was born.
Over time, circuits became progressively shorter and more manageable as organisers prioritised marshalling, crowd control and public safety. Purpose-built race tracks began appearing across Europe and beyond, yet many retained the character of public road courses. Several incorporated ordinary roads temporarily closed for competition- such as South Africa’ s East London Grand Prix Circuit, which hosted important Formula One races in the 1960s.
As motorsport evolved, racing moved not only through countryside landscapes but also into urban environments. Authorities in several cities permitted temporary street closures for competition, giving rise to some of the sport’ s most iconic venues.
Foremost among them is the Monaco GP, first held in 1929. Run through the tight streets of Monte Carlo, it is widely regarded today as the jewel in F1’ s crown, combining technical challenges with glamour and history.
The circuit famously defies many modern design principles regarding overtaking and safety, yet its prestige remains unmatched. Former world champion Nelson Piquet once likened racing there to“ riding a bicycle around your living room”.
The endurance of Monaco reflects a broader paradox within modern F1. While vast resources have been invested in constructing technologically advanced permanent facilities for circuits such as Sakhir in Bahrain, Shanghai in China, Lusail in Qatar and Yas Marina Abu Dhabi, there is a renewed appetite for racing through city streets.
In this light, street circuits will make a big impact on the F1 calendar in 2026. The Melbourne Street Circuit in Albert Park opens the season, while other street races are held in Saudi Arabia( Jeddah), Azerbaijan( Baku) and Singapore. The Miami Autodrome uses streets located around the famous Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
The newest street circuit, which makes its debut in 2026 is the Madrid circuit in Spain, known as the Madring. The hybrid layout( street and purpose-built sections) includes 22 corners and features steep banking, similar to the Zandvoort circuit which is no longer on the F1 schedule.
Street tracks are one of the“ biggest things” in F1 at present and in demand by countries eager to show off their famous cities to the world by using the many TV channels who have millions of TV viewers representing a rapidly growing F1 fan base.
From the dusty road between Paris and Rouen to today’ s glittering urban showcases, the evolution of motor racing reveals a remarkable continuity: the enduring fascination of speed in the public space.
WORDS IN ACTION 33 MARCH 2026