There’s no single formula for what constitutes a great racetrack. Many world-famous circuits vary in distance, elevation and the number of high-speed corners. But the one thing they all have in common? Crowds of motor-racing fans flocking to the stands to witness history in the making.

From the relentless speed of ‘The Green Hell’ to the demanding G-Forces of the Maggots-Becketts sequence at Silverstone, here’s our pick of the world’s best racetracks.

Nürburgring Nordschleife, Germany

Colloquially known as ‘The Green Hell’, Nürburgring Nordschleife is arguably the most challenging circuit in the world. It’s also the place the world’s best performance car makers gravitate to when benchmarking their latest and greatest machines.

Located near the town of Nürburg in western Germany, 'The Green Hell' title was coined by Scottish Formula 1 driver Sir Jackie Stewart after winning a wet and foggy 1968 German Grand Prix there. Boasting an incredible 20.8km length – punctuated by frequent elevation changes, uneven surfaces, blind corners, crests and an alarming lack of run off in many places – the circuit is renowned for its phenomenal average and peak speeds.

On 28 October 2022, the Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar officially became the world’s fastest road-legal production car around the circuit. Driven by German professional racing driver Maro Engel, it achieved a top speed of 338km on its way to a lap time of 6 minutes 35.183 seconds.

This phenomenal result shaved more than eight seconds off the time of the previous record holder.

Mount Panorama, Australia

Ask any professional racing driver if there is a ‘must-drive’ circuit on their bucket list, and it’s very likely that Mount Panorama will be in their top five.

Set amidst rolling farmland on the outskirts of the regional New South Wales city of Bathurst, this track is actually a sleepy rural public road for most of the year. But in October, the picturesque pastoral setting is transformed into the rumbling heartland of Australian touring car racing for the annual Bathurst 1000.

Many of the greatest moments in Australian motor racing history have occurred there, including the late great Peter Brock’s unparalleled nine race wins between 1972 and 1987 – which earned him the title ‘King of the Mountain’.

Mt Panorama also attracts the best international drivers and manufacturers for the annual Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race. In 2022-23, the blisteringly quick and superbly reliable #75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 – driven by Kenny Habul, Jules Gounon and Luca Stolz – cemented itself as the dominant marque against the world’s best, claiming back-to-back Bathurst 12 Hour victories.

Silverstone, UK

The famed UK circuit in the East Midlands has been a happy hunting ground for Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 driver and seven-time Formula One World Champion, Lewis Hamilton. The British driver has famously won at Silverstone eight times, a feat he’s also achieved at Hungary’s Hungaroring – although there’s little doubt his victories at the ‘the home of British motorsport’ taste sweeter.

Having hosted the first modern Formula One Grand Prix championship race in 1950, Silverstone is known as the birthplace of Formula 1. The technically challenging circuit is a middling 5.89km in length, but with its combination of high-speed corners and straights, it’s regularly ranked as one of the most challenging.

The famous Maggots-Becketts sequence of left-right-left-right-left turns demands total commitment and unerring precision. Drivers must take the high-speed section flat-out at around 308km/h while dealing with G-forces greater than astronauts experience during a rocket launch.

“Every time I came around Turn 7, I could see the fans cheering every single lap… I've got some great supporters here, not only in the crowd, but in the garage as well.”

Circuit de Monaco, Monaco

Like Silverstone, Circuit de Monaco is one of the few tracks still in use today that traces its lineage back to the beginning of the modern Formula 1 era in 1950. The 3.337km street circuit located in the Principality of Monaco is arguably F1’s most famous and its most challenging, weaving its way through the narrow lanes and tight corners of historic Monte Carlo, and alongside the spectacular harbourside Le Condamine.

With the technical challenges presented by highly variable speeds on different sections, barriers that tightly hem the track, elevation changes, lack of overtaking opportunities and the contrasting daylight and gloom of its famous tunnel, Circuit de Monaco is regarded as the ultimate test of car control and driving skills.

Lewis Hamilton showed his courage here in 2019. At the Monaco Grand Prix, he set the fastest-ever qualifying lap time in his Mercedes W10 Formula 1 car – enroute to claiming the fourth of 11 race victories that year and his sixth Formula One World Driver’s Championship in the United States.

By Jonathan Weller