Max Verstappen highlights 'shame' facing F1 as historic circuits disappear

Max Verstappen has labelled Formula 1 losing iconic circuits from the calendar a "shame" as the championship heads to Imola for what is expected to be its final race at the historic venue for the foreseeable future.

This move away from traditional tracks is part of F1's shift towards incorporating more city-based street circuits.

Verstappen secured a comfortable victory at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, marking his fourth consecutive win at this venue, which boasts a rich Formula 1 history.

Imola's current contract with F1 concludes at the end of the year, and with no renewal talks currently apparent, Verstappen was prompted to share his thoughts on the potential loss of beloved tracks like Barcelona, Zandvoort, and Spa.

"Losing these kind of tracks is a shame," Verstappen stated. "I get it from F1’s side of things, of course - the new tracks that we are going to.

"You have to see it from a sportive side and a financial side, right? If you want to grow the business and make it more popular, I get it.

"For me, of course, personally, when I just speak about the enjoyment of driving, it’s these kind of tracks that made me fall in love with racing in general... The history of the sport at certain tracks... it’s all very special and gives you a bit more emotion to things. So, yeah, it’s definitely a shame for me personally."

Verstappen on Imola Victory

Verstappen's win was his second of the F1 season. With championship leader Oscar Piastri finishing third, Verstappen has closed the gap to 22 points.

Coming into the weekend, Verstappen expressed low expectations for victory. "I love driving here, but at the end of the day, you're still bound to what you get, right, with your car," he reflected.

"Now I think the last few years our car has always been working really well here. Of course, before I got here this weekend, I didn’t really have a lot of hope that we could actually win a race here.

"But then I think from yesterday onwards, the car was more competitive over one lap and luckily also today." He added, "I definitely enjoy driving here, but at the same time, the car has to work as well, to be able to do this."