F1 is now more popular than it’s ever been in its long and illustrious 75-year history, with the pinnacle of world motorsport celebrating this special milestone in 2025.

I’ve used my years of trackside know-how to put together some advice on which races are likely to deliver the best experience.

Why is F1 so popular?

While it has always represented the pinnacle of motorsport, the recent uptick of F1 in popularity is largely due to the global success of the Netflix docuseries Formula 1: Drive to Survive coupled with the current generation of younger, more fiercely competitive drivers going up against the well-established World Champions.

This tell-all series has spent five seasons exposing the world’s most expensive, spectacular and dangerous sport to millions of new and younger fans from every corner of the planet. This has contributed significantly to generating sell-out Grand Prix races all over the world, with correspondingly high global television audiences along with record amounts of sponsorship and team owner investment. 

Why attend an F1 Grand Prix?

As a traditional F1 fan and journalist, even after three decades, I find going to a Grand Prix overseas one of the most exciting visual, visceral and cultural experiences. This is because you visit a new country or city and experience first-hand the incredible speed and sound of these machines. When getting as close to the cars as possible, it becomes hard to believe that there are people inside these mobile missiles as they low-fly past you, in some cases with millimetres between them.

It is a particularly fantastic experience when visiting a foreign country for the first time—as global F1 fans display their passion for the sport and their hero drivers on a vastly higher emotive level than we are familiar with in Australia and New Zealand. This is particularly true across the European continent, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and the USA.

Looking at the bumper 24 race schedule for 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship™, there are a number of exciting events and location combinations that would make for an incredible Grand Prix holiday. Tied in with sightseeing and other attractions to make them truly memorable experiences not just for F1 fans, but for the whole family.

My dream F1 holiday triple-header

What could be better than the thrill of experiencing your first international Grand Prix? Experiencing three of them on the same trip! For me, a 2025 combination that makes for an incredible holiday while taking in three of the most fantastic F1 races in the world is the Imola GP, Monaco GP and Spanish GP.

These races take place across three consecutive weekends and are located reasonably close to each other, with all easily accessible by train, air or rental vehicle once in Europe.

ITALIAN GRAND PRIX (16–18 May)

Nestled in the hills of the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy, Imola is a beautiful town located close to Bologna. It is a magnificent part of the world with many pensione-style accommodation and hotel options. The food is incredible wherever you go, and the circuit is super-fast and exciting with excellent general admission vantage points.

These vantage points are crowded with excited Ferrari fans, known as the “Tifosi”. This translated to English means “Fanatics”—which in my opinion is putting it very mildly. They change the colour of the grandstands and spectator mounds to a world of red, making a heap of noise and creating an atmosphere that is truly unique, matched only by the orange army of die-hard Max Verstappen fans in the Netherlands and at other nearby Grand Prix venues.

MONACO GRAND PRIX (23–25 May)

This illustrious race needs no introduction as it is the most historic, prestigious and exciting Grand Prix event in F1. Many people think that it is untouchable due to cost, but this isn’t necessarily the case. It’s well-serviced by train and bus, and staying in towns within 30 minutes from the circuit won’t cost you the earth. Also, the principality is so small that walking will get you wherever you want to go.

The event is cramped though and you may not get the best views of the track action due to how compact it all is. But it is truly magic to visit this incredible place for what is usually an equally fantastic race. Just being able to say that you have been to the Monaco GP places you in an exclusive club. On the other hand, if cost isn’t such a concern, there are very expensive options available to view the race from one of the many magnificent superyachts moored in Monaco’s harbour, along with other trackside hotel options.

SPANISH GRAND PRIX (30 May–1 June)

My dream F1 Euro trifecta is completed in beautiful Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix. It’s in an incredible seaside city and a super-fast circuit located in the hills of Montmelo, about 40 minutes from the city centre. Barcelona is a historic city with lots of attractions and a wide range of accommodation options. Shuttle buses ferry fans from the city centre to the circuit each day extremely efficiently. Barcelona dining and sightseeing is truly something to behold and the race is full of crazy Spanish Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz fans, along with heaps of travelling “Tifosi”, adding to the enthusiasm and excitement.

All Grand Prix races are incredible experiences but on the top of my list of other truly great F1 races is the Singapore Grand Prix (3-5 October). This is our closest international Grand Prix, in a city which is spotless, safe and lively, with excellent public transport and heaps of accommodation options.

Other great races to attend in 2025

• AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX – Melbourne (14–16 March)

Great track visibility, easy public transport, nonstop on-track action and Melbourne’s fantastic dining and shopping scene.

• CHINESE GRAND PRIX – Shanghai (21–23 March)

A circuit that is beyond belief in its size and design, in a vibrant city with excellent food and entertainment.

• CANADIAN GRAND PRIX – Montreal (13–15 June)

An amazing city which always produces exciting races.

• UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX – Austin (17–19 October)

A great circuit with lots of fantastic vantage points, in a city with cool restaurants, bars and live music venues.

• LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX – Las Vegas (20–22 November)

The only Saturday night race of the season, a unique party atmosphere in a city best described as “Disneyland for adults”.

Travel arrangements

No matter which Grand Prix or combination of events you decide on, there is no doubt you will have a very special experience as long as you have all of your travel arrangements and tickets organised well in advance. Each host city is crazy busy during race weeks, so it is not wise to leave any arrangements to the last minute.

The 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship™ is set to be one of the best ever, as Ferrari (with Lewis Hamilton onboard), McLaren and Mercedes-AMG continue to take the fight to Red Bull Racing as we have seen develop spectacularly during 2024. It will be the final season of the current 1.5 litre turbocharged V6 hybrid engines, which have produced the fastest F1 cars in the 75-year history of the sport. 

2025 F1 calendar