My Top Five Current F1 Circuits

There are many great racing circuits that have held but no longer hold Formula One races. This is a pick of my favourite five tracks that are currently part of the Formula One World Championship:

1. Circuit Gilles Villenueve - Now one of the older tracks on the Grand Prix calender, the venue of the Canadian Grand Prix has changed little in the last 33 years it has hosted Formula One races. A circuit that is hard on cars due to the amount of hard accelerating and braking and is hard on drivers thanks to the close proximity of the concrete walls around the edges of the track. For one reason or another races at this Montreal track usually provide some good old fashioned racing and the odd surprise.
2. Hungaroring - Every year I hear people say that the Hungarian Grand Prix is always a boring processional race where it is impossible to pass. I wonder if these people actually have watched any of the races held at the track near Budapest? There have been many classic Grand Prix races at the Hungaroring; Mansell passing (overtaking on the track not in the pits as is done today) almost half the field to win in 1989, Boutsen holding off Senna the following year, Damon Hill nearly winning in the Arrows in 1997, Fernando Alonsos first victory (where he lapped Michael Schumacher) in 2003 and Jenson Buttons wins in 2006 and this year. 
3. Monte-Carlo - I mention the Monaco circuit because it is truly a unique event on the calender. It has run virtually the same route through the streets since the first event over 80 years ago. The narrow streets and sharp turns mean passing is very difficult though not impossible. Monaco is not just about the racing though, it's about the glamour. Beautiful rich people living seemingly carefree existences, partying hard on their yachts or sipping Martinis while viewing the race from a hotel balcony. This is the kind of imagery that makes young men want to become Grand Prix drivers and long may it continue.
4. Yas Marina - To me the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the closest a modern day circuit has got to the Monaco GP. Like Monte-Carlo there seems to be plenty of partying on the yachts in the harbour during the race weekend as well as plenty of other sports and entertainment celebrities mingling with the F1 in-crowd. The circuit also looks super futuristic, especially as the sun sets and the lights on the hotel start glowing, it takes on the look of a science fiction movie. I've also found all three races held there so far, tremendously exciting, just because cars aren't overtaking each other all the time doesn't mean they aren't racing.
5. Monza - Thankfully Monza has not been subjected to the same desecration that happened to the Hockenheimring a few years back. The Italian circuit still retains the flat out straights that make it the fastest track on the F1 Calender. The main feature about Monza is though the Tifosi, fanatically supporting their beloved Ferraris. It's the closest Formula One has to a team having a true home venue, as in other sports like Football, where the whole crowd is behind them.