The 'oldest' circuit on the F1 calendar.

Best known for the famous Indy 500 race, the American Indianapolis circuit is also the oldest on the world championship calendar with the first race dating back to 1909.

The track has all sorts of particularities which help to make it famous the world over. Truth be told, little has changed over the years in terms of the original track layout, a 2.5 mile oval.

Originally it was a dirt track but the high tyre wear and the huge clouds of dust kicked up led to the decision to resurface it completely, jusing around 3.2 million bricks, put down in a record 63 days and giving the circuit its Brickyard nickname.

Today, the bricks have gone, apart from a symbolic yard wide strip which goes the width of the track at the start-finish line. The first 500 was run in 1911 in May, just as it is today and during the Memorial Days, Indianapolis is transformed into the backdrop for the richest and most famous race. With a seating capacity of around 250,000, it is the biggest temple of sport in the world.

With grands prix in Europe creating interest, races were held at a variety of American tracks, starting with Sebring and River Side, then Watkins Glen on the east coast. The United States event then switched to the west coast in Long Beach. Other tracks included the Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix street circuits.

Finally, the current owner of the Indianapolis circuit, Tony George, decided to add a grand prix track to the existing oval, creating the ideal venue for the United States Grand Prix.

Ferrari has many close ties to the USA, including providing the first American F1 world champion, in the shape of Phil Hill, who took the title in 1961. Scuderia Ferrari is the only team to have taken part in the Indy 500 in 1952, when it still counted towards the World Championship.

Michael Schumacher won the first grand prix at Indianapolis for Ferrari in 2000, before finishing second the following year.