After nearly a year of speculation, it has been officially confirmed that a Formula One Grand Prix will be held in Hanoi in 2020.
According to VnExpress, city officials confirmed yesterday that the capital will host the race, with the circuit to be unveiled at a gala next week, the Hanoi People's Committee said Thursday in an invite to the event.
"The city of Hanoi managed to conclude the cooperation to be entitled as the official host of a race of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship (from) April 2020," the letter read.
Proposals for the race received approval from the government just over a month ago, although at that time it was yet to be officially confirmed. The location at the time was suggested to be in and around My Dinh Sports Complex in Hanoi’s western suburbs, where roads are wider.
At the time, Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung suggested the route would mainly take place on existing streets, but that some sections would require additional infrastructure to be created.
“It’s an open site where the pit building’s going to be built,” he said. “Part of the track will be built there which doesn’t exist at the moment. But it will become a road, I understand, after that.”
He also added that government funds would not be used to pay for the event and that advertising revenues from the event could be "huge" and would potentially cover the cost of the race.
There are currently 21 F1 races on the calendar, including six in Asia. Vietnam will be the third country in Southeast Asia to host a race, following Malaysia and Singapore, though the former is no longer on the schedule.
[Photo via Action Sports Connection/Thananuwat Srirasant]
