Formula One street race in Hanoi looks like a done deal
Vietnam could be added to the annual Formula 1 Grand Prix series as early as in 2020, according to former Formula One tycoon Bernie Ecclestone. The 87-year-old, who is still employed by Liberty Media, the current owner of the Formula One brand, revealed that the Vietnamese government would be “paying a lot” for a Grand Prix event.
Plans are to hold a street race in Hanoi, which sounds a bit surprising given the narrow roads and tree-lined boulevards in the country’s capital. However, the Vietnamese government seems to be committed to provide a Formula One-certified circuit in order to promote the city all over the globe to a multi-million audience.
Ecclestone, who was initially opposing a race in Vietnam due to the country’s lack of race history, now said that hosting a Grand Prix in Vietnam would boost the bottom line of the auto racing series by $50 million annually.
Vietnam stepped in the spotlight after the Malaysian Grand Prix dropped off the Formula One calendar as the government there said it was too costly and its promotional value had diminished. Since then, Formula One bosses have talked about expanding in China, and there have also been talks with Thailand, which came to nothing.
Instead, Vietnam is already an important emerging market for some of Formula One’s global sponsors such as Dutch brewer Heineken.
Vietnam was first considered a possibility in Formula One circles in August last year, alongside Argentina, but neither looked to be promising destinations for international motorsport at the time. But know Hanoi will highly be added to the street circuits that made up three of the 2017 Formula One season’s 20 races, namely Monaco, Azerbaijan and Singapore.
[caption id="attachment_30960" align="alignleft" width="300"] Street life in Hanoi © Arno Maierbrugger[/caption] Vietnam could be added to the annual Formula 1 Grand Prix series as early as in 2020, according to former Formula One tycoon Bernie Ecclestone. The 87-year-old, who is still employed by Liberty Media, the current owner of the Formula One brand, revealed that the Vietnamese government would be "paying a lot" for a Grand Prix event. Plans are to hold a street race in Hanoi, which sounds a bit surprising given the narrow roads and tree-lined boulevards in the country's capital. However, the Vietnamese government seems to be...
Vietnam could be added to the annual Formula 1 Grand Prix series as early as in 2020, according to former Formula One tycoon Bernie Ecclestone. The 87-year-old, who is still employed by Liberty Media, the current owner of the Formula One brand, revealed that the Vietnamese government would be “paying a lot” for a Grand Prix event.
Plans are to hold a street race in Hanoi, which sounds a bit surprising given the narrow roads and tree-lined boulevards in the country’s capital. However, the Vietnamese government seems to be committed to provide a Formula One-certified circuit in order to promote the city all over the globe to a multi-million audience.
Ecclestone, who was initially opposing a race in Vietnam due to the country’s lack of race history, now said that hosting a Grand Prix in Vietnam would boost the bottom line of the auto racing series by $50 million annually.
Vietnam stepped in the spotlight after the Malaysian Grand Prix dropped off the Formula One calendar as the government there said it was too costly and its promotional value had diminished. Since then, Formula One bosses have talked about expanding in China, and there have also been talks with Thailand, which came to nothing.
Instead, Vietnam is already an important emerging market for some of Formula One’s global sponsors such as Dutch brewer Heineken.
Vietnam was first considered a possibility in Formula One circles in August last year, alongside Argentina, but neither looked to be promising destinations for international motorsport at the time. But know Hanoi will highly be added to the street circuits that made up three of the 2017 Formula One season’s 20 races, namely Monaco, Azerbaijan and Singapore.
