Formula 1 is exploring different options for racing in Asia in the second half of 2020 following the cancellation of Suzuka’s round of the world championship.
The series confirmed last week the Japanese Grand Prix will not be held, for the first time since 1986. This year’s race was due to go ahead on October 11th.RaceFans understands Formula 1 is keen to use the gap to reschedule earlier rounds of the championship in Asia which were postponed.
The series’ first preference is to find space for races in both China and Vietnam. The promoter of the latter’s race said last month they are still seeking a replacement date for what would be their inaugural grand prix.
There are significant logistical obstacles to rescheduling Vietnam’s round of the championship, however. The usual challenges of holding a new race would be amplified by it being held on a temporary circuit and attempting to do so in a city in spite of ongoing restrictions arising from the pandemic.
Nonetheless F1 hopes to offset the cost of travelling to China for its round of the world championship by staging another race in the region. If Hanoi cannot go ahead, Shanghai could host a double-header.
“We are working closely with our promoter in China on rearranging this years race and those discussions are ongoing,” a Formula 1 spokesperson told RaceFans.
Video: A closer look at Hanoi Street Circuit in F1 2020
Read our in-depth first play preview of F1 2020 and find more videos of it 2020 on the RaceFans YouTube page:
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
2020 F1 season
- Pictures: Wrecked chassis from Grosjean’s Bahrain fireball crash to go on display
- Bottas vs Rosberg: Hamilton’s Mercedes team mates compared after 78 races each
- F1 revenues fell by $877 million in Covid-struck 2020 season
- Hamilton and Mercedes finally announce new deal for 2021 season
- F1 audience figures “strong” in 2020 despite dip in television viewers
Jere (@jerejj)
15th June 2020, 11:46
But wasn’t the Vietnamese GP already more or less a given no-goer for this year based on the most recent reports? Rescheduling it for this year is effectively impossible logistically unless it’d become a fixture late-season event for the future, i.e., would take place within the Northern Hemisphere-autumn next year rather than spring as was supposed to happen this year. I hope it would become a late-season event instead, which, in this case, would also make it more suitable for Hanoi to form a double-header with another event next year if it were its second race rather than inaugural.
BasCB (@bascb)
15th June 2020, 12:57
Yeah, but this probably a) offers Vietnam the option to say yes, if they want/can (might be also a contractual obligation to offer the chance, since now a slot is free due to Japan dropping out) and b) always good to at least show china there is an alternative solution, to keep the pressure on the price for holding the race @jerejj.
I agree that Hanoi is quite unlikely to happen, a second race in China might be realistic.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
15th June 2020, 16:55
@bascb I think you have read the situation correctly – even if the promoters want Hanoi to happen, I can envisage the government vetoing it if it doesn’t want to hold mass events at that point.
kenji
15th June 2020, 11:50
With the resurgence of the ‘Kung Flu’ in China i would think that ATM it would be unwise to even consider China as a venue.
Chaitanya
15th June 2020, 12:31
Also it would be wise to drop Chinese GP for good.
BasCB (@bascb)
15th June 2020, 12:58
Yeah, but you know, Money. China is willing to pay significant money for the race, so Liberty is unlikely to just walk away from that.
ColdFly (@)
15th June 2020, 15:44
“Kung Flu”. Seriously?
I thought only Trump could come up with inappropriate wordplays.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
15th June 2020, 16:56
China can’t be dropped unilaterally by Liberty due to contractual obligations. Of course, if COVID-19 prevents hosting one round, the second round is not likely to happen either.
BasCB (@bascb)
15th June 2020, 12:55
Makes sense. I guess the reaction to this will be from Hanoi to inform F1/Libery that they do not see a street race without visitors as a viable option, even more so when it means holding it this close to next year’s event (less than 6 months).
I wouldn’t really mind 2 races in China, the track is decent enough, I guess. Would be nice to have one dry race and a wet race though, to give some variability.
JC
15th June 2020, 23:30
I’d really like to see a return of the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Asanator (@asanator)
17th June 2020, 14:36
Yes please