Formula 1: Abandoned Grand Prix back on the schedule?

Plans were underway in the late 2010s for another Grand Prix in East Asia. Vietnam’s Hanoi City was chosen in 2018 as the venue and its debut was expected to happen during the 2020 season. The street circuit was anticipated to be a part of Formula 1 for many years.

But due to COVID-19, the Vietnamese Grand Prix was canceled in 2020, though plans were still in place for the Grand Prix to debut in 2021.

However, the city’s mayor, Nguyen Duc Chung, was convicted of corruption charges in late 2020 and sentenced to five years in jail. As a result, Formula 1 opted to distance itself from him and the Grand Prix, which ultimately led to its contract expiring before the race ever actually took place.

Could the Vietnamese Grand Prix be revived?

Though the venue has been abandoned ever since, it was once an FIA grade circuit suitable for the pinnacle of motorsport. In 2023, it was rumored that Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali met with the prime minister of Vietnam and the mayor of Hanoi, most likely to discuss bringing back the Vietnamese Grand Prix to the Formula 1 calendar.

Some key members of Formula 1’s upper management are in favor of running races on a rotational basis from 2026 onwards. If this new approach were to be implemented, Hanoi City could find itself back on the calendar in a few years.

The Vietnamese Grand Prix finally making its debut would bring a lot of exciting racing. The circuit, which is featured in the F1 2020 video game, is said to have a similar feel to Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia, which has been very successful since being added to the schedule in 2021.

Despite Formula 1's failure to make the Vietnamese Grand Prix a reality after nearly $600 million was spent, the coordination has already been done once. The country and Formula 1 have every ability to revive the race together and give fans another great race on the calendar.