Hopes for a Formula 1 race in Vietnam look to have faded, as the $600 million track has now been abandoned in the centre of Hanoi. Despite signing a 10-year deal to host the race in 2018, the track did not appear on any subsequent calendar . Now the 5.6 kilometre circuit now looks like the regular scene of abandoned race tracks. RacingNews365.com understands that the safety systems including the race electronics and TecPro barriers have been sold to other venues, while 1,500 of the debris fences provided by Swiss company Geobrugg were sold to the upcoming Formula E circuit in Hyderabad. The spectator stands have also been removed and locals have reclaimed the roads in the areas surrounding the circuit. The race was supposed to make its debut at the start of the 2020 season, but that had to be cancelled owing to the global outbreak of Coronavirus.
Hanoi mayor jailed for corruption dashes all last hopes
The street circuit venue would have cost Vietnam $60 million a year, with the idea to reshape Hanoi's image and exhibit their growing economy. The fee was set to be picked up by the country's largest private conglomerate, VinGroup. After the 2020 cancellation the race was already up in the air, when Hanoi city mayor Nguyen Due Chung was arrested and subsequently sentenced for 10 years in jail on corruption charges. Now, according to AFP , state media in Vietnam say city authorities have ruled out hosting the race between 2022 and 2029 in June last year.
Most read
