Fraser MasefieldThe first images and video of the Vietnam Grand Prix circuit, that will be raced on in 2020, have been released by the organisers of the event.
Work started on the 5.565km street circuit in Hanoi earlier this year and will be completed in time for a proposed April date on the provisional calendar, with tickets already on sale to the public this month.
The layout will feature a brand-new pit and paddock complex, and Lawrence Barretto of Formula1.com says the Hermann Tilke-designed track has “a real desire to steer away from humdrum 90-degree road-junction type corners and foster a layout that facilitates wheel-to-wheel racing while retaining a closed-in street feel that makes city race tracks so demanding for drivers”.
The virtual lap of the circuit is impressive indeed, with cars expected to reach speeds of up to 335 km/h down the circuit’s long 1.5km back straight that begins after a long hairpin. At the end of the hairpin, like in Shanghai, there is a grandstand located on the outside that offers spectators lucky enough to have a ticket stunning views of the racing.
Similar in design ethos to what Tilke accomplished with the successful Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, the circuit takes inspiration in layout from some of the most famed circuits in the world. According to Formula 1, Turns 1 and 2 based on the Nurburgring, Turns 12-15 are inspired by Monaco, Turns 16-19 the Esses at Suzuka and the final three corners take inspiration from Malaysia’s Sepang.
Vietnam will be the fourth street race on the calendar, alongside Monaco, Singapore and Azerbaijan, and joins historic Dutch Grand Prix circuit Zandvoort as new additions to the 2020 calendar that will provisionally take the season to 23 races.
Yet, with contracts due to expire in Spain, Germany, Italy and Mexico, the likelihood is that one of those circuits will be dropped.
Craig Scarborough
Motorsport Technology