Formula 1

FORMULA 1 2020 VIETNAM GRAND PRIX WILL BE POSTPONEMENT

Published

3 years ago

12/03/2020

FORMULA 1 2020 VIETNAM GRAND PRIX WILL BE POSTPONEMENT

The organisers of the Vietnam Grand Prix are rumoured to announce the event’s postponement following the coronavirus outbreak, it has been reported on Twitter, with local authorities sitting down with F1 chairman Chase Carey.

According to the photo, tweeted by user ParenRaval, it will be announced on March 15th, this Sunday. It is unclear whether the race will simply be postponed or will be scrapped entirely. The inaugural Vietnamese Grand Prix is set to take place on April 5th.

The Vietnam Grand Prix, which is currently scheduled as the third round on the 2020 Formula 1 calendar, looks set to follow the same fate as the Chinese GP, which has been postponed indefinitely.

Whilst no final decision on Vietnam’s fate has been made just yet, a source close to the race told MotorsportWeek that its postponement would be announced in due course unless the current situation rapidly improves – although that seems unlikely.

I’ve had confirmation from Vietnam authorities that their race is postponed. Looks like I need to rearrange travel plans! pic.twitter.com/WJWUFf8JD9— Paren (@ParenRaval) March 11, 2020

The country has suspended visa waivers for UK citizens, with visas only accessible via government-approved tour companies, therefore restricting access.

Whilst Vietnam has only reported 30 cases of Covid-19, it’s believed that figure is far higher with Vietnam sharing a 796-mile border with China and the location of the grand prix, in Hanoi, is just 200-miles south of that border.

The virus has already had an impact on F1 with the Bahrain GP taking the decision to race behind closed doors. The season-opening Australian GP this weekend is however going ahead as normal.