The Unrealized Vietnamese Grand Prix: A Look Back at the Derelict Track
Before the terms “lockdown” and “Zoom family quiz” became commonplace, Formula 1 harbored ambitious plans for 2020. The season was slated to witness F1’s return to the Netherlands after 35 years and the series’ inaugural race in Vietnam. However, when Covid-19 struck, these plans were abruptly halted. Although F1 eventually raced at Zandvoort in the Netherlands the following year, the series never graced the $600 million track built for the Vietnamese Grand Prix.
The Birth and Demise of the Vietnamese Grand Prix
Announced by Liberty Media in 2018 under F1’s new ownership, the Vietnamese Grand Prix was set to be the first brand-new race on the F1 calendar. A track layout was designed in collaboration with renowned designer Hermann Tilke, incorporating city streets and purpose-built sections intended for public use later. Construction on these bespoke sections commenced in March 2019, and the track was approved less than a year later, just in time for its debut in April 2020.
Regrettably, the race never materialized due to unrelated corruption charges against Hanoi People’s Committee Chairman Nguyễn Đức Chung, one of the event’s key stakeholders. This unfortunate turn of events has left Vietnam off the F1 schedule, and the track remains a testament to an ambitious project that never came to fruition.
The Current State of the Abandoned Track
Five years after the race was scheduled to take place, YouTube channel Beach Office ventured into the derelict racetrack to document its state. Pristine landscaping around the track has begun to rewild, and illuminations over paths and roads have deteriorated due to lack of maintenance. Potholes have appeared in tarmac sections as plants grow through the cracks, and road markings indicating twists and turns in the track have faded.
Remarkably, the grid boxes on the start line appear almost untouched, with bright white and yellow markings still visible where cars should have lined up on 5 April, 2020. From a distance, the grand pit building seems well-maintained, but closer inspection reveals signs of decay. Grey marks drip down the fences and balustrades that line the seating areas intended for VIPs and guests, and the finish isn’t as polished as we’ve come to expect from F1.
Only the landscaped grounds, paddock building, and a short section of track remain of the project. The city streets commandeered for the grand prix are still used by commuters and delivery drivers navigating Hanoi, under the shadow of towering lights that should have illuminated the track.
This film offers a fascinating glimpse into a race that never happened but has its place in F1’s history books. In the world of esports, however, Vietnam made an appearance in the 2020 Formula 1 game and was featured in F1’s own esports league that year.
