HANOI, Vietnam – The Vietnam Grand Prix Corporation has confirmed the completion of the Hanoi Circuit, the site of this year’s VinFast Vietnam Grand Prix.
New images released Wednesday showcase the completed 5.607-km track.
Set to become one of the most challenging and exciting circuits in the sport, the Hanoi Circuit will stage the third round of the 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Championship from April 3-5, the first time that F-1 will race in Vietnam.
The remaining 150-meter long stretch of track was laid last week along the start/finish line to complete the 23-turn Hanoi Circuit, which features a unique hybrid design fusing a street circuit’s characteristics with a permanent track layout and is the first of its kind to be developed in partnership by Tilke Engineers and F-1’s own Motorsports Division.
This marks the final coating of the asphalt layer of the newly constructed track and signals a vital stage in the development of the Hanoi Circuit – the first ever F-1 track in Vietnam.
All materials were 100 percent locally sourced in Vietnam, with the circuit engineers scouring the country from North to South to find the best quality material which involved multiple testing at different mines located across Vietnam.
The stones that now make up the final layer of the Hanoi Circuit were gathered from the Quang Ninh province and went through a complex process before arriving at the circuit for the layering process.
This level of asphalt requires the right mix of friction and smoothness to make sure that when the cars reach 335 kph, it won’t cause stones to shoot up from the surface.
Wednesday’s milestone follows on from the recent completion of the Hanoi Circuit’s 300-meter long pit building, whose design was inspired by Hanoi’s famous Imperial Citadel of Thang Long as well as the Pavilion of the Constellation of Literature – the symbol of Hanoi – representing the nation’s long history and strong cultural legacy.
With the permanent constructions now in place, the promoter is currently focusing on the temporary structures around the circuit, including the grandstands – each named after iconic Vietnamese cities and locations – dotted along the circuit’s key points, as well as the media & medical centers, team hospitality tents, commentary booths and safety barriers.
“This is a major milestone for us to celebrate as we come closer to staging Vietnam’s first ever Formula 1 race weekend in just over a month’s time. We are beyond excited to witness the extraordinary sight of Formula 1 cars racing on this incredible circuit,” said Le Ngoc Chi, CEO of the Vietnam Grand Prix Corporation. “It will be a moment of great pride for the whole team here at VGPC and a fitting tribute to the hard work that has gone in to ensuring the newest track in F-1 is ready on time. With the help of everyone at Tilke and F1’s Motorsport Division, we feel confident in saying that this track will be one of the most challenging and exciting on the F1 calendar and we look forward to it quickly becoming a fan favorite.
“With grandstands and all remaining temporary structures also going up around the track, the excitement in and around Hanoi for the Formula 1 VinFast Vietnam Grand Prix 2020 is continuing to grow. We are ready and can’t wait to welcome the world to Hanoi very soon.”