Vietnam Grand Prix adds new corner to racing track ahead of F1 debut

Le Ngoc Chi, CEO of the Vietnam Grand Prix Corporation, said: "In the course of building our new track and carrying out geographical assessments, we have adjusted turn 22 and added turn 23 in consultation with Formula 1 and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)."

According to an article published Wednesday on the F1 website, the 23 corner is a revised sequence of turns at the end of the lap and the track is widened by around 15 m. The newly added corner will extend the circuit length from 5.565 km to 5.607 km, making Hanoi circuit the second F1 venue with 23 turns after Singapore’s Marina Bay Street circuit.

Work on Hanoi's circuit is on track to be completed by early January, including the 300 m-long pit building that is said to be inspired by the Thang Long Imperial Citadel in the capital city. Work is set to be finished by the end of this year.

Work proceeds on the pit building and race track for nation’s first ever F1 race, the Vietnam Grand Prix, in Hanoi. Photo courtesy of Vietnam Grand Prix Corporation.

The circuit for the Vietnam Grand Prix 2020 will run around the My Dinh Stadium, around 13 kilometers from downtown Hanoi. The event is scheduled for April 3-5, the third F1 race of the season after Australia and Bahrain.

The Hanoi race will be held as a seven-day event, including parades and showcasing of race cars. Streets will be barricaded for around four to five days before the race starts and traffic rerouted.

Hanoi has already signed a 10-year contract to host the race, with an option to extend it.