Vietnam Grand Prix tickets put national symbols on the fast track

Organizers of the Formula 1 Vietnam Grand Prix 2020 said they hope that the tickets will serve as an "ambassador" for the country, taking Vietnamese culture to global audiences.

The stylized palm-leaf conical hat (non la) with the colors of the national flag graces the General Admission ticket.

Non la is a widely recognized cultural symbol of the Vietnamese people that is familiar to millions of women in rural and urban Vietnam to this day.

The Grandstand ticket features a mask with an innocent smile. The mask is a stage prop commonly seen in Vietnamese theater art and during traditional festivals like the Lunar New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Organizers said they chose this image to convey the message of Vietnamese friendliness and hospitality when welcoming international friends to the first F1 race in Vietnam. It also demonstrates the positive attitude of Vietnamese people to overcome difficulties in life, they said.

The image used in the Gold Lounge ticket is based on a Dong Ho folk painting called "Lon an cay ray" or "Pig eating alocasia."

Dong Ho painting is a uniquely Vietnamese art that originated in an eponymous craft village on the banks of the Duong River in Bac Ninh Province, about 35 km (21 miles) from Hanoi. The traditional themes of Dong Ho paintings are good luck signs, historical figures, folk allegories, popular stories, and social commentaries.

The original Dong Ho paintings did not have garish colors. They were warm and easy on the eye, all made from all natural materials: black from the ash of burned bamboo leaves, yellow from flowers of the Japanese pagoda tree, red from sappanwood, and green from the bark of cajuput trees.

With the Yin and Yang vortex on the pig, the image signifies people’s wish for prosperity, development and blessings. On the ticket, the picture has a yellow tone conveying warm wishes to the ticket holder.

The Platinum Champions Club ticket carries the lotus, considered Vietnam's national flower, representing purity and dignity. Throughout Vietnamese history, the lotus has been considered a noble flower, symbolizing both royalty and Vietnamese spirit and vitality.

The Diamond Suite ticket features the famous Dong Son bronze drum fabricated originally in the Red River Delta from about 1,000 BC to the first century AD. The drum is a powerful symbol of Vietnamese history and culture.

Dong Son drums were the earliest form of bronze drums found in Southeast Asia and southern China, and have been used by many different ethnic groups from prehistoric times to the present. The intricately decorated bronze drums testify to a high level of technical skills in bronze casting. The decoration depicts mythical birds – the mysterious Lac in particular – and other animals, as well as scenes of human activities like ceremonies, hunting and fishing. The patterns signify people's wishes and dreams for a happy and joyful life.

The inaugural Vietnam Grand Prix is scheduled to be held from April 3-5 at the brand new 5.607 km Hanoi circuit, whose construction began in March last year and is expected to be completed next month.

The circuit for the Vietnam Grand Prix 2020 will run around the My Dinh Stadium, around 13 kilometers from downtown Hanoi.