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Nicolas Atkin

Lewis Hamilton has questioned Formula One adding an additional race in Vietnam instead of going to countries with “real racing history” like Britain and Germany.
Vietnam will host its first race on the streets of the capital Hanoi in April 2020 after becoming the newest addition to the F1 calendar.
“I’ve been to Vietnam before and it is beautiful,” five-time world champion Hamilton told the BBC. “I’ve been to India before to a race which was strange because India was such a poor place yet we had this massive, beautiful grand prix track made in the middle of nowhere. I felt very conflicted when I went to that grand prix.
“We had a grand prix in Turkey and hardly anyone came. Cool track, cool weekend but poor audience.”

F1 owners Liberty Media have agreed a “multi-year” deal with Vietnam, which becomes the 22nd country to host a grand prix.
“On the racing side, I don’t know how important it is to go to new countries as such,” Mercedes driver Hamilton said.
Vietnam Grand Prix? Hanoi should swerve Formula One instead of wasting millions pretending to be a mini Monaco
“If you had the Silverstone Grand Prix and a London Grand Prix, it would be pretty cool.”
Since 2004, races in Bahrain, China, Turkey, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, South Korea, India, Russia and Azerbaijan have all been added to the calendar.

But Britain, Germany, Italy, France and Belgium have all struggled in recent years to keep their places on the calendar amid mounting hosting costs.
“We’ve got a lot of real racing history in England, Germany, Italy and now in the States it is starting to grow,” Hamilton said.
“But you only have one event per year in those places. If it was my business, I’d be trying to do more events in those countries.
“If you have the German Grand Prix and you’ve got a grand prix in Berlin, I think connecting to cities where a lot of people are is probably a good thing, not necessarily going to countries where they don’t know so much about Formula One.”

Hanoi will be the first new race added under Liberty Media’s ownership following their takeover from Bernie Ecclestone.
“Since we became involved in this sport in 2017, we have talked about developing new destination cities to broaden the appeal of Formula 1,” F1’s chief executive Chase Carey said last week.
“The Vietnamese Grand Prix is a realisation of that ambition.”
The Vietnam Grand Prix will become the third race in Southeast Asia, following Singapore and Malaysia, which was ditched after the 2017 race because of poor ticket sales .

“It’s a further demonstration of Vietnam’s ability, as one of the fastest growing economies in the world to host events on a global scale and attract tourism to the country,” city of Hanoi chairman Nguyen Duc Chung said.
The proposed track with 22 turns over 5.565km will be F1’s fourth street race along with Monaco, Singapore and Azerbaijan.


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Formula One (F1)

Lewis Hamilton questions Vietnam Grand Prix as Formula One heads to Hanoi in 2020

Former Formula One driver David Coulthard (centre) is flanked by Vietnamese models wearing traditional dresses during a ceremony in Hanoi. Photo: EPA

Formula One F1 - Brazilian Grand Prix - Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, Interlagos, Sao Paulo, Brazil - November 11, 2018 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton celebrates on the podium after winning the race REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker

epa07148593 A Red Bull Racing Formula One race car is displayed on stage during a ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam, 07 November 2018. Vietnam will be the 22nd country in the world to be hosting a Formula One Grand Prix. The 2020 race in Vietnam will be the third Formula One Grand Prix to be established in south-east Asia following Malaysia and Singapore. EPA-EFE/LUONG THAI LINH

epaselect epa07148023 Formula One Group Chairman and CEO, Chase Carey (3-L), Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung (C) along with delegates watch the future racing map on a big screen during a press conference announcing Vietnam as the twenty-second country in the world to be hosting the Formula One Grand Prix in 2020, in Hanoi, Vietnam 07 November 2018. This will be the third race to be established in south-east Asia following Malaysia and Singapore. EPA-EFE/MINH HOANG

epa07147692 Formula One Group Chairman and CEO, Chase Carey speaks during a press conference announcing Vietnam the twenty second country in the world to be hosting the Formula One Grand Prix in 2020, in Hanoi, Vietnam 07 November 2018. This will be the third race to be established in south-east Asia following Malaysia and Singapore. EPA-EFE/LUONG THAI LINH

Vietnam Grand Prix? Hanoi should swerve Formula One instead of wasting millions pretending to be a mini Monaco

A woman sells cigarettes to a man on a street in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo: EPA

A Vietnamese man checks his mobile phone laying on a hammock outside a temple in Hanoi on May 15, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMAD

TOPSHOT - A Vietnamese woman prepares meats on a BBQ in front of a restaurant in Hanoi on May 15, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMAD

Force India's French driver Esteban Ocon (down) competes during the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Monaco street circuit on May 27, 2018 in Monaco. / AFP PHOTO / Andrej ISAKOVIC

Formula One F1 - Monaco Grand Prix - Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monaco - May 27, 2018 Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo jumps into a pool as he celebrates winning the race REUTERS/Benoit Tessier TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

FILE - In this June 21, 2017, file photo, motorbikes and cars fight for space on a street in Hanoi, Vietnam. More Formula One races are coming to Asia, and a street race in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi could be the first addition. Formula One's managing director of commercial operations tells The Associated Press that Hanoi could be added for the 2020 season, though there has been some speculation it could arrive as early as next season. (AP Photo/Tran Van Minh, File)

Sport

Motorsport

Five-time champion unsure about racing in ‘countries where they don’t know so much about F1’
Mercedes driver would prefer more venues with ‘real racing history’


Mercedes driver unsure about adding races in ‘countries where they don’t know so much about F1’ and would prefer venues with ‘real racing history’


Vietnam

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton questions Vietnam Grand Prix as Formula One heads to Hanoi in 2020

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Five-time champion unsure about racing in ‘countries where they don’t know so much about F1’ Mercedes driver would prefer more venues with ‘real racing history’

Five-time champion unsure about racing in ‘countries where they don’t know so much about F1’

Mercedes driver would prefer more venues with ‘real racing history’