Opinion | Taking Red Bull by horns in Thailand

Formula One is back in Europe after its early-season swing from Australasia to the Middle East. If reports are to be believed, there may be one future extra stop-off before the sport gets back to its spiritual home.

Thailand has just put the finishing touches to a street circuit that sounds like it could be incredible - a night-time race that speeds past the Grand Palace, Temple of Dawn and Democracy Monument.

The Sports Authority of Thailand is pushing for a slot in 2015 and reckons that, with temporary stands, 150,000 people could witness the event. A crowd two-thirds that size turned up in 2010 to see Mark Webber put a Red Bull through its paces on Bangkok's streets.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has spoken in encouraging terms about the prospects but, as ever, it is going to come down to the deal.

That is where the Red Bull connection will come in useful. The company is partly Thai-owned and last month the European version of the energy drink was given a high-profile launch in the country. A word in Ecclestone's ear from boss Dietrich Mateschitz would surely oil the wheels, especially if it was followed by hard cash.

After the success of Singapore, there is surely space for another night-time Asian city-centre spectacular. As for fans, if the two races were put back to back, it would make for a fabulous petrol-head holiday. It is certainly within range of Hong Kong, and you imagine it would cause many European fans to pause and reconsider their summer holiday plans.

Of course, with any addition to the calendar, there needs to be a race removed and that might make those European fans a little nervous. Once the home of the vast majority of races, this year there are just seven out of 19. The sport is truly global, and the calendar rightly reflects this, but to remove another European race would dilute F1's core too much.