Thailand in talks for an F1 Grand Prix in Bangkok
Thailand's bid for a Formula 1 race has progressed, with the country's Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, visiting Imola to discuss the idea.
As part of an official visit to Italy, Srettha Thavisin, the Thai Prime Minister, was present at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix to exchange with the CEO of F1, Stefano Domenicali.
The project of the Thai Grand Prix is pushed by the government, but it seems that Thavisin has sounded out Red Bull on its potential interest in supporting the initiative. The representative aims for an agreement to organize a race on the streets of Bangkok, the capital, hoping that it could be included in the calendar in 2027 or 2028.
After his visit, he expressed his conviction that the Grand Prix would give international exposure to Thailand. He wrote on social media: « In line with the Thai government’s intention to bring Formula 1 to Thailand in the near future, I visited the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari and had a discussion with Formula 1 Group leaders. This aligns with our policy of putting Thailand on the global stage for international events and activities. »
In line with the Thai Government’s intention to bring F1 racing to Thailand in the near future, I visited the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari and had a discussion with executives of the Formula One Group. This resonates with our policy to place Thailand on the global radar for… pic.twitter.com/yhIhgAhcoA
— Srettha Thavisin (@Thavisin) May 19, 2024
The end of the Imola Grand Prix?
Thailand’s offer for a race is part of a clear objective that Formula 1 now has to establish a larger base for the series in Asia. Domenicali is known to be supportive of the idea of a race in Bangkok, after visiting Thailand in April for discussions with Thavisin.
What is clear, however, is that the arrival of races like the one in Thailand could well mean that F1 will have to abandon some of its current events. The future of the Imola circuit in particular is being called into question. Speaking during a recent call with Wall Street analysts, Domenicali said that there is little desire for F1 to expand the calendar. He recently told Italian media that there would probably be tough choices to make soon as Imola’s contract is set to expire at the end of next year.
We note a great interest from many countries in Formula 1, and this obviously represents a development opportunity,” he said. “At the same time, this obliges us to make choices in terms of the calendar.
