Today Formula 1 have announced Vietnam to Host Grand Prix from April 2020.

In their approach to widen the viewing scope of motorsport, Liberty Media have released the news that a 5.565km will be a part of the race circuit in the city of Hanoi for several years. 

To mark this occasion and to celebrate the launch of the race, Chase Carey joins the City of Hanoi Leadership and the promoter Vingroup at the Hanoi Citadel as part of the grand ceremony on Wednesday where local artists will perform to highlight the Vietnamese Culture which will be an open event o the local people of Hanoi.

Chase Carey said:

“We are delighted to announce that Hanoi will host a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Since we became involved in this sport in 2017, we have talked about developing new destination cities to broaden the appeal of Formula 1 and the Vietnamese Grand Prix is a realisation of that ambition. We are thrilled to be here in Hanoi, one of the most exciting cities in the world right now with such a rich history and an incredible future ahead of it. This is the perfect formula for Grand Prix racing and I look forward to this becoming a real highlight of the F1 calendar.
"Our Motosport team, working in collaboration with the City of Hanoi and promoter Vingroup, has worked to enable a circuit that will not only test the drivers but also ensure that our fans enjoy the racing spectacle. We are really looking forward to seeing Formula 1 cars speeding around the streets of this fantastic city from 2020.”

Nguyen Duc Chung, Chairman, City of Hanoi said:
“We are proud to be hosting the Formula 1 Vietnamese Grand Prix, and showcasing the city of Hanoi to the world with its special combination of ancient and moden beauty from 2020. 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. It provides an opportunity for inward investment to Vietnam and importantly to bring the exciting wheel to wheel racing of Formula 1 to the people of Vietnam.”


What an exciting time in Formula 1 to see new tracks being added to the seasons. We cant wait to see what Hanoi has in store for us all.

It Comes as a great Shock that around 1 hour ago Williams F1 Team release the news that Rob Smedley will be leaving the team at the end of the 2018 Season. 

Rob has been with the Williams F1 Team since 2014 when he joined as the Head of Performance Engineering following the team having performance related issues in the 2013 season. 

 “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Williams. The team has been through great change since I joined in 2014 and it has been a pleasure to have played a part in that. Williams is a very special team within the F1 community and I’m certain that with all the talent that we have here they will go on and do better things. The team will always remain close to my heart. After 20 years in Formula One, however, I feel it’s the right time to reflect on things and evaluate what the next move is. I’m thoroughly looking forward to spending more time with my family before deciding on future opportunities.” - Rob Smedley 

Claire Williams went on to say :“It has been a pleasure having Rob in our team for the last four years and we will miss him both personally and professionally. He agreed to join us at a time when our performance was low, and we are grateful that he saw the potential for us to turn things around at that time. During his time with us, he has made a significant contribution to the team through his role, but he’s also been just a great person to have at Grove, inspiring many with his enthusiasm and passion for Formula One. Rob’s been in the sport a long time, so we totally understand and respect his decision to take some well-deserved time out to spend with his wife and boys. We wish him all the best and thank him wholeheartedly for the time, passion and fighting spirit he’s given to Williams.”


We here at F1 Journal are wishing Mr Smedley all the best for his future endeavour's.