A Formula One race in Vietnam could be on the calendar by 2020, former F1 commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said.
“I think you’re going to get a race in Vietnam,” he told reporters invited to his private offices in central London to talk about various issues ahead of the new season starting next month.
The billionaire Briton, who in January last year was moved into an undefined “emeritus” role after US-based Liberty Media took over, said a street race in Hanoi looked likely.
Ecclestone said the Vietnamese government was willing to pay a significant amount to promote the Southeast Asian nation by hosting a Grand Prix.
“They haven’t made a contract yet as far as I know, but if they have, it’s at least two years away, isn’t it?” he said.
The Malaysian Grand Prix dropped off the calendar after last year’s race, but Formula One bosses have talked about expanding in China.
There have also been talks with Thailand, which have came to nothing, but Vietnam is already an important emerging market for some of the sport’s global sponsors.
Ecclestone told Reuters last year that he had talks with the Vietnamese while he was running Formula One, but decided, despite the money on offer, against taking the sport there, because he felt there were enough races in that part of the world.
However, he added that uncertainty over the sport’s future was something any local promoter should consider.
The current agreements between teams and Formula One mostly expire at the end of 2020, with glamor team Ferrari already threatening to leave if they do not like the direction things are headed.
There is also plenty of debate about what kind of engine to use after 2020, with the current V6 turbo hybrids criticized as too expensive, complicated and quiet.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was