Stefano Domenicali, the CEO of Formula 1, is set to visit Bangkok in the coming week, marking an important step in the promising plans for a new race in Thailand. This development is gaining considerable traction as a delegation from the organizing committee for a proposed race in the Chatuchak area is currently present at the Australian Grand Prix. Their goal is to gain insights on how the race is organized within the Albert Park setting.
The blueprint for the Bangkok race features a comparable track location with a blend of city street sections and park usage. This delegation had previously undertaken a similar visit to last year’s Singapore Grand Prix. The proposed Thai race is currently considered the most probable new addition to the F1 calendar, amidst numerous other expressions of interest.
The concept of race rotation is being introduced by F1, and the Belgian Grand Prix has already been confirmed to alternate yearly from 2027 onwards. Similar models are being considered for Barcelona and Imola.
Previously, there was considerable enthusiasm for staging a race on the African continent. However, the interest in a Grand Prix in Rwanda has dampened recently due to the persistent conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There are also concerns regarding the feasibility of completing an F1 circuit construction project within an acceptable timeframe.
South Africa, with its Kyalami circuit, was touted as a potential comeback location for the F1 calendar. However, no concrete project has been put forth that has been deemed viable after multiple failed attempts.
Other expressions of interest have been received from former venues in Turkey – at Istanbul Park – and Malaysia – at Sepang. However, according to RACER, these events are not currently viewed as having as much potential as the proposed project in Thailand.
Domenicali’s forthcoming visit to Bangkok to review the Chatuchak proposal, positioned between the race in Melbourne and the next in China, is a significant development. Insiders knowledgeable about the situation estimate the chances of an agreement being finalized in the future as evenly split.
Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, has expressed support for the addition of new races to the calendar. However, he emphasizes that the total number of rounds should remain capped at the current level of 24.
Brown stated, “24 races is our limit; we can’t do more. We’re considering a model where we have a fixed 20 races and 8 that rotate every other year. This would allow us to tap into 28 markets while maintaining the 24-race calendar. It’s a challenging schedule for everyone involved, but this approach could provide a path for continued growth in the sport.”
