With just months to go until the inaugural event, the Hanoi Circuit has been slightly altered to add an extra corner in the final sector of the lap.
The inaugural Grand Prix in Vietnam will be held at the Hanoi Circuit in April but, after the layout was revealed a few months ago, an additional corner has had to be added in the final sector in order to work around existing infrastructure.
The circuit is being designed to run through Hanoi itself, using a mixture of permanent sections and the streets near the My Dinh Stadium. Initially consisting of 22 corners, this additional corner means it joins Singapore’s Marina Bay in having 23 – the most of any on the F1 calendar.
Along with the additional corner, the track is being widened by 15 metres in the same area, with the final two corners now moving further to the right before a tight left and another open left.
This extends the circuit length marginally, from 5.565km to 5.607km.
Left: The new circuit layout. Right: The original plan.
“In the course of building our new track, and carrying out geographical assessments, we have adjusted Turn 22 and added Turn 23 to the Hanoi Circuit in consultation with Formula 1 and the FIA,” said Le Ngoc Chi, CEO of the Vietnam Grand Prix Corporation.
The news comes after the organisers revealed the circuit is on track to be finished in early January, with the 300m-long pit building, inspired by Hanoi’s Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, set to be ready before the end of the year.
“We have a long stretch, which at 1.6km is one of the longest stretches on the calendar, and will see cars reach up to 335km/h,” added Chi.
