Vietnam is joining the Formula One championship next year, it was announced after the F1 draft calendar was released on Thursday. A record 22 races will be in the next season as the Dutch Grand Prix makes a comeback.
Vietnam will be the 34th country to organise an F1 Grand Prix. The race in Hanoi will be on April 5.
The German Grand Prix, however, has been dropped from the calendar. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel described the loss of his home race as “a great pity”. He added that perhaps the race will make a comeback in the following years after and that “F1 should be in Germany”.
“F1 can't allow itself to lose races where motor racing has a long history like in Great Britain, Italy or Germany.”
Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the German Grand Prix at Hockenheimring last month, but is excited at the prospect of racing at the iconic Zandvoort circuit with the Dutch Grand Prix's return to the circuit after 35 years. The Dutch race is scheduled for May 3.
The 2020 Formula One season will have the traditional opening race in Melbourne on March 15, with the last race in Abu Dhabi on November 29.
The calendar, however, is yet to be approved by the FIA.
