Last Updated on May 28 2025, 7:21 am

MUSINGS FROM THE TJ13 NOTEBOOK: Bangkok to Host Formula 1 Race: What Could Possibly Go Wrong? After a weekend of champagne-fuelled networking at the Monaco Grand Prix, Thailand has returned home with a bold and visionary idea: to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix of its own. Yes, the land of golden temples, tuk-tuks and tourist scams now wants to be part of the world’s most glamorous sport. If Vietnam can build a ghost circuit and never use it, why shouldn’t Bangkok have its own $600 million traffic jam?

Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, took a break from important matters such as economic reform and social development to chat with motorsport’s elite over canapés and carbon fibre in Monaco. The takeaway? It’s time for Bangkok to go full Monaco — with less French Riviera and more street food smoke.

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According to government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub, a feasibility study will be presented to the Cabinet next week for approval. The aim is to have the race on the calendar by 2028, presumably once someone has figured out how to prevent local moped riders from weaving between the Ferraris during FP1.

Unlike some ill-conceived vanity projects (cough, Hanoi, cough), this one promises to be ‘sustainable’. This term is currently fashionable yet undefined, making it perfect for this kind of announcement. It probably means biodegradable beer cups, a hashtag campaign and perhaps planting a tree or two near the paddock.

The plan is for the race to be held on the chaotic streets of Bangkok, where normal traffic patterns already resemble a mid-race safety car period every 90 seconds. Drivers will have to navigate 90-degree corners, heatstroke, rogue street vendors, confused tourists and the occasional wandering elephant. The city is already famous for its unpredictable road conditions, which should spice things up nicely during qualifying.

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The expected revenue? A casual $600 million, which we assume is based on the highly scientific method of ‘making it up and hoping for the best’. Thailand also hopes to tap into national pride since, technically, Red Bull originated there (if you squint), and Alex Albon (if you squint even harder, he was actually born in a town called Ipswich in the UK), who is part Thai and has scored points, is basically the patron saint of Thai motorsport.

Last year, Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali even visited Bangkok, possibly mistaking it for another airport lounge. Negotiations went well, mostly because nobody mentioned that they would need to resurface half the capital and evict every food stall within 20 kilometres. Another topic not discussed was who would explain to the local authorities that shutting down a major road network for several days to let millionaires do laps was a good idea.

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To be fair, Southeast Asia has already proven itself capable of hosting F1 events. Singapore’s race is a humid nightmare disguised as a glamorous night race, yet it’s still a roaring success. Vietnam, on the other hand, spent hundreds of millions building a stunning circuit in Hanoi, only for the entire project to be halted by the pandemic and corruption. Today, the track sits abandoned, occasionally visited by joggers, motorbike gangs and estate agents who whisper, ‘It’s a fixer-upper.’

Thailand, ever the optimist, is convinced that its Grand Prix will not suffer the same fate. Officials say they have learned “valuable lessons” from Vietnam’s failure — mainly, that they should actually hold the race. A bold strategy.

Of course, securing a place on the already overcrowded 24-race calendar won’t be easy. Most existing races have long-term contracts and the loyalty of Liberty Media, which can be bought — but only with at least three fake, Las Vegas–themed proposals.

Nevertheless, there is always room to remove one of the traditional circuits, such as Belgium, because who needs Spa when you can have spicy papaya salad and a starting grid next to a shopping mall?

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Bottom line

Thailand’s plan is now in motion, and momentum is everything. The wheels are turning, the consultants are billing and the PowerPoint presentations are being finalised. Will this turn into another jewel in the crown of Formula 1? Or will it be another case of ‘Track to Nowhere’, starring Alex Albon and a nervous Red Bull PR team?

One thing is certain: if the Bangkok Grand Prix goes ahead, it’s set to be wild, sweaty, overcrowded and unforgettable. Which, coincidentally, is exactly how most people describe trying to cross a road in Bangkok. Welcome to the Thai Grand Prix, probably coming in 2028 — assuming no one gets sober before then.

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Formula One is being forced to confront an uncomfortable truth – and it’s happening increasingly behind closed doors. For all its glamour, tradition and prestige, the Monaco Grand Prix is no longer be compatible with the modern direction of the sport. What was once considered untouchable is now being seriously, if quietly, debated at the highest levels: could Formula One actually drop Monaco from its calendar?

A decade ago, the idea would have been heresy. Now it’s an inevitable conversation. The race has become synonymous with spectacle, not sport – and as pressure mounts from fans, broadcasters and even the teams themselves, Monaco’s future is no longer guaranteed. A Grand Prix that once defined F1 now risks being defined by everything the sport is trying to move beyond…. READ MORE ON THIS STORY