Vietnam F1 Grand Prix gets go-ahead despite virus fears

Vietnam F1 Grand Prix gets go-ahead despite virus fears

HANOI: Vietnam’s inaugural Formula One Grand Prix will take place in Hanoi in April as planned, organisers told AFP on Tuesday, avoiding the fate of the Chinese Grand Prix which was postponed over the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

The virus, which has killed more than 1,800 people in China, has trashed Asia’s sporting calendar, forcing the postponement of top events including the Hong Kong Sevens rugby.

But Vietnamese authorities said the country’s inaugural F1 race would go ahead as “scheduled” on April 5, Le Ngoc Chi, CEO of Vietnam Grand Prix told AFP.

That flies in the face of mounting fears over the spread of the virus from neighbouring China and the risk of transmission among the crowds expected to make the journey to the Vietnamese capital.

The go-ahead comes the same day Vietnam’s football federation announced that an international friendly scheduled a week before the F1 race will be cancelled.

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