Thailand’s ambition to host a Formula 1 race is gaining traction, thanks in part to a recent visit by the country’s prime minister, Srettha Thavisin, to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola.
As part of his official trip to Italy, Thavisin engaged in discussions with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and other key stakeholders about bringing a race to Thailand. The Thai government is vigorously pursuing this project, and it’s been hinted that Thavisin has even reached out to Red Bull to gauge their interest in backing the race.
The vision is for a street race in Bangkok, potentially making its debut in the 2027 or 2028 season. After his visit, Thavisin took to social media to express his excitement, stating, ‘In line with the Thai Government’s intention to bring F1 racing to Thailand in the near future, I visited the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari and had a discussion with executives of the Formula One Group.’ He added that the initiative aligns with the government’s goal to elevate Thailand’s profile through international events.
This push for a Thai Grand Prix comes as F1 is making concerted efforts to expand its footprint in Asia. Domenicali has shown enthusiasm for the Bangkok race, having visited Thailand in April for preliminary talks with Thavisin.
However, integrating new races like the proposed Thailand GP into the F1 calendar presents challenges. Domenicali recently mentioned in a call with Wall Street analysts that there isn’t a strong desire to expand the calendar further. This means some existing races might need to be cut, with Imola’s future, in particular, seeming uncertain beyond its current contract, which expires next year. ‘We are seeing a lot of interest from a lot of countries in Formula 1, and this obviously represents an opportunity for development,’ Domenicali noted. ‘At the same time, it puts us under an obligation to make choices in terms of the calendar.’
Thailand’s bid to host a Formula 1 race is moving forward with significant government backing and interest from key F1 stakeholders. If successful, we might see a thrilling street race in Bangkok as soon as 2027, marking a notable expansion of F1’s presence in Asia.
