Formula One chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali is to travel to Bangkok this week following the Australian Grand Prix for talks over a potential race in the Thai capital, he told Sky Sports.
The Italian ex-Ferrari boss, who has just extended his contract to remain F1 president and chief executive until 2029, is keen to examine new markets as the sport soars in popularity.
The majority of Formula One’s 24-race schedule is locked in for several years, but the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort is guaranteed only until 2026.
Photo: AP
The Belgian Grand Prix struck a deal in January to allow it to stay on the calendar for four out of six years from next year to 2031 in order to accommodate new races.
Domenicali appeared to suggest Thailand was a contender, among other venues, to join the circuit.
“The good thing that we were able to do in the last couple of years has been to focus on the places that we believe represent the future for Formula One,” he told the British broadcaster in Melbourne.
“In terms of promoters and tracks that we are already at, we have a long-term standing agreement with a lot of them that enables them to invest, to improve the facility, to improve the quality of the entertainment that we need to give to our fans,” he said.
“We receive a lot of attention from other places in the world,” he added.
“After finishing the race here in Melbourne, I go to Bangkok to see [if] there is a potential interest to develop something there,” he said.
Then-Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin hosted Domenicali in April last year to pitch the government’s vision of bringing a grand prix to the sprawling, traffic-clogged capital.
Thai officials at the time said that they envisaged the race being run on a street circuit, possibly around the city’s historic center.
Thailand is one of many countries eager to join the F1 circuit.
Historic hosts France and Germany do not feature on this year’s calendar and are seeking to return, while the Turkish Grand Prix, last held in 2021, is seen as a candidate to take one of the slots vacated by the Belgian deal.
Outside Europe, Rwanda is planning a new circuit near the capital Kigali.
The Asia-Pacific region currently hosts four races — in Australia, China, Japan and Singapore.
Five-time champion Novak Djokovic on Saturday tumbled out of the Indian Wells ATP Masters, falling in his first match to lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp as two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz advanced. “No excuses for a poor performance,” 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic said after 37 unforced errors in a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 defeat. “It doesn’t feel great when you play this way on the court,” he said. “But congratulations to my opponent — just a bad day in the office, I guess, for me.” Djokovic is just the latest in Van de Zandschulp’s string of superstar victims. He
Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday held their nerve to beat Liverpool 4-1 on penalties and reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals after their tie finished one-apiece on aggregate, while Bayern Munich saw off Bayer 04 Leverkusen to complete a 5-0 win over both legs. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha fired Barcelona into the next round as the Catalans bested SL Benfica 3-1, and Inter booked a last-eight meeting with Bayern by seeing off Feyenoord 2-1. At Anfield, Ousmane Dembele netted the only goal of the night as PSG bounced back from Liverpool’s late winner last week to force the tie to extra-time and penalties. Maligned
Taiwanese badminton player Lin Chun-yi had to settle for silver in the men’s singles at the Orleans Masters in France on Sunday after losing in the final to his French opponent. The 25-year-old Lin, ranked world No. 14, lost to Alex Lanier 13-21, 18-21 in a match that lasted 42 minutes at the Palais des Sports arena. It was the first time that the two players were facing each other in their professional careers. In the opener, Lin was slow to warm up, which gave the 20-year-old Lanier an opportunity to take an early lead with seven consecutive points. Despite
Taiwan’s Lin Chun-yi on Wednesday inflicted a first-round defeat on former badminton world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen at the All England Open. Lin came out of top after a back-and-forth first game before Axelsen dominated the second, but the Dane was not able to keep that form in the decider as Lin reeled off six points in a row on the way to a 21-19, 13-21, 21-11 victory. “If I don’t play my best, everyone can win against me,” said Axelsen, the world No. 4. “Today’s opponent played a fantastic game; it was disappointing, but that is how it is.” “I just tried