Vietnam is edging closer to hosting its first Formula 1 grand prix in 2020 following a visit from FIA raꦯce director Charlie Whiting t🥂o the proposed site in Hanoi.

F1 officials have been in discussions with potential promoters over a race in Vietnam for some time, wiಌth an event being staged by the series’ global beer partner, Heineken, earlier this year in Ho Chi Minh City.

F1 race director Whiting confirmed on Sunday that he visited Vie💯tnam en route to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix to check on progress for the proposed circuit, which is in the “advanced stages” of being designed.

“There’s no actual progress on building the track, but the site's been identified. It’s in the advanced sta𓄧ges of design,” Whiting said.

“As far as I'm aware, they're aiming for a 2020 grand prix, which shouldn't be a problem ba🌸sed on previous experience.”

Whiting confirmed the planned circuit was “to the west of Hanoi, about 12 km from the centre,” a🅘nd would be “mainly on the streets” with “a section which is not yet built.”

“It's an open site where the pit building's going to be built,” Whitin♊g said.

“Part of the track will be built there, which doesn't exist at the moment. But it will become a road, I und🅠erstand, after that.”

Whiting accepted a comparison between the planned♉ Hဣanoi circuit and the original proposals for the Yeongam track which hosted the Korean Grand Prix between 2010 and 2013, which was intended to be part street circuit and part permanent circuit.

“Yes, I s⛎uppose it was, wasn’t🐼 it, because half of that was supposed to be a permanent track and the rest was supposed to be something else,” Whiting said.

“But as you know, it didn’t quite work out.”

The addition of Vietnam to the F1 calendar in 2020 would see Liberty Media add its first new race to the schedule since completing its takeover of theꦑ sport in January 2017.

F1’s commercial rights holder ann🐎ounced plans earlier this year to stage a race in Miami from 2019, only to confirm over the summer it had shelved these plans, instead aiming to get the race on the calendar from 2020.

Regarding Vietnam, a Formula 1 spokesman told ltxcn.top: “Definitely Vietnam is, 💙among others, one of the countries we are evaluating to host a Grand Prix race in the next future.”

The current F1 schedule🔯 stands at 21 race🔯s, with the same roster planned in 2019. The calendar for next year is set to be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council when it meets later this week in Paris.