If successful, this upcoming Bangkok GP will be the first time that F1 cars will go racing in Thailand.
Formula 1 could be making its way to the bustling streets of Bangkok, as F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali recently met with Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to explore the feasibility of hosting a street race in the capital come 2028.
The Thai government has recently committed to commissioning a feasibility study to assess the potential of bringing the world’s premier motorsport series to Bangkok. This comes after a prior proposal in 2024 to establish a Thai Grand Prix, as part of the country’s wider effort to elevate its global tourism status and attract high-spending visitors.
Following the initial pitch, Formula 1 representatives have visited Bangkok to evaluate potential race routes within the city.
While Thailand already boasts an FIA-accredited racing facility in the northeastern province of Buriram, the proposed F1 race location is currently be a street circuit around the capital. This decision follows a general trend for the sport to now favour a more bustling metropolitan background to its tracks, in place of traditional purpose-built circuits.
“We had the opportunity to discuss the potential of Thailand hosting a Formula 1 race, a sport with a massive global following,” said Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on social media after her meeting with Domenicali.
“The government has confirmed that it will study this joint investment, including evaluating the race route, budget considerations, and the overall value Thailand would gain from hosting the event.”
Prime Minister Paetongtarn further emphasised that beyond motorsport, hosting an F1 race could serve as a catalyst for Bangkok’s infrastructure improvements, particularly in tackling its notorious traffic congestion. The event is expected to stimulate job creation, boost tourism, and attract technological advancements to the nation.
“I am confident that this project will be successful,” she added. “It is another major opportunity for Thailand to host a world-class event that benefits our people economically and culturally.”
F1 CEO Domenicali echoed similar sentiments, describing the Thai proposal as “impressive” and expressing optimism for continued discussions in the coming months.
If successful, the upcoming Bangkok Grand Prix would mark the return of a second Southeast Asian race to the future F1 calendar. The Singapore Grand Prix has been the region’s sole event, ever since the race around Malaysia’s Sepang Circuit was withdrawn from the schedule after 2017.
There have incidentally been two Thai F1 drivers throughout the sport’s history. The first of which was Prince Bira (an actual member of the royal family by the way), who competed in 19 World Championship races between 1950 and 1954. More recently meanwhile, Thailand is represented on the current 2025 F1 grid by Williams driver Alex Albon.
