Montreal acknowledges that the threat of the Thai Grand Prix is becoming more evident.
"A proposal for a bid and feasibility study will be submitted."
Thailand appears to be making significant strides towards securing a place on the Formula 1 calendar for 2028. Plans for a potential race in the streets of Bangkok have been under consideration for several months, with discussions becoming increasingly concrete after F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali traveled directly from the season opener in Melbourne to meet with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Another indication of swift progress was the arrival of F1 driver Alex Albon, who was born in Britain and represents Thailand, in early April for a meeting with the prime minister. "We’re making progress," said the Williams driver, "even though nothing is finalized yet."
During the Monaco Grand Prix last weekend, PM Shinawatra was seen with Albon in the Williams garage, even trying on the cockpit. She later took pictures with Domenicali and other prominent figures from F1, acknowledging that the plans had made a "big step forward" in Monaco.
According to the Thai government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub, Thailand aims to debut in Formula 1 in 2028. "A proposal for a bid and feasibility study will be presented to the Thai cabinet for approval next week," the German media outlet reported. Additionally, the Thai government’s social media channels mentioned that PM Shinawatra emphasized F1’s global audience of 600 million viewers and the potential economic benefits through tourism and infrastructure investments.
The current Formula 1 calendar features 24 races, and both Liberty Media and the teams agree that a 25th race cannot be accommodated at this time. However, with European events like Imola and Barcelona facing uncertainty for the future, F1 is planning to rotate certain events annually, and there are concerns regarding the future of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.
In a report on recent developments regarding a possible Thai Grand Prix, Le Journal de Montreal stated: "We reported this month that negotiations for an extension of the agreement between F1 and local Canadian promoters have stalled." The Montreal-based newspaper indicated, "The Thai challenge is becoming clearer."
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