SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

Second night race in Bangkok?

A second F1 night race, around the streets of Bangkok, is being mooted after Bernie Ecclestone met with Thai representatives at last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

A second F1 night race, around the streets of Bangkok, is being mooted after Bernie Ecclestone met with Thai representatives at last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

The Bangkok Post reports that Ecclestone has agreed to a deal 'in principal' possibly as early as 2014.

Kamokphand Chulakasem, the head of Thailand's sports authority is quoted: "It will be a city race like Monaco and Singapore and a night race, like Singapore."

Singapore signed a new F1 deal until 2017 last weekend and it is understood that the Bangkok race will be 60% government funded, like Singapore, with the rest coming from Red Bull's associated Singha beer brand.

In 2010, Mark Webber did a street demonstration in Bangkok, watched by almost 100,000 people and the venue for this year's December Race of Champions is Bangkok's Jajamangala Stadium.

Red Bull is 49% Thai owned and Chalerm Yoovidhya, son of co-creator Chaleo (who provided the formula while Red Bull Racing boss Dietrich Mateschitz provided the marketing) joined Chulakasem in his meeting with Ecclestone last weekend. At the time of his death in March of this year, Chaleo's worth was listed at $5bn, making him the third richest Thai citizen.