The dismissal of Thailand’s Prime Minister has caused significant doubts over the country’s future planned hosting of both races in the Formula 1 and Formula E championships.
Srettha Thavisin was removed by a Constitutional Court for violating its “rules and ethics” after appointing a former lawyer, who had previously been in jail, to his cabinet.
Mr Thavisin had been previously holding discussions with F1’s CEO Stefano Domenicali about the possibility of holding a Grand Prix on a street circuit in its capital city, Bangkok.
A further meeting took place in Imola at the weekend of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May, with Mr Thavisin saying at the time that the meeting was “in line with the Thai government’s intention to bring F1 racing to Thailand in the near future”.
Domenicali was also understood to have visited Thailand shortly after the Chinese Grand Prix, with the race being planned for either 2027 or 28, according to reports.
However, Formula E was also on the country’s agenda, and were mooted to edge ahead of F1 and become the first major single seater motorsport series to host a race in the country, with an E-Prix in the Chiang May province scheduled for the next season, Season 11, on March 8th next year.
Whilst the race was not confirmed and only listed as To Be Determined on Formula E’s official provisional calendar that was released in June, it was widely believed that Thailand was the location set for the fourth weekend of the championship.
Motorsport Week understands that if this now will scarper the plans for the race to be held, Formula E will utilise its Berlin Tempelhof circuit for that weekend instead of dropping the date off the calendar.
Whilst the USA and the Middle Eastern markets have been successfully utilised by F1, a further enhancement of its interest in Asia is its next target.
With in Japan, China and Singapore on the current calendar – as well as other nations previously hosting Grands Prix – Thailand appeared to be the next country on its Asian roster, particularly logical given that in Alex Albon, there is, for only the second time in its history, a Thai driver on the grid.
The current political situation has not eradicated any future plans for a Thai race on either championships’ calendars, but it now seems likely that plans by both will have to be put back.
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