F1: 2021 Vietnamese Grand Prix gets cancelled over corruption scandal

It appears that the Vietnamese Grand Prix may never see the light of day after it has been dropped from the 2021 Formula 1 calendar. Before that, the 2020 race which would have been the first, was cancelled back in April due to the lockdown caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic that is ravaging the world.

The race is notably absent from the recently released 2021 F1 racing calendar, and doubts have been raised about whether or not Vietnam will ever get to host the event.

In the 2021 calendar, the Vietnamese Grand Prix was also pegged to take place in April. However, the proposed date of April 25, has now been left blank. Apart from Vietnam, the lengthy race schedule includes 22 Grands Prix. If a replacement is found or if Vietnam eventually gets confirmed, a record 23-race calendar could be in store for next season.

Why has the Vietnamese Grand Prix been cancelled in the first place? According to a report by BBC Sport, a key official involved in the Hanoi race has just been arrested on corruption charges. Hanoi People's Committee chairman Nguyen Duc Chung was arrested back in August, but there has so far been no news to indicate that he was arrested in connection to anything related to the F1 event.

As per reports, Chung is facing charges for alleged appropriation of documents containing state secrets. Despite the unperceived connection to F1, the said individual was the key figure who championed the staging of the race. The scandal will understandably have current officials trying to steer clear of projects that have involved Chung.

As per the report, "Vietnamese authorities have told F1 that the government has other priorities, including key elections, the pandemic and recovery from a typhoon."

While the 2021 race appears to have been cancelled, the outcome of the case may shift things in 2022. However, as of now, things do not look good for the future of the Vietnamese Grand Prix. F1 also has a handful of choices, if they do plan to extend the calendar next season. Some of the available tracks include those that have been used to stage the Covid-19 stricken 2020 season.

Turkey, Imola and Portugal's Portimao are some of the leading candidates to make a comeback.

The 2021 F1 season is scheduled to start in Australia on 21 March and end in Abu Dhabi on 5 December.

Other controversial races include the recently-announced Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and The Brazilian Grand Prix. The Saudi race has drawn criticism due to the fact that the country has been connected to numerous human rights abuses. Brazil meanwhile, is in the process of getting a new race track built in Rio De Janeiro. However, the construction will destroy a sizable chunk of rainforest, causing outrage among environmental watchdogs.