Vietnam F1 Grand Prix gets go-ahead despite virus fears

Vietnam's inaugural Formula One Grand Prix will take place in Hai in April as planned, organisers told AFP Tuesday, avoiding fate of Chinese Grand Prix which was postponed over dely coronavirus. race will be held as "scheduled" on April 5, Le Ngoc Chi, CEO of Vietnam Grand Prix told AFP. virus, which has killed more than 1,800 people in China, has trashed Asia's sporting calendar, forcing postponement of top events including Shanghai grand prix and Hong Kong Sevens rugby.

But Vietnamese authorities said country's inaugural Formula One race would go ahe on schedule.

" time for ... F1 race will t be postponed or delayed," Tran Trung Hieu, deputy director of Hai's tourism department was quoted as saying by state media Tuesday.

"Although this is a sports event, it has a very huge impact on Vietnam and Hai's tourism," he said, ding all measures will be taken to ensure "safety of event". 

AFP reporters saw workers erecting stands at racetrack as construction continued this week. communist country will get its first taste of glitz and glamour of Formula One, while sport will attempt to reach new markets in Souast Asia. Hai has bet big on event's popularity, signing a 10-year, multi-million-dollar deal with Formula One last year which state media said would cost Vietnam $60 million per year. fee has been picked up in full by country's largest private conglomerate, VinGroup.