Heineken targets Vietnam F1 race
Heineken's senior global brand director Gianluca Di Tondo says the brand's biggest wish in F1 would be to introduce more Formula 1 races in the Asia-Pacific region and has targeted Vietnam to host a Grand Prix in the future.
Di Tondo has remarked at the early success of the Dutch beer's sponsorship deal with Formula 1 having been announced at the Canadian Grand Prix and enjoying title sponsorship rights of the Italian Grand Prix.
READ: Heineken signs F1 sponsorship deal
Di Tondo has explained Heineken's target audiences entering the F1 market are the US and the Asia-Pacific regions - having already achieved a healthy presence in the European market through its ties with the UEFA Champions League - and would like more Asian races on the calendar in the foreseeable future.
When has if he could add one race to the F1 calendar, Di Tondo responded: "That is very simple - it is again in Asia: Vietnam. We are very present in Vietnam through a local partner and they were our guests in Monza and they were over the moon. So why not have a race in Ho Chi Minh City."
At the start of 2016 Vietnam's first professional race track was opened on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City in the Long An Province but it hasn't been built up to meet the requirements of a top grade FIA circuit.
In 2010 an international race circuit was suggested to be built north of Ho Chi Minh City but plans never came to fruition, while Vietnam's strict rules against sports betting have also proven to be a tricky hurdle.
Heineken is also intrigued to see what changes the recent takeover by Liberty Media has on Formula One and eagerly awaits to understand the US company's plans to improve the sport.
"We want to understand how things are going to move and we are having conversations right now with Bernie to see how the situation is going to change if there is a change in ownership," Di Tondo said on formula1.com. "The fact that a media company is joining F1 is very good news. Never forget, we are talking about show business - the entertainment business at its best.
"Anybody who is knowledgeable in the entertainment business is going to be very welcomed because they will probably move away from the corporate set-up of the private suite to be more embracing of the audience out there. And maybe it could also open up the American market, going to places like Las Vegas. That would be fantastic."
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