Motorkhana races to entertain fans of speed this weekend in Hanoi

The Vietnam Motorkhana Championship finals will be held at the Hanoi Circuit around the My Dinhh Stadium on January 15.

Truong Nam Thanh, who finished in the top 10 off the MUBA Auto Gymkhana Cup in 2019, will be one of racers at the Vietnam Motorkhana Championship on January 15 in Hanoi. (Photo courtesy of organisers)
Truong Nam Thanh, who finished in the top 10 off the MUBA Auto Gymkhana Cup in 2019, will be one of racers at the Vietnam Motorkhana Championship on January 15 in Hanoi. (Photo courtesy of organisers)

Nearly 30 drivers, who qualified last May in Dai Nam Race Course in the southern province of Binh Duong, will attend the event which is officially organised at national level for the first time.

The track the drivers will race on was original constructed to host the Formula 1 event that was cancelled due to COVID-19 in 2020.

Motorkhanas are motor sport events designed to test the acceleration, braking and handling of cars and the skill and judgment of drivers.

It involves manoeuvring a car through tight tests as quickly as possible -- one car at a time -- on either dirt or bitumen surfaces. This usually requires sliding and spinning the car accurately while maintaining speed through the test course. Some reversing is usually included.

At the January 15 event, co-organised by the Vietnamese Motorsport Association Limited Liability Company (VMA LLC) and the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, drivers will compete in two competitions.

The first category consists of 16 racers, who have been granted a sports car racing licence by VMA LLC. The second category consists of 11 athletes from VMA LLC member clubs across the country.

Among athletes are Truong Nam Thanh who was in top 10 off the MUBA Auto Gymkhana Cup in 2019; Bao Bao who is Vietnam's first professional female racer and has raced in Grand Prix – F1 events in Shanghai, Monaco and Singapore as well as racing tracks in Mugello and Abu Dhabi; and Pham Thanh Dung, the only female driver in the Vietnam's first professional racing club, Redline Motorsport Club.

Vehicles used in racings are sedans, hatchbacks, CUV and SUV types which are normal means of daily transportation.

In addition to the main competition categories at the tournament, drivers and guests will also participate in the experience of Go Kart racing.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, audiences are not allow to watch at the track but the races but they will be broadcasted live on K channel.

This is the first time Vietnam's famous F1 racetrack has organised a competition since its completion last year.

The championship is scheduled to be held annually following FIA standards. The best drivers will represent Vietnam at the FIA World Motorsport Games in Europe in October.