Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free
Formula 1 was due to race in Vietnam for the first time earlier this year, but the pandemic forced the event to be postponed.
The Vietnam Grand Prix promoters had a new street circuit in Hanoi prepared for the inaugural race. They still hope to find a slot for the event later in the 2020 F1 season.
Regardless of the real-world schedule, the 2020 Vietnam Grand Prix will appear virtually. As one of the 22 circuits originally planned for the 2020 F1 calendar, the Hanoi street circuit features in the newest edition of the official Formula 1 game.
Codemasters provided early access to F1 2020 for preview play, and now that the embargo on details has lifted we can describe how the game reproduces F1’s only brand-new 2020 circuit: Hanoi.
The in-game Hanoi layout contrasts strongly with this year’s other new addition, Zandvoort. While the Dutch track is an older circuit that follows natural terrain, the Hanoi layout is primarily a street circuit through the capital with a purpose-built section housing the pit and paddock, similar in concept to Singapore and historically to Adelaide.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter andgo ad-free
Playing the Hanoi track in F1 2020 evokes comparisons with Baku City Circuit. Hanoi features numerous long acceleration zones followed by heavy braking zones, creating plentiful overtaking opportunities and a chance to appreciate the game’s improved braking feel that some drivers have already noted.
The opening corner complexes are arranged to test a driver’s ability to get a clean exit onto ensuing acceleration zones, making them prime locations for on-track battles. The longest straight in Hanoi is a flowing, right-curving run that leads into a very slow hairpin—an obvious focal point for dramatic moments when the real event takes place.
The final sector is faster and more flowing but begins with a narrow, intimidating section lined with barriers that produce blind apexes and leave little margin for error. As the track widens there are asphalt run-off areas that will likely lead to track limits controversies. Low kerbs can be difficult to spot in wet conditions, adding another layer of challenge to racing in the rain.
The footage shown above is taken from an early preview build of F1 2020; further refinements to the circuit are expected before the game’s release. RaceFans will publish a full review of the final version ahead of launch.
Video: Vietnam in the rain
Read our in-depth first play preview of F1 2020 and see more videos on the RaceFans YouTube page:
- Subscribe to RaceFans on YouTube
How we tested F1 2020
We tested F1 2020 on high-end hardware to evaluate handling, graphics and performance. Our setup included force-feedback wheel and pedal rigs and a powerful graphics card running the game at maximum detail so we could assess how the Hanoi track feels and responds across different conditions.
- Fanatec Elite F1 Set steering wheel and pedals
- Logitech G29 steering wheel and pedals (and G27)
- NVidia Geforce RTX 2080 Ti graphics card running maximum detail settings
Buy / pre-order F1 2020
- F1 2020 Deluxe Schumacher Edition (PS4)
- F1 2020 Deluxe Schumacher Edition (Xbox One)
- F1 2020 Seventy Edition (PS4)
- F1 2020 Seventy Edition (Xbox One)
- F1 2020 Seventy Edition (PC)
RaceFans earns a commission on products sold via the affiliate links above; this does not affect the price you pay. Note: All images and footage show F1 2020 in an unfinished state.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter andgo ad-free
Gaming
Browse all Gaming articles