Vietnam's first Formula One Grand Prix in Hanoi, cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, has been dropped from next year's calendar, following the arrest of a key officials responsible for organising the race.
The BBC said the move followed the arrest in August of Hanoi People's Committee chairman Nguyen Duc Chung. A source with knowledge of next year's calendar confirmed to Reuters that the race was not listed.
Chung was arrested in August for alleged appropriation of documents containing state secrets.
The case is not related to his involvement in the grand prix.
However, Chung was the key figure in the race being introduced and championed it with the national government.
Formula One said the draft schedule would be issued on Tuesday.
The calendar will still have to be approved by the governing FIA's World Motor Sport Council, usually a formality, and will include at least one new race with a stop off in Jeddah for the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in November. It is expected to be the penultimate race of the year, with the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix bringing the curtain down on 2021.
The calendar could extend to 23 Grands Prix - a new record - if F1 bosses can find a replacement for Vietnam.
The return of some of the circuits used this year to patch gaps left by cancellations due to the pandemic.
Portugal's Algarve circuit, Imola in Italy and Turkey's Istanbul track would be the leading contenders to take Vietnam's April 25 slot.
Brazil is also set to remain on the calendar, despite earlier doubts, with South America's only race returning to Sao Paulo's Interlagos circuit in November rather than one yet to be built in Rio de Janeiro.
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Saudi Arabia to host first F1 Grand Prix in 2021
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Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Faisal, President of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation. -
Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, centre, and Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Faisal, President of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, at an event announcing a Formula One GP in in Jeddah in 2021. AFP -
Saudi Arabia announced it will host a Formula One Grand Prix for the first time next year, with a night race in the city of Jeddah. AFP -
Saudi sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, left, at a press conference to announce Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for 2021. AFP -
Saudi Arabia had been pencilled in for the 2021 season as part of a record 23-race Formula One programme. AFP -
Formula One will be latest high-profile sporting event to be held in Saudi Arabia. AFP -
The 2017 Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix in Sakhir. Saudi Arabia becomes the third Gulf country to host an F12 race. AP -
Saudi Arabia will become the third Gulf nation to host an F1 grand prix after Bahrain and UAE. AP
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The Rio circuit is controversial for environmental reasons and work has yet to start on it.
The calendar will otherwise see the return of races cancelled this year, including the Dutch circuit of Zandvoort which last hosted a race in 1985 and would follow on from Belgium's Spa in September.
The season is set to start with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 21.
Formula One is hoping to allow fans back at circuits after racing this year behind closed doors or with very limited attendance.
