RTL German TV opts to avoid Vietnam GP due to coronavirus danger

Formula 1's German TV broadcaster RTL will not travel to Vietnam for the new Grand Prix because of the coronavirus. The Chinese Grand Prix has been postponed, and the Vietnamese Grand Prix was in doubt until F1 bosses confirmed it would happen. But the race weekend will still be affected.

RTL Germany have opted to stay at home. The Grand Prix will take place on April 5, but the permanent team of presenters and analysists will report from Germany. "Instead [go to Vietnam] the entire production of the live broadcast is moved to Cologne," the statement said.

RTL bases their choice on the “Unpredictable spread of the coronavirus. We have a great responsibility for our employees. If we report from Hanoi, the risk seems to be too great a risk after extensive research. We came to this decision after several sources of information were unable to give us a reliable state of affairs on the spot."

Hanoi is located in the north of Vietnam, just 150 kilometres from the Chinese border. For now, it seems that the virus has not really spread. A total of 16 infections were discovered throughout the country. There are around the same amount of cases in Germany.