Thais to host RoC - and eye F1
FROM SOCCER TO SPEED: Bangkok's Rajamangala soccer stadium will host motorsport's 'Race of Champions' in December 2012.
Author: Alan Baldwin
BANGKOK, Thailand - Bangkok will host the 2012 Race of Champions, the annual event in December the features winners from various motorsport series.
The city also has plans for Formula 1.
Organisers said the Rajamangala Stadium, home to Thailand's national soccer team, will follow Beijing's Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium as the second venue outside of Europe to stage the event which has featured stars such as Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.
The previous two events were held in Dusseldorf, Germany.
F1 BY 2014?
Thailand's Minister of Tourism and Sports, Chumphol Silpa-archa, said: "This race will be a perfect opportunity for Thais to see some of the world's greatest drivers and is another step by the government to promote racing and automotive sports in the kingdom.
"We aim to bring F1 to Thailand as well."
South-east Asia already has two F1 weekends, those of Malaysia and Singapore.
The minister was quoted in March as saying Thailand could meet the conditions to host an F1 race as early as 2014.