Carey inspects 2020 Hanoi GP site

President and CEO of Formula 1 Chase Carey, left, Hanoi Mayor Nguyen Duc Chung, second from left and two other officials watch the Hanoi F1 circuit design on the screen in Hanoi, Vietnam (AP)

(GMM) F1 chief executive Chase Carey traveled straight from China to Vietnam to check out the scene of the Hanoi street race for 2020.

Vietnam is the first new race put together from scratch by new F1 owner Liberty Media.

"We think this track will make for a very special race and a very exciting competition," Carey is quoted by France's L'Equipe.

"It's a combination of a street race – we are in the city center – and a circuit," he added.

Earlier, Truong Anh Ngoc, the sports correspondent for the official Vietnam News Agency, said the race is costing "several hundred million dollars".