The circuit runs anticlockwise and is situated next to the Mỹ Đình National Stadium. It combines a temporary street section with a purpose-built layout, featuring both existing and newly-constructed roads. The final design was a collaboration between Formula One's Motorsports team, Tilke, the City of Hanoi authorities, the race promoter, and the governing body FIA.
The circuit's length is 5.613 km (3.488 mi) according to one source, and 5.607 km (3.484 mi) according to others. It features a 1.5 km (0.9 mi) long high-speed straight, which is one of the longest planned for the calendar and can be driven at speeds up to 340 km/h. This straight provides one of the possible DRS zones. The purpose-built section drew design inspiration from several existing circuits. Turns 1 and 2 were based on the opening corners at Germany's Nürburgring, aiming to create an overtaking opportunity. Turns 12 through 15 were inspired by a section of the Monaco Street Circuit, while the Turn 16-19 sequence features fast changes of direction reminiscent of the Esses at Suzuka. The final three corners take inspiration from Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit.
The original layout comprised 22 corners (10 right, 12 left). In December 2019, the design was revised to add one further corner in the third sector for safety reasons, bringing the total to 23 corners. The track was also widened by approximately 15m in the final section, and the pit entry design was amended.
The circuit features permanent pit buildings and infrastructure. The 300m-long, three-story pit building, inspired by Hanoi's Imperial Citadel of Thang Long and the Pavilion of the Constellation of Literature, overlooks the starting grid. It includes 34 team pits and four FIA and Formula One pits. The Race Control is integrated into the pit building. Lounge areas on the upper two levels were designed to host up to 3,000 guests of the Paddock Club. VIP stands, composed as an arena in the middle of the track near Turns 1 and 2, include lounge rooms and seats for almost 8,000 VIP guests. Main Grandstands opposite the pit building on the start-finish straight have a capacity of 30,000 spectators. The total area was designed to accommodate 15,000 VIPs and 97,000 other visitors.
Plans for a race in Vietnam were initially explored by then Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone but abandoned due to viability concerns. New owners Liberty Media re-energized the pursuit, and the Vietnamese Grand Prix was announced in November 2018, becoming the first new event under their ownership with an initial race date of April 2020.
The inaugural Vietnamese Grand Prix was originally scheduled for April 5, 2020, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The planned 2021 race was subsequently removed from the Formula One calendar following the arrest and jailing of Hanoi People's Committee Chairman Nguyễn Đức Chung on corruption charges, who was a key official and backer of the race. The Vietnamese authorities also seemed disinclined to host the event in front of empty grandstands.
Since the cancellations, the circuit has been closed to the public, and the temporary facilities have been removed. The permanent pit buildings and grandstands remain. The circuit hosted a Honda Thanks Day event between December 31, 2022, and January 1, 2023. On April 14, 2024, its main straight served as the venue for the 50th anniversary parade of the Mobile Police Command's Traditional Day.
Because no race has ever been held on the full circuit, its only competitive representation is in the video game F1 2020, which retained the original 2020 season calendar. That version of the circuit featured as the second round of the 2020 Formula One Esports Series.
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