Ecclestone now declare the Korean Grand Prix "is on"

Oct.09 (GMM) Following expressing worries regarding the opening event less than two weeks ago, Bernie Ecclestone now declare the Korean Grand Prix "is on". The FIA's Charlie Whiting is due to tour the Yeongam venue the day after Sunday's Japanese GP, but F1 chief executive Ecclestone said the circuit "will pass the inspection" and host the race in two weeks.

"They had problems but they have done wonders in the last few weeks," the Briton, who is not in Japan this weekend, is quoted by the Daily Express.

"I've been in touch; I've seen photographs and the top layer of the track has been laid. They will pass the inspection," added Ecclestone.

The newspaper report, however, said many of the circuit's buildings and spectator facilities will not be finished.

Ecclestone continued: "Despite all the doom stories, I think people will be pleasantly surprised.

"I will be there, the world will be watching and we will have a great race -- and it is on, end of story," he said.

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Korea to complete track day before FIA inspection

Oct.05 (GMM) The Korean new International racing circuit is almost complete, an official of the Yeongam venue has revealed. Rumor has dogged the opening event due to construction delays and an unusually late FIA inspection scheduled for the day after Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix -- just 11 days prior to opening practice in Korea.

But race organiser KAVO's communication boss Kim Jae-ho has revealed to the Korea Times newspaper that construction "is now 98 to 99 per cent complete". The last crucial element is the top layer of surface asphalt, with other less important things likely to go unfinished.

"The inspection team may put first priority on safety and appropriateness of the race track ahead of other factors such as cleanliness and makeshift stands," Kim admitted.

Work on the final surface layer began on Tuesday and will take six days -- exactly the time available until Charlie Whiting arrives at the venue direct from Suzuka.

"Before the inspection the only thing left to do is working on the surface of the track," Kim confirmed.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said two weeks ago that allowing Korea to miss its original inspection date is "quite dangerous", but the newspaper report said some other circuits have been in the same situation.

"We also tried to keep the date," Kim explained.

"For us, the toughest factor was weather. It rained too much. It was totally different from past seasons.

"Frankly speaking, we (Korea) have little experience in building race tracks. However, despite the postponed construction, the track and venue will provide the perfect circumstances for the race," he promised.

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Korea: Circuit will be finished before inspection

Organisers of the upcoming inaugural Korean Grand Prix have told GPUpdate.net that the circuit will be completed by the time of its final FIA inspection on Monday 11 October. The response follows worries expressed by Formula 1 commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone in Singapore on Sunday.

With Ecclestone having claimed that there are ‘dangerous concerns’ over the Yeongam race which is scheduled for the weekend of 23-24 October, its final FIA examination has been delayed although Korea Auto Valley Operation (KAVO) is confident that its results will prove positive.


“KAVO heard Mr. Ecclestone's comments in the news and we recognise that he worries about the completion of circuit more than we thought,” a KAVO spokesperson explained to GPUpdate.net on Thursday afternoon.

“However, the circuit will be finished before the inspection.

"The remaining operations ahead of the FIA inspection are the final coating and cleaning of the surface.”

Source: GPUpdate.net


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Korea GP: I don't take a lot of notice of rumours - Ecclestone

Sept.26 (GMM) President and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration Bernie Ecclestone on Sunday insisted next month's Korean GP will go ahead.
It has emerged that despite September 21 being the initially belated date for the Yeongam circuit's final inspection; the FIA is not now expected to sign off the track until next week or even later. A South Korean delegation is in Singapore this weekend, triggering the latest round of paddock rumours about whether the race will take place -- including talk of a looming typhoon.

"We're happy with the circuit at the moment," F1 chief executive Ecclestone told the Korea Herald newspaper from Singapore.

He played down the rumours that the track will not be ready.

"I don't take a lot of notice of rumours," said the Briton, explaining the reasons for the delayed inspection.

"We waited for an obvious reason, because the weather's been bad. The federation (FIA) seems very happy with what's happened, with everything that will happen," he added.

Ecclestone also denied suggestions that FIA rules will prevent Korea from holding a race in 2011 if the inspection does not go well.

"We signed a contract," he said. "I can't discuss this (outcome), because it's going to happen."

Ecclestone admitted that he does not expect a big crowd for October's inaugural event.

"People are reading complete rubbish in papers that it is not going to happen, so I don't estimate a big, big crowd," explained the 79-year-old.

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FIA to inspect Korea after final asphalt laid

September 21, touted as the belated final inspection date for Korea's new F1 circuit
, passed without notice.

That's because it has been agreed with the struggling race organisers that the inspection can take place next week instead, according to Auto Motor und Sport.

Charlie Whiting's inspection will now take place next Tuesday, despite the FIA rules requiring circuits to be given the green light several months before their debut race date.

But according to the German media report, it is only next week that the final layer of asphalt will be laid on the surface of the Yeongam layout.

Also to be inspected by Whiting will be the run-off areas, fences, walls and tyre barriers; crucial details those mere days ago were essentially incomplete.

Auto Motor und Sport said that, from a commercial point of view, the organisers have fully paid their race sanctioning fee.

"I believe it (the Korean circuit) will eventually be signed off because Bernie (Ecclestone) is desperate for it to be signed off.

"But it's not great PR for the circuit or the FIA," said Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary.

Source:motorsport.com

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