Korea next to get own Grand Prix
South Korea will play host to Formula One on this harbour-front circuit designed by Hermann Tilke.
Formula One commercial rights owner Bernie Ecclestone made the announcement earlier this month that he had signed a deal for the Korean Grand Prix to take place from 2010 onwards. Now, further details of the circuit in South Cholla Province have been revealed.
Tilke has designed an innovative 5.45 km track, which will be built on a 4.95 million square metre site and will be the nation’s largest race car and motorcycle track.
The Korea Auto Valley Operation, a joint venture between South Cholla province and the Korean F1 promoter M-Bridge Holdings, will build the track at a cost of 250 billion won ($264 million). Construction will start in 2007 and be completed by 2009.
Harbour front
Korean International Circuit, as it has been tentatively called, will be divided into permanent and temporary parts, which will go through a city. The highlight of the event will be the race along the harbour promenade overlooked by yachts and hotels itself.
The F1 Paddock will be only temporarily used for the Grand Prix weekend and will feature possible exhibition facilities, shops, restaurants and cafes for the rest of the year.
Previous efforts by Ecclostone to hold a Grand Prix in South Korea came to nought when event promoters failed to build a track at Sepoong, despite having exclusive rights to host a race from 1998 to 2002. Ecclestone subsequently won a court case against the Sepoong Engineering Construction company, which saw it pay the Formula One Management company £7.5 million in compensation.
Efforts to establish a Champ Car race in the city of Ansan also foundered earlier this year, despite a circuit having been built. It was the third year in a row that series officials had been forced to cancel the race following wranglings over circuit infrastructure and race promotion.
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