The Korean Grand Prix has struggled to establish itself on the Formula 1 calendar since its debut in 2010.
Previous winners
-
2012: Sebastian Vettel
-
2011: Sebastian Vettel
-
2010: Fernando Alonso
Located more than four hours away from the country's capital, Seoul,
the event has failed to really capture the imagination of the nation and
officials have already indicated a desire to renegotiate their contract
with Bernie Ecclestone after running at a loss so far.
The venue's original blueprint included the construction of a new
marina complex around the final sector of the lap, with the track
becoming public roads during the rest of the year. However, these plans
have yet to materialise, leaving something of a soulless circuit stuck
in imperfect isolation and surrounded by marshland.
This lack of development has also made it incredibly difficult for
teams, media and fans to find accommodation in surrounding Yeongam, with
many forced into so-called 'love hotels' in the nearby city of Mokpo.
The 3.49-mile circuit itself is another Hermann Tilke design and
typically features his trademark long straight followed by a hairpin
between turns two and three. The straight is the longest in F1 and very
arguably too long as cars driving in a straight line for a prolonged
period is not an entertaining or invigorating sight for fans.
The pit entry and exit have also come in for major criticism. Cars
slowing down to pit have to do so on the racing line of a blind corner,
which is normally taken flat, meaning there is a major risk of a car
being run into. The pit exit, meanwhile, feeds into the middle of turn
one, meaning any driver who doesn't make the corner's apex could collect
someone coming out of the pits.
Despite the seemingly permanent cloud under which the race hangs, it
remains on the calendar for 2013 and has a contract for three years
after that. The Korean Grand Prix is backed by the local government -
who see it as a way of bringing investment to the area - meaning it's
future could well be linked to their own. A change of office might bring
about a chance of heart - but even then there would be cancellation
fees to consider.
