F1 Fanatic

Unless he crashes out in Japan and needs an extra race to claw some points back!

@NWO so no risk of the asphalt breaking up, especially on high speed bends? Is it really feasible to lay the entire track and then have F1 cars racing on the surface just a few days later, with no testing with other cars etc?

> “they said the parts for stands also will arrive Sep. 30th.”

which stands need to be put together?

we knew there was a lot of work with the actual track, but it sounds like there is also a bunch of work to do with the stands, hospitality areas and the media center.

Latest update from Joe Saward again:

“We hear from very reliable sources that the decision as to whether the Korean Grand Prix will go ahead will not be taken before October 11, the Monday after the Japanese GP when the FIA will send inspectors to Korea to look at the surface of the new circuit. The final layer of tarmac is still to be laid and much depends on the weather being fine. If the surface is not properly cured then the race may not go ahead, although this would be a blow both to Korea and to the Formula 1 world.”

from: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/korean-decision-not-before-october-11/

Out of interest I looked up a weather forecast for the area, and it seems clear after this weekend, which will give them a chance to complete the circuit:

http://www.myweather2.com/Motor-Racing/South-Korea/Yeongam-Circuit-Korean-International-Circuit.aspx?sday=0&eday=7

I think if they get the asphalt down that the race will not be cancelled, but I can also foresee a situation similar to Canada two years ago, or even worse a situation like the US GP.

Downforce must have a considerable bearing on the preassure the cars exert on the tarmac. F1 races I assume must be fairly stressfull for the average strip of asphalt.

The decision on wether the Korean GP will go ahead will be made today, according to Joe Saward:

See, this is why I think so little of Saward: he posts stupid rumours and speculation as news stories, and when nothing comes of them, he barely acknowledges it at all.

@Eggry Thanks for posting that. Great news.

That article is particularly confusing when translated by Google:
“Yeongam F1 Circuit in Germany by a qualified technician has completed construction of a two stage four days after checking the track for track safety zone, went to the surface test package.”

I’m no asphalt expert, but that looks pretty decent. Looks like there’s still some grandstand work to be done. I wonder what they’ll do along the sides of the track in places that don’t have curbs like the main straight. Normally there’d be some grass in those places, but there’s probably not enough time at this point for grass to be seeded in those areas. I’m guessing the whole thing will look very different in another two weeks when the teams start arriving.

10 days to go ’till the 2011 race, and the media silence here in Korea is deafening…