Korean GP in danger of being called off

[fat jez]

Things are not looking too good for the Korean GP, as delays in construction mount.

Source: Autosport

Perhaps Bernie need to hold off signing new GP's until the circuits are actually built?

 

[FB]

Back in the "olden days" a circuit had to hold a non-championship F1 event before being accepted as an official F1 track; I think Imola was the last circuit to do this in 1979.

Perhaps the track should be required to run a 3 day test session prior to being approved for racing? Oh, hang on, testing is banned during the season so they can't do that can they

 

[Brogan]

Hasn't GP2 been used for that purpose recently?
I think they did that with Valcencia and Abu Dhabi.

There must be severe delays if they're mentioning it now in April as the circuit was scheduled to be finished by July with the race being held in October.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Track designer Herman Tilke told the magazine that he was concerned the work would not be finished in time.

"For the first time I believe that a [Tilke] circuit is not going to be ready in time," he was quoted as saying by the magazine.

Am I the only person who read that and thought "thank for that"

The words "A Tilke Circuit" do nothing but make me shudder but we've been down this road many times.

 

[siffert_fan]

Am I the only one that thinks that the repercussions for a track not making its scheduled date should be at least as severe as the sanctions given to teams (e.g. USF1) who don't make it? A team loses its permit, can be fined and banned forever from F1.

A track not being ready is, to my mind, a far greater offense. Sponsors sign up with teams on the understanding that there will be a given number of races in the season. Now the season may be one race short. Doesn't that require a partial refund to the sponsors (hopefully out of the pocket of the Short One)?
Should Korea still be given a spot on the calendar for next season?

I find this revelation particularly ironic, given that BE (curse him) just last week was making noises about European venues being cancelled so the races could go elsewhere- and Korea was a perfect example of the "elsewhere".

 

[cider_and_toast]

Am I the only one that thinks that the repercussions for a track not making its scheduled date should be at least as severe as the sanctions given to teams (e.g. USF1) who don't make it? A team loses its permit, can be fined and banned forever from F1.

Yeah, that should absolutely be the case however, It's dear old Bernie that organises the tracks and thus he is hardly going to sanction himself.

With the teams it's easy because the FIA can sanction at will and it won't effect the little one however in organising the show, if one of Bernies tracks dosn't cut the mustard then it's Bernies problem.

Since for reasons that no one can quite explain he was granted ownership of the commercial rights of F1 for life he can pretty much walk into FIA headquarters, poop and Jean Todts desk and leave his pit pass in it as a wafer and there is nothing that Todt could do about it.

I don't know what's worse, Bernie still at the helm of F1 or the power vacuum and scramble for the crown jewels when he does eventually call it a day.

 

[Brogan]

The delays are unsurprisingly denied.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8616168.stm

Also, I doubt the accuracy of the original source which was a German website as they said that BE had flown directly to Korea from Malaysia when in fact he was on the same plane back to the UK as Jake Humphreys and Lewis Hamilton.

 

[teabagyokel]

Lets give the Koreans a chance, and hope they build the race. Since the structure of certain Cup/Shield competitions may require that GP to be held, it is of utmost importance that it is!

 

[Matthew Little]

Let's see..........you have a future grand prix in South Korea behind schedule and a major racing series considering either a postponement or a cancellation of said event there...................

Excuse me, but I think I've seen this movie before...............in ChampCar's last few years of existence before 'mergification' with the Indy Racing League, they tried to stage a grand prix event in Ansan, the "Ansan Grand Prix". Each year('04, 05' and '06 if I recall) the powers that be that ran ChampCar(Kalkhoven, Forsythe and Gentilozzi) had to cancel the event, citing construction delays at the track or some other reason.

And all this time I thought the Ecclestone and his minions were smart enough just to use existing venues in new places to gouge the paying F1 customer............


*Mod Edit* Please refer to all F1 participants by their given names, as per the rules. Thanks, Fat Jez.

 

[FB]

Karun Chandhok has run the first laps in Korea in front of 4,000 peolpe. Still lots to do apparently but the hope is the race will take place...

http://www.redbull.com/cs/Satellite...-Racing-make-history-in-Korea-021242898518572

 

[MajorDanby]

He's saying that the first sector is McLaren territory, and the final two RedBulls. It will be interesting to see how good an evaluation that is from the KarunOpedia

 

[LifeW12]

I applaude Codemasters for getting the track just about right for F1 2010 . F1 teams will have ordered their copies and the drivers will hit the Korea track straight away I'm sure

 

[Brogan]

First onboard laps of the Korean circuit.

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The pit lane exit looks a bit tricky

This circuit diagram should help when watching the footage.

 

[Flood1]

I suppose the guys at RBR are studing the data log to get their own simulators up and running. Interesting vid. I would think they could get ready depending on the crowd they expect.

I think I will wait for at least one more year before attending

 

[LifeW12]

Red Bull don't need to create the track because Codemasters have done that for them

 

[sportsman]

Red Bull don't need to create the track because Codemasters have done that for them

I don't quite think that is what Flood1 is saying.He is saying that RBR now have some real on track data to use in their simulator.

 

[LifeW12]

The engine sound from that video sounds a lot different to the normal RB engine and they also sound like they're using 6 gears

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Red Bull don't need to create the track because Codemasters have done that for them

The game is been released on the 24th of September which will give us a whole month to get to grips with the new circuit.

 

[MajorDanby]

@ Life

Looks decent, Karun was exactly pushing hard was he? Still of those straights, 1 is very LONG. I think they need to get some curbs installed

 

[Brogan]

The engine sound from that video sounds a lot different to the normal RB engine and they also sound like they're using 6 gears

Grooved tyres were also fitted.

I suspect this is all part of an arrangement to stop Red Bull getting any decent data from the run, Karun will have been told to just take it easy.