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As D-Day approaches Korea races against time to have F1 track ready
By John Duerden |
September 16, 2010, Thursday
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JASON Cho, the man in charge of making sure that South Korea's first ever Formula One race goes ahead, is really feeling the pressure.
"Am I stressed," the Korean International Circuit track manager asks. "Just look at my face," he says, and smiles.
The sunglasses come off, but the hard hat stays on. It has to, because organizers KAVO (Korea Auto Valley Operation) acknowledge the circuit is not yet ready, with time running out before the October 24 race.
While KAVO insists it will be finished on time, there are many doubters in F1 circles.
D-Day is September 21 when Charlie Whiting, head of F1's technical department, arrives in the remote southwestern corner of the country, 400 kilometers from Seoul, to inspect the track and decide if the race can go ahead. If he gives the thumbs-down, not only will Korea lose this year's event, but the second race of its seven-year agreement.
Construction of the circuit and associated infrastructure began in November 2007 and was initially scheduled to have been finished in July, but even in mid-September, cars and trucks still whizz around the track in a frantic effort to meet the deadline.
Cho's team is working 15 hours a day, seven days a week to get everything ready. The focus of remaining work is to put on the third layer of the track and the various finishing touches. Work will continue up to the eve of Whiting's inspection.
"We will finish all of the circuit in ten days, on September 20th because Charlie Whiting is coming here on 21st September," Cho says.
"It will be ready, it's a must. If we don't finish then we don't have an event so it will be done in ten days."
According to the construction manager, the weather is to blame for delays.
"There has been a lot of rain compared to most years and all this land was all wetland and we had to take all the water out first," explains Cho.
"Seventy percent of the work was because of hardening the land. If it was just regular land, we could have done it in a year. That made it more technical.
"We are all professionals but we don't have experience in Korea of building tracks up to F1 standard. If there had been a manual of guidelines to follow, it would have made our work much easier and we would have finished sooner."
The 5.615 kilometer counterclockwise circuit is the latest to be designed by Herman Tilke.
The German's tracks often look spectacular, but without producing the thrilling racing of some of the tighter traditional or street circuits. However, F1 driver Karun Chandhok earlier this month did some laps of the unfinished track and was positive about the layout.
About 4000 fans attended that demonstration, indicating some level of interest in F1.
However there have been questions about the likely attendance at the race, given the remoteness of the circuit and F1 having almost no historical connection to Korea.
Peter Baek, deputy marketing manager, acknowledges that Yeongam, the small town nearest the circuit, was not the first choice.
"Initially, our CEO (Yoon Cho Chung) wanted to hold it in Seoul and have a night race that they could race on the street. That was many years ago and it didn't happen."
KAVO seems to be growing tired of answering questions about the state of the track.
"The Korean construction industry is very developed and at a high standard. We work fast and get the job done. We have seen in the past at the 2002 World Cup and the 1988 Olympics, there were always questions of 'are you guys ready,' but we always got it done and we are positive that the venue will be ready, and it is almost ready.
"Europeans have a set schedule and want to keep to the schedule as actively as possible but Koreans always get things done."
"Am I stressed," the Korean International Circuit track manager asks. "Just look at my face," he says, and smiles.
The sunglasses come off, but the hard hat stays on. It has to, because organizers KAVO (Korea Auto Valley Operation) acknowledge the circuit is not yet ready, with time running out before the October 24 race.
While KAVO insists it will be finished on time, there are many doubters in F1 circles.
D-Day is September 21 when Charlie Whiting, head of F1's technical department, arrives in the remote southwestern corner of the country, 400 kilometers from Seoul, to inspect the track and decide if the race can go ahead. If he gives the thumbs-down, not only will Korea lose this year's event, but the second race of its seven-year agreement.
Construction of the circuit and associated infrastructure began in November 2007 and was initially scheduled to have been finished in July, but even in mid-September, cars and trucks still whizz around the track in a frantic effort to meet the deadline.
Cho's team is working 15 hours a day, seven days a week to get everything ready. The focus of remaining work is to put on the third layer of the track and the various finishing touches. Work will continue up to the eve of Whiting's inspection.
"We will finish all of the circuit in ten days, on September 20th because Charlie Whiting is coming here on 21st September," Cho says.
"It will be ready, it's a must. If we don't finish then we don't have an event so it will be done in ten days."
According to the construction manager, the weather is to blame for delays.
"There has been a lot of rain compared to most years and all this land was all wetland and we had to take all the water out first," explains Cho.
"Seventy percent of the work was because of hardening the land. If it was just regular land, we could have done it in a year. That made it more technical.
"We are all professionals but we don't have experience in Korea of building tracks up to F1 standard. If there had been a manual of guidelines to follow, it would have made our work much easier and we would have finished sooner."
The 5.615 kilometer counterclockwise circuit is the latest to be designed by Herman Tilke.
The German's tracks often look spectacular, but without producing the thrilling racing of some of the tighter traditional or street circuits. However, F1 driver Karun Chandhok earlier this month did some laps of the unfinished track and was positive about the layout.
About 4000 fans attended that demonstration, indicating some level of interest in F1.
However there have been questions about the likely attendance at the race, given the remoteness of the circuit and F1 having almost no historical connection to Korea.
Peter Baek, deputy marketing manager, acknowledges that Yeongam, the small town nearest the circuit, was not the first choice.
"Initially, our CEO (Yoon Cho Chung) wanted to hold it in Seoul and have a night race that they could race on the street. That was many years ago and it didn't happen."
KAVO seems to be growing tired of answering questions about the state of the track.
"The Korean construction industry is very developed and at a high standard. We work fast and get the job done. We have seen in the past at the 2002 World Cup and the 1988 Olympics, there were always questions of 'are you guys ready,' but we always got it done and we are positive that the venue will be ready, and it is almost ready.
"Europeans have a set schedule and want to keep to the schedule as actively as possible but Koreans always get things done."
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