Ferrari may not have to make its engines last 19 races after all!!!!
Doubts emerge over Korea debutMonday, 12 April 2010 13:25
The inaugural Korean Grand Prix could be in danger of being postponed with work on the new venue having reportedly fallen behind schedule. South Korea is scheduled to hold its maiden Formula 1 race on October 24 but the German magazine Focus reports that “major problems” with construction work at the track in the South Jeolla region have raised the prospect of the event being called off for 2010.
F1’s pre-eminent track designer Herman Tilke has again designed the 3.5-mile waterfront circuit, but his company is only playing an advisory role in the building process and he has admitted to the publication that work on the venue is not running to plan. “For the first time I fear that a circuit will not be ready in time,” he is quoted as saying by Focus.
Bernie Ecclestone – who agreed a seven-year deal with Korea to join the calendar this season as long ago as October 2006 – reportedly visited South Korea immediately after the Malaysian GP to assess the seriousness of the problems. The F1 commercial supremo will now decide in the forthcoming days whether the event’s debut is postponed until 2011, with Focus suggesting that no replacement would be sought on this year’s calendar if Korea is cancelled. Such a scenario would mean that only 18 races take place this season, which would create a big month-long gap between the Japanese GP and penultimate round in Brazil.
Despite having had an F1 contract in place for over three years, Korean GP promoters only secured funding for the construction of the circuit last September after securing loan agreements with nine local banks. Organisers Korea Auto Valley Operation said they expected the track to be completed by July and have since been forced to deny further rumours that the project is running behind schedule.
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Hmmm, Formula One racing in October. Time was when then meant the USGP. There IS a facility in the US that is primed, locked and loaded to host a GP race without any construction delays or other impediments. All they would need to do is print the tickets.
I know, I know. Ain't gonna happen.
Still.......
