D-100 countdown starts for Korea F1 series
By Yoon Chul
Staff reporter
Now it's just 100 days to go. The first-ever Formula 1 (F1) series in Korea is scheduled to take place in Yeongam, South Jeolla Province, Oct. 22 to 24.
Organizers here are rolling up their sleeves to make the event a success, as F1 is one of the biggest sporting attractions worldwide. Starting this year, Korea will host a Grand Prix for the next six years.
In F1, around 20 races are held annually at venues worldwide. So far this year, 10 of the 19 rounds have been completed, and the Korean Grand Prix Series will be the 17th race of this season.
The first and foremost concern for the Korea Auto Valley Operation (KAVO), the South Jeolla government and the The Formula 1 Korea Grand Prix Organizing Committee is definitely the circuit.
The Korea International Circuit is currently under construction. More than 80 percent of the construction has been done so far, and the new track is expected to be completed with other facilities in August.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has been checking the arena for track safety and annexed facilities. Its race director Charlie Whiting visited Yeongam Tuesday for an inspection, and the overall result of the on-site evaluation is to be announced late August.
Once completed, the circuit, 5.6 kilometers long with a 1.2-kilometer straight, will seat about 130,000 spectators. KAVO and South Jeolla Province also plan to build transfer parking lots and operate shuttle buses for visitors' convenience.
In addition, operation is expected to be extended for KTX, the local bullet train, during the event. Visitors can arrive at nearby Mokpo KTX station, and transfer by shuttle buses to the race track. The trip from Seoul to Mokpo takes 3 hours and 20 minutes by KTX and spectators need about 30 minutes to reach Yeongam by shuttle bus. The committee has already prepared 600 buses.
There have been rumors that F1 Korea spectators might suffer from a serious lack of accommodation, but the KAVO said that's just not true.
"Those comments come from a misunderstanding," a KAVO official told The Korea Times. "Even though there are only a couple of five-star hotels in Yeongam, we have lots of other accommodation ready. And it's common in many overseas races that accommodation is located a distance from the venue.
"It's an exceptional case for all the facilities to be close to each other, like in Singapore. Things here can't be the exactly the same as Singapore. We are doing our best to offer satisfactory facilities for our spectators to enjoy the race to the fullest," the official said.
The KAVO didn't disclose the number of tickets sold so far, but said they have already sold more seats than expected.
"And we anticipate that sales will really pick up from September," added the official.