History

After months of speculation it was finally announced in October 2006 that South Korea had been handed a place on the F1 calendar with 2010 being touted as the year for the first event. However, the race was placed in jeopardy due to funding concerns and it wasn't until the end of 2009 that official confirmation was handed down by the FIA. The Yeongam circuit, otherwise known as the Korean International Circuit, was designed by acclaimed F1 track guru Hermann Tilke, costing $264 million dollars, and is one of just a handful of circuits to run in a counterclockwise direction. The circuit, which was built on reclaimed land, comprises two interchangeable tracks; the F1 track and the smaller permanent track; and is one of the first in the world to have a dual-structure without having to block off various sections of an existing track. The layout also means the venue has two separate paddocks and sets of pits, one for the F1 track and another for the smaller track. Yeongam's F1 track totals 5.45km is length and incorporates 18 corners, which are a mix of over-taking-friendly sharp hairpins and high-speed corners. Maximum speeds of 320/kph are expected to be reached on a track that feature's Asia's longest straight. The race will take place over 55 laps, totaling 305.2kms