Korean GP ready thanks to German workers

The Yeongam track would be ready, so to speak, to host its first Formula One grand prix, thanks to help from Germany. Hermann Tilke, the architect who advised on the construction of the track, told Auto Bild Motorsport that he made men and machinery available from Germany as soon as he realized that the Koreans needed a lot of help to complete the work .

“We had to send workers from Germany, otherwise the grand prix would most likely not have taken place. Their help was mainly oriented towards the construction of the asphalt strip. We have used a special formula for preparing the tar that dries quickly and is ready immediately. The only problem could be the poor adhesion due to the massive layer of bitumen present on the surface."

Tilke admitted that he had long doubted whether the work would be completed in the right time and his task, through the company he manages, Tilke GmbH, was above all to analyze the reasons for the delays and offer solutions. Overall the track should be complete even if the German architect admits the existence of some gaps in several points, then added: “Formula One raced in a car park in Las Vegas, in a desert in Bahrain and a swamp in Shanghai. Never on a construction site in the middle of nowhere."

In the meantime, the organizers expect to reach 90 in attendance on Sunday, even if the level of tickets sold so far is well below forecasts. In Yeongam they are aware of the delay and improvisation in the 2010 preparation and are betting everything on the improvements planned for next year's race.

Robert Ferrari