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F1 Track Architect Hermann Tilke Designs an Exciting Race:
Hermann Tilke, the renowned German architect who designed the 5.621 kilometers of the Yeongam circuit that will in inaugurate Korea’s first Formula 1 race on October 24, believes the recently-laid track surface will produce a spectacular event for the fans.
Although the new asphalt prompted concerns from drivers and onlookers, Tilke contends the evolution of the surface will be even more extreme than Monaco and will serve to deliver an exciting race.
"The only problem it will cause – and to me that is not actually a problem – is in terms of grip," explained Tilke. "A lack of grip should not be a problem because we have the best drivers in the world here. Plus, it will be the same conditions for everybody.
There will not a problem that the track will break-up.”
As a former racer with an impressive resume of pioneering Formula 1 circuits around the world, Tilke admitted the Korean project was one of the toughest of his life.
"The delays started at the very beginning, because it is swampy land here and we had to drain it before. It needed a long time for the water to come out – something in excess of one year. Then the land had to be compacted, so it needed more and more time.
And, of course, the monsoon season was longer than expected. There were lots of things like that."
Despite a series of well-publicized set-backs (including the FIA’s delayed final approval of the track), Yeongam is ready for business. Costing 88 billion won (or $79 million US) and located in the South Jeolla region, approximately 400 km south of the
capital Seoul, it features three straights including one whose distance stretches for a whopping 1.2 km – which is by far the longest of any Asian F1 track. In addition to being anti-clockwise (a rarity in the current Grand Prix racing calendar), the circuit
also features five slow turns and two obvious areas where opponents can jockey to overtake one another.
Because the track is brand new with a slippery surface, Tilke predicts there will undoubtedly be some spinning. However, the architect is content with the final results; believing there will be no problems with the infrastructure. "The main systems will
work fine, but maybe here and there, there might be some small things that are not working. And because the track is not tested, as it got ready very late, there will probably be a few surprises as well. But all the main things will be okay."
As teams and drivers continue their preparations, the untested, virgin quality of the Yeongam track is causing many fans and observers alike to regard the upcoming Korean race as one of the most exciting events of this F1 season.
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