[E90SLAM]

Finally, on the very last minute, literally just days before its inagural race. FIA gave the Korean Race Track a green light.
Even though the track itself doesn't look impressive or spectacular at the moment. But once the city and other infrastructure builds around it. It should look nice.

However, we will see if the track itself delivers like Suzuka, Interlagos, or Spa!
Or will be another snore-fest like Valencia. (hope not!)

The Korean Grand Prix will take place later this month after the newly-built Korean International Circuit received FIA approval. Following a two-day track inspection, FIA race director Charlie Whiting described the Yeongam circuit as ‘satisfactory’ and announced the mandatory license would be issued through the Korea Automobile Racing Association (KARA).

“We are delighted that all works are now finished to the complete satisfaction of the FIA, and we join the whole of Korea in welcoming the Formula One fraternity to the Korea International Circuit for the first time,” said race promoter and KARA chairman, Yung Cho Chung, in a statement released on Tuesday. “The KIC has been constructed to the highest standards, and will become the epicentre of motorsport in the country.

“We believe the 2010 FORMULA 1 KOREAN GRAND PRIX will be the catalyst to ignite enormous interest in the sport across the nation. The FIA has played a crucial role from the very beginning, and provided enormous support in terms of expertise, advice and knowledge. KAVO has benefited greatly from the FIA’s tremendous experience, and we are grateful for their guidance.”

The Korean Grand Prix has the full backing of South Korea’s Central Government, as well as the Government of South Jeolla Province, where the circuit is located, and its Governor Park Jun-yeong. The 5.615-kilometre track was designed by Hermann Tilke and can accommodate 130,000 spectators.

The inaugural Korean Grand Prix will take place from October 22-24.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlin.../10/11382.html

Race Date: 24 Oct 2010
Circuit Name: Korea International Circuit
Number of Laps: 55
Circuit Length: 5.621 km
Race Distance: 309.155 km
Lap Record: --


F1 TIMETABLE (Korean Local Time)
Fri 22 October 2010
Practice 1 10:00 - 11:30
Practice 2 14:00 - 15:30
Sat 23 October 2010
Practice 3 11:00 - 12:00
Qualifying 14:00
Sun 24 October 2010
Race 15:00

F1 TIMETABLE (Pacific Time Zone)
Fri 22 October 2010
Practice 1 (Thu) 18:00 - 19:30
Practice 2 (Thu) 22:00 - 23:30
Sat 23 October 2010
Practice 3 (Fri) 19:00 - 20:00
Qualifying (Thu) 22:00
Sun 24 October 2010
Race (Sat) 23:00

F1 TIMETABLE
Fri 22 October 2010
Practice 1 (Thu) 21:00 - 22:30
Practice 2 01:00 - 02:30
Sat 23 October 2010
Practice 3 (Fri) 22:00 - 23:00
Qualifying 01:00
Sun 24 October 2010
Race 02:00

[rummy]

Looks pretty nice. Korea has come a long way.

[FStop7]

We'll see how well the surface holds up after the first day of practice.

[inTgr8r]

^ that's what I was wondering about.

[E90SLAM]

Surface should be fine, Given F1 cars are very light.
What I'm worry will be tire degradation, its a very green (newly paved) surface, and not sure how grippy and abrasive the asphalt will be.

First bit seems like a McLaren track, and Red Bull should domninate Sector 2 and 3, and Ferrari is somewhat balanced with both and competitive.

[KingOfJericho]

Wait... they're just paving it now!?!

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Wait... they're just paving it now!?!

Yep...seems "just" finish surface....

[E90SLAM]

And seems like not all the "curbs" are mounted yet....and some final touches...

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Wait... they're just paving it now!?!

A week should be enough time to completely cure, even without stellar weather. Daily downpours would be a different story, as asphalt doesn't like water. Should be fine. Looks like a balanced track. First curve after start will be interesting. And more than abrasive, I'd worry more about being greasy. We'll know soon enough.

[KingOfJericho]

I always just figured that the track is the most important part of a race track so it would be to build the roads leading to the track, then the track, then everything else but I guess with all of the heavy equipment needed to build the grandstands and pit structures it would make more sense to wait until it's all built to pave the track.

Just seemed funny to me since the most important thing when hosting a race is to have a track to race on...

[Echo M3]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

I always just figured that the track is the most important part of a race track so it would be to build the roads leading to the track, then the track, then everything else but I guess with all of the heavy equipment needed to build the grandstands and pit structures it would make more sense to wait until it's all built to pave the track.

Just seemed funny to me since the most important thing when hosting a race is to have a track to race on...

Seems to me like they put priority on building the actual track - when you look at those pictures, there's absolutely nothing else there!!

This track looks so out of place. It's like building a track in the middle of Iowa, or something. Let's hope for their sake that it does well.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by pman10

Seems to me like they put priority on building the actual track - when you look at those pictures, there's absolutely nothing else there!!

This track looks so out of place. It's like building a track in the middle of Iowa, or something. Let's hope for their sake that it does well.

because the location they chose it was like Bahrain or Abu Dhabi...originally in the middle of nowhere....because of the late acknowledgement from FOM and late start plus various mis-management....the surrounding buildings are not ready yet....probably in couple years we will be some facilities around....

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

Surface should be fine, Given F1 cars are very light.

Pretty sure that's incorrect, they may weigh very little but their down force and obtainable g forces are highest of any race series.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Pretty sure that's incorrect, they may weigh very little but their down force and obtainable g forces are highest of any race series.

downforce is one thing....but having a crane on the tarmac isn't helping either....might as well finish the construction, then pave the road.....
dead load on the concrete / I-beams truck got hefty load either....

F1 car achieves the same downforce:weight ratio of 1:1 at 125 to 130 km/h (78 to 81 mph), and at 190 km/h (118 mph) the ratio is roughly 2:1.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_car

F1 cars weight approx. 1367 lbs minimum....even with fuel...probably no more than a civic....then you take a round number (x2) or (x3) for the load generated by the downforce....so...take 5000 lbs??? F1 cars got good downforce...but not destructive force to the tarmac....
otherwise will be godzilla rolling around.....

anywayz....i'm sure their construction manager figure this all out and FIA has a strict rule of how thick the tarmac and strength of it should be.....also trucks moving equipments for the teams will be rolling on the track too....

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

downforce is one thing....but having a crane on the tarmac isn't helping either....might as well finish the construction, then pave the road.....
dead load on the concrete / I-beams truck got hefty load either....



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_car

F1 cars weight approx. 1367 lbs minimum....even with fuel...probably no more than a civic....then you take a round number (x2) or (x3) for the load generated by the downforce....so...take 5000 lbs??? F1 cars got good downforce...but not destructive force to the tarmac....
otherwise will be godzilla rolling around.....

anywayz....i'm sure their construction manager figure this all out and FIA has a strict rule of how thick the tarmac and strength of it should be.....also trucks moving equipments for the teams will be rolling on the track too....

Of course the course was built to handle it, I never said it wasn't, I was simply correcting your erroneous statement that f1 cars are "light" and therefor pose no threat to harming the course, when it's the opposite.

I don't think you understand the physics we're talking about, you can't corner and brake with the gforces f1 cars do without putting huge load on the asphalt, far more than any other vehicle in terms of pulling it up.

It's probably not going to happen, but if it was, it would happen under an f1 car.

[inTgr8r]

^ I would tend to agree.
Those extreme G forces end up somewhere.
It's all between tire & tarmac.

[E90SLAM]

Then i'm still "correct"...cars are light, loads are huge...
which u guys are correct about that...

G force and load transfer becomes a complex analysis that depends on millions of things, the turn, the car set up, tire temperature, tire pressure, camber and toe set up, road surface temperature, and the tilt of the road as well.....

speaking of that, i'm not sure if the FIA is really checking the "strength" of asphalt, especially with the traditional tracks where the downforce wasn't even exist when they built, and all the street courses. They might check the road surface is "smooth".
Does anyone know if the FIA has any regulation regarding the strength of road surface to meet spec?

I've heard more about not sufficient run-off area, bumpy surface, or new surface is too abrasive, or the surface is too green.
Except back in 20007 or 2008 there was a problem during Canadian GP at the inside of hairpin. That they need to repave and repair during the race weekend or something. The surface cracked or something.

There was severe criticism from drivers about track conditions.[8][9] The track was said to be breaking up on turn two, the exit of turn seven and also the apex and exit of turn 10. The authorities applied chemicals on turn 2 and carried out further resurfacing of track on turn 11–the hairpin– following Saturday's qualifying session.

Anyone remember what was the cause?

[escobar929]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

Anyone remember what was the cause?

I can barely remember what I had for lunch yesterday

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by escobar929

I can barely remember what I had for lunch yesterday

As long as you remember to turn on the TV....

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

Then i'm still "correct"...cars are light, loads are huge...
which u guys are correct about that...

G force and load transfer becomes a complex analysis that depends on millions of things, the turn, the car set up, tire temperature, tire pressure, camber and toe set up, road surface temperature, and the tilt of the road as well.....

Originally Posted by FStop7

We'll see how well the surface holds up after the first day of practice.

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

Surface should be fine, Given F1 cars are very light.

No you're not still correct. You're correct that the surface should be fine, but incorrect in why you asserted that it would be. The cars being light has nothing to do with it, period. You were wrong, accept it and move on.

And it's not complicated at all, its a factor of weight/downforce vs gforces plain and simple. To pull Gs you have to affect friction on the surface, more Gs x weight/DF more friction.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by O-cha

No you're not still correct. You're correct that the surface should be fine, but incorrect in why you asserted that it would be. The cars being light has nothing to do with it, period. You were wrong, accept it and move on.

And it's not complicated at all, its a factor of weight/downforce vs gforces plain and simple. To pull Gs you have to affect friction on the surface, more Gs x weight/DF more friction.

Damn dude, who pissed in your cornflakes this morning?

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by SonnyJack

Damn dude, who pissed in your cornflakes this morning?

He's been piss off since dinner last night....
Guess beating up a dead horse makes him feel better....

You mad bro?