F1: Filed Under, “Gee, You Think So?”
McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has questioned the wisdom of including a Korean Grand Prix on next year’s Formula One calendar, saying that the sport should instead be focusing on re-establishing a foothold in North America.
October 17 in Yeongnam has been penciled in as a provisional date for next season, bringing the 2010 calendar to 19 races with Montreal also set to be reinstated provided they can work out a deal with Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
But Whitmarsh revealed that the FOTA has reservations about adding a sixth race in Asia following reports that there could be a major shortage of facilities in South Korea.
“We hear stories it’s four or five hours from anywhere, there’s no infrastructure, no hotels, no-one can get there… It’s going to make it difficult for fans and difficult for media,” he said.
“We’re meant to be doing it for the fans and other people.
“My personal opinion is that we’ve got other priorities, we’ve got to act in North America.
“There shouldn’t be question marks over Montreal, we should be prepared to sacrifice a normal week and get to Montreal.
“We want to make sure we crack North America. It’s got a big market.
“I don’t think we should be so arrogant as to expect them to pay us good money to go there.
“I think we messed it up so badly in the past we should be saying ‘if necessary we’ll come there for free and we’ll work with you to develop the North American audience’.”
Lets be clear here, the Korean International Circuit is located hard against Mokpo, South Korea, a bustling “metropolis” of less than 300,000 people. It’s greatest claim to current fame are shopping and “travel to near-by resort islands.”
But hey, Mokpo has a domestic airport with six flights daily to Seoul, and one each to Busan and Jeju. Correct me if I’m wrong but that means fans and teams have no direct flight but must go via at least one other Korean airport. Not a good thing.
And don’t expect to much expansion as a result of the Tilke designed track, it’s expected the airport will close upon eventual completion of an oft-delayed international airport in Muan City.
Added to the circuits problems are it’s location 400 kilometers south of the capital Seoul (pop over 11 mil), 200 kilometers from Pusan (pop over 4 mil) and the countries rather meager auto sport history which truth be told is near non-existent.
No worries right?
‘Cause we all know Bernie is always right.
Or do we?
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He would not be bitching about the track if it was the next Asian nation to get a race, the one billion population giant of India; the hypocrite.
The teams had better get used to more races, with long-life engine & gearboxes, reduced testing & all of the measures designed to slash costs, Bernie will use this as grounds for more races.
While F1 does needs to get back into the U.S it will not happen with Bernie at the helm, he charges mega dollars for the privilege. The idea that a nation, any nation, no matter how large, would get a discounted rate is never going to happen in Bernie’s world. If anything he would prefer to charge the Yanks more on the grounds that it is a wealthy economy.
I agree with your last point, and is why The Gnome is looking at NY.
But that ain’t happenin’ anytime soon, every major city in the US is flat-busted broke.
And note the article linked suggests one location is on Staten Island. FAT chance, that’s the very same Staten Island that chased NASCAR out on land they purchased.
It would be hysterical if NASCAR/ISC could unload the 600-700 acres of land on some F1 idiot only to close the deal and have the residents chase them out also.