Korea International Circuit
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| Location | Yeongam, South Jeolla, South Korea |
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| Time zone | GMT +9 |
| Coordinates | 34°44′N 126°25′E / 34.733°N 126.417°ECoordinates: 34°44′N 126°25′E / 34.733°N 126.417°E |
| Capacity | 135,000 |
| Broke ground | September 2, 2009 |
| Opened | October 11, 2010 |
| Construction cost | 88 billion won |
| Major events |
FIA Formula One Korean Grand Prix Formula Three Korea Super Prix |
| Length | 5.615 km (3.489 mi) |
| Turns | 18 |
| Lap record | 1:39.605 ( Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, 2011) |
The Korea International Circuit (코리아 인터내셔널 서킷) is a 5.62 km (3.49 mi) motorsport circuit located in Yeongam, South Jeolla, South Korea, 400 kilometres south of Seoul and near the port city of Mokpo. It was the venue for the Korean Grand Prix from 2010 to 2013 after a $264 million (250 billion won) deal between Bernie Ecclestone and the Korean F1 promoter Korea Auto Valley Operation (KAVO – a joint venture between M-Bridge Holdings and Jeollanam-do regional government).
By 2015, having only hosted four Grand Prix events and relegated to hosting modestly attended local races, the facility has been criticized as a debacle.
It was announced on 2 September 2009, that the funding was in place to start construction at the site, and officials were confident the work would be completed in time to hold a Grand Prix in 2010. On 10 December 2009, the organisers of the event announced that they were on schedule, with a plan to finish the circuit on 5 July 2010, though they admitted that their largest problem lay in finding accommodation for all Formula One staff and spectators. The organisers also ruled out the possibility of staging the race at night until they have more knowledge of and experience in running a Grand Prix.
German designer Hermann Tilke was given the responsibility of the design of the track. It is part permanent, part temporary. The temporary part is along the harbour side of the province where spectators from the promenade, hotels and yachts can view the race. Part of the city with possible exhibition facilities, shops, restaurants and cafes are utilized as the pit lane during the F1 Grand Prix weekend.
The initial contract has a duration of seven years, with a five-year option that could take the race until 2021. The circuit planned to revive the Korea Super Prix in 2011. The Formula Three event, previous held at the Changwon City Raceway, last raced in 2003.
In the midst of speculation that the race would be aborted because the circuit would not be completed in time, organisers for the race announced the circuit's opening date to be 5 September 2010. On 4 September 2010, in an event called ‘Circuit Run 2010’, a Red Bull Racing Formula 1 show car using a V10 version of the current Renault engine, with Karun Chandhok at the wheel, completed 14 laps of the all new Korean Formula One Grand Prix circuit. Four thousand spectators travelled to the new track for the event.
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