Plans for the new circuit at Yeongam were ambitious indeed. Not only was it to be the venue for the new Korea Grand Prix for the next seven years (with an additional five-year option), but the venue would eventually include hotels, restaurants and a marina. Hermann Tilke was employed once more, and the circuit was only just completed in time for the 2010 Korean Grand Prix although the surrounding area was never developed. In common with many new facilities, the Korea International Circuit featured long straights and heavy braking zones. However, the pitlane exited straight onto the racing line (although this was soon altered) and drivers complained about the track surface. That allied to the venue’s inaccessibility (it is 250 miles south of Soeul) and the lack of local hotel rooms meant that Korea was soon an unpopular destination. The race dropped from the F1 calendar in 2014.
