MOTOR SPORT:WATCHED BY a crowd largely composed of hard-hat wearing builders and soldiers pressed into service to hastily complete grandstands, championship leader Mark Webber laid down a marker with the fastest time as the controversial inaugural Korean Grand Prix weekend finally got underway yesterday.
The event, in the largely rural Jeollanam-do region, some 250 miles south of the capital Seoul, had been in doubt right up until last week, with weather problems delaying construction.
But following a last-minute inspection in the aftermath of the Japanese Grand Prix a fortnight ago, the €160 million Yeongam circuit was passed fit for racing and yesterday Webber made short work of stamping his authority on the only real unknown facing the five drivers still in with a real shout of taking the title as the season approaches its final three races.
Amid concerns that the asphalt, only finished two weeks ago, would present significant grip problems, the opening practice session began as a cautious fact-finding mission, Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari tip-toeing around the 5.6km layout in a positively pedestrian two minutes and 20 seconds.
By the end of the first hour and a half session, the times had tumbled by 40 seconds, with Lewis Hamilton finishing quickest with a time of 1.40.887.
With rubber down on the surface and confidence building Webber rattled through the afternoon session, eclipsing Hamilton in the dying minutes to register the only time below 1.38, two–tenths clear of Fernando Alonso in second-place.
“It’s pretty enjoyable,” said Webber of the new circuit. “It’s got a couple of unique sections which are always good, it’s nice to have a bit of a challenge at a new venue we go to.
“The track changed a lot today,” he said, adding that conditions had been treacherous in the morning. “It was obviously a brand new venue for everyone as we all know, and very, very slippery in P1. Then, it started to get a little bit more sensible as the day went on.
“All in all a positive day, the car ran well, there is a lot of information to gather on a new venue and we have done that pretty successfully so yeah, we are pretty optimistic.”
That optimism will be reinforced by seeing team-mate Sebastian Vettel finish the day in seventh place, the German’s running being hampered by a puncture, which forced him to run most of the session on the softer tyre. His times fell away as the tyres degraded and left Vettel unable to get through his full programme of preparations ahead of this morning’s third practice.
Vettel’s win at the Japanese Grand Prix has vaulted the German driver right back into title contention with just 14 points separating him from title leader Webber.
The German, too, carries better recent form than Webber into this unpredictable race weekend, with the Suzuka win preceded by second place in Singapore and fourth in Italy. The Korean circuit though, is likely to be a more level playing surface than the Red Bull favouring Suzuka circuit.
DRIVERS POINTS
1. Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 220
2. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 206
3. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 206
4. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 192
5. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 189
6. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 128
7. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes GP 122
8. Robert Kubica (Poland) Renault 114
9. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes GP 54
10. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 47
CONSTRUCTORS POINTS
1. RedBull - Renault 426
2. McLaren - Mercedes 381
3. Ferrari 334
4. Mercedes 176
5. Renault133
6. Force India - Mercedes 60
7. Williams - Cosworth 58
8. BMW Sauber - Ferrari 37
9. Toro Rosso - Ferrari 11
10. Lotus - Cosworth 0
