Adam Cooper F1

Lewis Hamilton is hopeful of a good race in Korea tomorrow, despite qualifying only fourth, half a second behind pole man Sebastian Vettel

Hamilton was fastest in Q1 and thought he was in with a shout of pole, but the Red Bulls and Fernando Alonso found speed when it mattered in Q3. Although he had a little more understeer than he would have liked Lewis did not know where he had lost out.

“It was a good qualifying session, but not as good as it was in practice,” said Hamilton. “The car felt strong, even in qualifying, but the others just picked up time. I don’t know where from, but they were quick.

“We were quick through practice. I don’t know where the time slipped away in qualifying. I got everything I could possibly get out of the car and more, and it still wasn’t fast enough. So I don’t know where they’re gaining all that time, but we’re still in with a fighting chance.

“I have everything to gain, and the guys in front – or least Mark – have everything to lose. I think it’s going to be an interesting one. I don’t know what the weather is going to be like tomorrow, but it will be a long race, and an exciting one. From there we can still fight, there are long straights, so it’s still possible.

“I feel that we’re competitive. The long runs are good, the car’s the best it’s been. I’ve just got to do the best I can with what I have. I can’t ask any more of the guys in the factory or the guys here, and I don’t think they can ask any more from me. I think tomorrow we’re still in a fighting position. We’ve got good starts – I’m not on the clean side of the grid – so we’ll have to see how much of a negative that is. But generally I think we can have a good race tomorrow.”

Lewis had a lucky escape at the end of his first run in Q3 when he ran wide across the dirt after getting out of shape at the pit entry.

“There’s a big bump on the way in on the entry of the pit lane. You’ve got to practice your entry through practice through the in laps just to maximise it for the race. I hit that bump, and it was nearly a big shunt.”

The FIA is planning to make changes to Yeongam’s Turn 16 before Saturday morning practice.

The kerb on the inside of the corner is being modified because a bump there unsettles the cars. In effect the new kerb will cover the bump, and will slow lap times.

The matter was discussed at the drivers’ briefing, where some competitors – presumably those who felt that they had successfully dialled their cars in to deal with the bump – were not very happy.

In addition the wall on the right on the exit of the corner is to be moved back, although engineers have still to decide how far they can move it.

Watching there today was a scary experience as the end of it jutted out somewhat awkwardly, and did not have any tyres protecting it, and it was apparent that a car getting out of shape there could have had a massively destructive impact. That’s not just the view of a journalist – I watched there this afternoon with ex-F1 drivers Ralf Schumacher and Christian Danner, both of whom were surprised to say the least by the layout.

The man who was really on the limit there, and was regularly running closest to the wall, was Mark Webber.

“It’s close,” he said when I asked about it. “I don’t like to go and watch in a place like that because it scares me. It’s best to be in the car…”

Finally the FIA is considering telling the drivers tomorrow that they do not have to respect the white line at the pit entry. The idea would be to allow them to take a faster line as they come into the pits, which would mean they are less likely to obstruct cars behind.

Lewis Hamilton was in bullish mood after McLaren showed impressive speed in Korea, helped by a new rear wing package.

The McLarens as expected were quick on the straights in the first sector, although the gap closed in the afternoon as rivals experimented with downforce levels. Having been fastest in the morning and beaten only by Webber and Alonso in the afternoon Hamilton expects to be right on the pace through the rest of the weekend.

“The first session was very interesting, it was the dirtiest circuit I’ve ever been on,” said Hamilton. “It was so dusty, it was incredible. Everyone was having trouble just sliding around a lot. But the evolution has been dramatic, I think. People were just speeding up by seconds per lap. Going into P2 the track was looking a lot better.

“There was still a lot of dust and stuff around, especially off line. But nonetheless the track feels quite good. It’s very fast, you need to have a very efficient downforce level and good car here. But I feel quite happy with the car. It was quite strong today. We had a couple of problems in the last practice there but generally not feeling too bad.

“We are generally very quick on the straights, which is good. And seem to be quite competitive also in the mid sector. Our rear wing is working, we’ve got some new components here, so that’s a positive.

“We’ve got a few more new bits on the car. They were in Japan, but we didn’t have all the bits together to be able to put them on. We finally got them on and today spent a lot of time trying to get as much running on those components and try to get feedback.”

Hamilton says that this is a track where the driver can have more of an impact: “We are very competitive, as competitive as the Red Bulls at least, so that’s a good thing. The car feels good, so we’ll do what we can with that. It’s still very, very close. The Renaults look quick, the Ferrari looks quick, and also the Red Bull looks quick. The cars are fairly equal maybe this weekend, maybe it’s down to what driver can pull out the most time.”

Michael Schumacher was in a positive mood after first practice in Korea today, despite finishing the afternoon session in a modest 12^th place.

The former champ  noted that he was fastest through the speed trap, and is optimistic about his prospects at a circuit he clearly already enjoys.

“We look to be pretty reasonable in terms of our pace and speed,” said Schumacher. “So I guess certainly [we expect] to be in the points, and qualifying in the first 10 is absolutely realistic. A podium is probably still unrealistic.

“What we learned for sure was who was out at the last moment with new tyres was the quickest, because the track kept improving massively during the day. Every five minutes it was half a second quicker because the track was rubbering in. So to have a proper picture of who is standing where is not completely possible. But I felt pretty reasonable.”

Schumacher said he was very happy with the track: “I must say the circuit is very demanding, very challenging, very good. I really like it. It’s been a good day for us, we’ve been able to work on track. It’s tricky, it’s difficult, but that’s the challenge. We like difficult tracks.

“You have to imagine that a new track and new asphalt has to rubber in, so with time it got better and better. It’s very demanding.”

Sebastian Vettel’s Friday in Korea was spoiled by a puncture on his prime tyres that forced him to use his options earlier than planned.

The softer tyres were thus well past their best as the track got quicker during the afternoon, stranding him in seventh, more than 1.2secs off team mate Mark Webber. Nevertheless the German was happy with progress.

“I think we all got a crash course in sliding around, drifting,” he said. “It was good fun! Fortunately this afternoon obviously the track time was more valuable. We had a puncture early on, and that affected our running early on quite a bit, so we always had to go early. The tyres in the end didn’t say thanks for that. All in all it was not so bad. We went quite early with the soft tyre, and the circuit ramped up.

“I think it should be fine. I think the pace is there. Obviously for me not quite this afternoon, but I think Mark had a calm afternoon, and it looks pretty competitive. I think in general it’s tight. We know that the first sector is not in our hands, and we have to fight back even harder in the second and third sector.”

Vettel says he likes the track, but in common with other drivers, is concerned about the pit entry.

“I think pit entry is right on the edge. It’s blind, it’s on the edge, so if someone goes in obviously he has to go slower than someone who’s staying out. Especially if you are behind someone trying to pass and he decides to pit it could be quite difficult. Other than that it’s just the fact that it’s so slippery and so dusty and dirty offline it makes it very tricky.”

Mark Webber says he’s happy with progress in Korea today after finishing the afternoon session on top of the times.

Webber was a low-key seventh in the morning, and had a quick spin in the afternoon session, although he carried on with his lappery.

“The track change a lot today,” said Webber. “It was a brand new venue for everyone, as we all know, and very, very slippery in P1. The track started to get a little bit more sensible as the day went on. It’s the same for everyone. We’ve just got to keep chipping away and doing what we can with our programme, and work with the car.

“All in all it’s a positive day, the car ran well. There’s a lot of information to gather on a new venue, and we’ve done that pretty successfully. We’re pretty optimistic with today’s performance.

“It was a very much a day of quality data gathering. Part of the big priority of today was to understand the tyres. The surface was something that was pretty unknown, it turned out to be not far off what everyone thought.”

Webber said he had no serious concerns about the new track.

“It’s pretty enjoyable. It’s got a couple of unique sections which are always a challenge for a driver, to have a new venue to get into. Just the pit entry and pit exit is a little bit Mickey Mouse, for us to get on and off the track. Apart from that they’ve done a remarkable job. We’re really clutching at straws to try and criticise anyone here – I think they’ve done a good job.”

However, like other drivers, he isn’t happy with the bottoming out at Turn 16: “The asphalt and the kerb is a little bit different on height. It’s not possible not to bottom out, but it’s the same for everyone.”

What do you do when the grass doesn't grow? Paint your own!

It might not be the work of a moment to get here from the airport in Seoul, but thus far the F1 circus is impressed with what they’ve found at the Korea International Circuit.

After all the fuss over the tardy preparations expectations were low, and while there is still a lot of work to be done – a few things have been swept under the proverbial carpet – there is much to admire. Certainly the paddock area is perfectly adequate, and not dissimilar from what we’ve come to expect from Tilke circuits.

The view from the back of the team buildings is unusual to say the least – empty, swampy farm land with the sea in the distance. Sitting on the decking you could be a million miles away from the F1 world. One day somebody is going to build a city around the track, which will be a bit of a shame…

Work continued all day today and into the night, and it is clear that there will be much left undone when practice starts on Friday. It’s mostly not stuff relating to the track itself, but everything around it.

Having said that one big problem when the cars are running will be the amount of dirt and dust around the place, and which will be thrown onto the track when anybody runs wide.

Some run-off areas are also a bit boggy, which could cause problems for a spinning car. Grass has only been growing for a matter of days, and today a guy was going round spraying the muddy areas with a hose from a tanker load of paint.

Everyone has been very friendly and they are clearly trying very hard, and  just as the FIA gave the place some leeway with deadlines, so the F1 circus has come to the conclusion that we should just go with the flow. This is after all a big market for manufacturers and sponsors, and one with a lot of untapped potential.

The title contenders did their bit today by focussing on the positives. The drivers like what they’ve seen, and there are wall-lined places where an error will be punished, which is not something you can say for most modern tracks.

The bottom line is we’re here and the cars will be running tomorrow. It might be a bit messy, but it will be the same for everybody. And the intriguing thing is that we are now due some rain on Sunday, and that could make things very interesting…

De la Rosa passes a subliminal message at Barcelona...

While the focus turned to Korea this week Pedro de la Rosa was busy at Barcelona with his Pirelli testing programme.

Testing has taken on a new edge as the company gets close to finalising the products it will take to Abu Dhabi, when all the teams will try them just a few days after the Grand Prix there.

The Spaniard focussed on the hard and medium compounds over two days of running at his home track, which saw him complete some 262 laps in stints of around 35 laps. Pirelli says that thanks to cold morning starts its engineers were able to evaluate the tyres over a wide temperature range, from 7degC to 21degC over the course of a day.

De la Rosa said: “It’s been an excellent couple of days; I’ve been very impressed because I have to say that the tyres were at an even higher level than I imagined. If you look at what Pirelli has done, it’s hard to believe that all this work has been carried out in such a short space of time.

“These Pirelli tyres have their own quite different characteristics to the current supplier that the drivers will appreciate next year and I’m confident that they will form a very competitive package. Pirelli’s arrival is great news for Formula One.”

Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery added: “Once again, Pedro has shown what a valuable asset he is to us through his hard work and detailed feedback. He’s carrying out a crucial role and the information that he has provided to us has helped us to further define the tyres that we will take to Abu Dhabi.”

De la Rosa will try the soft and supersoft tyres at Paul Ricard early next month.

Having sampled it in the simulator Lewis Hamilton says that the Korean GP venue will suit the strengths of the McLaren.

Intriguingly he added that the middle sector will “reward commitment,” implying that his press-on style could pay off, especially now that he has little to lose by taking risks.

“I’ve driven the Korean International Circuit on the simulator, and my first impressions were extremely positive,”said Hamilton in a team preview. “On paper, the track should suit our car quite well – the first sector is all about good end-of-straight speeds and strong performance under heavy braking, both key characteristics of our car.

“And the middle sector is fast and flowing; it’s the kind of place where you want a car with a good balance and good downforce. I think it’ll reward commitment – it actually feels like quite a nice driver’s track. The end of the lap is slower and tighter, but it’s still all about rhythm and flow – so, as long as the track surface is nice and grippy, I think we’re set for an enjoyable first race in Korea.

“I’m looking forward to the weekend – I think we can have a positive race. While recent results haven’t necessarily shown it, we’ve had a strong car – now I’m hoping to get the chance to prove it on track.”

Meanwhile Jenson Button said: “It’s always exciting visiting a new circuit for the first time. The Korean track certainly looks very interesting – a real mix of different characteristics – and there appear to be a couple of very likely opportunities for overtaking, particularly at the end of the three main straights, but possibly also off-line in the twisty final sector. The track looks quite high-speed, and the walls are close, so I think it’ll be an interesting challenge.

“As with any new circuit, it looks like it might throw up a few unexpected issues – not necessarily on the racetrack itself, but I’m sure the teams and drivers will work together with the organisers to make sure the event is a complete success.

“We’ve made some improvements to the parts we tested in Suzuka, and it’s looking likely that we’ll run the new parts on Friday in Korea. As with all our upgrades, we are pushing the envelope, so I’m optimistic that the tests will be positive and that we’ll be able to race the new components.”

Martin Whitmarsh says the team can still recover from recent frustrations and win the title: “With three races remaining, and 75 points on the table for the drivers, it would be unwise to write off Jenson, Lewis or Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. Both drivers have won world championships before – they understand the difficulties of such a unique situation, and both have learned how to deliver their best under high pressure. They will be ready for this battle.

“And it’s a battle that will doubtless be won by consistency. While we will continue with our aggressive development strategy, bringing further new components to this race, we’re mindful of the need to bag points at every race. Nonetheless, we are committed to winning, and won’t give up without a fight.”

This is how the 2014 Winter Olympic Park will look...

...before Tilke and co turn it into an F1 venue a few months later

The decision to take the Russian GP to Sochi instead of Moscow could prove to a good one, as it seems that the track will wind around the 2014 Winter Olympic Park, where events such as ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating and curling will be held.

It was confirmed today that the race will be held from 2014-2020, with an option to extend. A map that has emerged on the net via Russia’s F1news website shows a track – apparently designed by Tilke – making full use of the Olympic site and some public roads.

Given that the Olympic Park is still being built the organisers can in effect construct access roads and so on with the race in mind, so that there should be a seamless transition to a Grand Prix venue just a few months after the Games. However there is some suggestion that the debut may be put back to 2015.

And it also means that there will be facilities such as a broadcast and media centre on site, not to mention good transport links.

“It can be a super circuit,” Bernie Ecclestone was quoted as saying by the BBC today. “It’s all the things we need and we are very happy.”

Given that Sochi is a resort with some obvious attractions this could well prove to be an inspired idea…