The inaugural running of last month’s Korean grand prix has been brought into question with a piece of emerging news on Thursday.

Although F1′s FIA inspectors cleared the bespoke venue in Yeongam for the October 24 event, it has emerged that state inspectors have deemed mobile stands unsafe for an international F3 race scheduled for late November.

Organiser Barry Bland said in a statement: “(Local promoter) KAVO have had to cancel the (event) due to Force Majeure.”

He said the reason was a “legal technicality with the circuit”, and a KAVO spokesman told AFP news agency that the cancellation is due to “delayed approval from inspectors”.

KAVO, or Korea Auto Valley Operation, is a joint private venture involving the Jeollanam-do regional government.

The spokesman Kim Jae-Ho said the decision will not affect next year’s Korean grand prix, unconditionally scheduled on the 2011 calendar for 16 October.

“We will do our best to build complete mobile stands,” he said.

“Compared to the lack of experience, we believe the first F1 race was staged in a satisfactory way, but we need to make perfect preparations for the F3 race next year,” the spokesman added.

Spain’s leading FIA official has been told the inaugural Korean grand prix will go ahead as scheduled in two weeks.

Charlie Whiting is only inspecting the Yeongam venue on Monday and Tuesday, but it is believed that selected media have essentially been briefed to the effect that nothing will now lead to the cancellation of the October 24 event.

That follows the latest information and photographs to emerge from Korea, showing that the top layer of asphalt is now complete and curing, that kerbs and barriers are in place and the basic building infrastructure able to accommodate the teams and media.

Indeed, Spain’s AS newspaper said Whiting’s inspection early this week is a “mere formality”.

“The race is going ahead.  This has been confirmed at Suzuka to the president of the Real Federacion Espanola de Automovilismo, Carlos Gracia,” said the report.

Gracia is also a member of the FIA’s authoritative World Motor Sport Council.

Work began on Thursday to lay the final top layer of asphalt at Korea’s new Yeongam circuit.

The race organisers only have three days to complete the job before the FIA’s Charlie Whiting begins a two-day inspection on Monday.

“Work on the final surface layer will probably be done by Friday,” confirmed spokesman Kim Jae-ho.

But the looming inspection deadline means the fate of the event, scheduled for October 24, could rest on as little as the local weather forecast.

According to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, F1′s governing FIA and commercial body FOM have covered their tracks by requiring the organisers to sign a letter.

The letter guarantees that the asphalt will be properly cured and ready to accommodate F1 cars later this month.

Grand Prix Drivers’ Association chairman Rubens Barrichello said on Thursday: “We are not worried, because we know that the FIA only approves a circuit if all the safety requirements are met.

“I am looking forward to the inspection next week and hearing if it’s a green or red light,” added the Brazilian.

Two of F1′s leading team bosses have admitted they, like F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, have concerns about the forthcoming Korean grand prix.
On paper, there are four races left to run on the 2010 calendar, but real concerns that the new Yeongam circuit will not be ready to host its inaugural race on October 24.

The FIA rules require new tracks to pass a final inspection three months before their first race. But the governing body and Ecclestone have allowed Korea to delay its inspection until October 11 — when air fares and hotels will be booked, and much of F1′s freight en route to the east Asian nation.

Another crucial consideration is that whether there are 3 or 4 races left to run has an impact on how the teams – particularly those battling for the title – will approach the rest of the season.

McLaren, for instance, is hoping Korea stays on the calendar, given the points deficits of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

“We would like four races but from what we hear there are a lot of concerns,” said team boss Martin Whitmarsh.

“Bernie and the Koreans will work on that, and we will concentrate on going to the next race in Suzuka and maximising the points.”

Red Bull, meanwhile, has a better insight than most about Korea, after Karun Chandhok recently completed a demonstration of the track at the wheel of an old F1 car.

“We were there a few weeks ago and they were well on course with it, so we’re pretty confident,” said Christian Horner.

“At the moment all the flights are still booked.”

With Mark Webber leading the championship and his teammate Sebastian Vettel further behind, team boss Horner admitted his drivers have different opinions about the fate of the Korean round.

“Mark would say no (to Korea) and Sebastian would say yes, and obviously from a team point of view it (cancellation) wouldn’t be a bad thing either,” he said.

“But I think we’ll definitely be in Korea.

“I had a chat with (Ecclestone) earlier — he now seems pretty confident,” added Horner.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Jason Cho was asked if – mere days ahead of the crucial inspection by the governing FIA – he is feeling stressed.

“Just look at my face,” he smiled.

Organisers KAVO had already been given an inspection deadline extension from July to September 21, and the latest rumour is that the FIA has granted yet another extension to 28 September.

That is just over three weeks before the inaugural race on October 24.

“It will be ready, it’s a must,” said Cho. “If we don’t finish then we don’t have an event so it will be done in ten days.”

Officials say the delays have been caused by bad weather, and KAVO’s deputy marketing manager peter Baek is also confident the track can be completed in time.

“Europeans have a set schedule and want to keep to the schedule as actively as possible but Koreans always get things done,” he said.

Red Bull’s 2010 title charge would be easier if F1 dropped a race, but Mark Webber is confident the sport is still headed to Korea.

There have been widespread doubts about the readiness of the new Yeongam venue for its inaugural October 24 date; one of the remaining seven rounds this season.

Australian Webber is currently leading the drivers’ championship by a slender 4 points, and he admitted on Thursday that he would be feeling more comfortable if there were fewer races still to run.

“If this was the last race,” he said at Spa-Francorchamps, “then we would be in a very good position. But you can’t think about it that way.

“Obviously if there were 30 races left then our position would be worse than with 6 or 7 to go.

“But I think we are going to Korea and we are going to race there,” added Webber.

The optimism about Korea of Webber, who turns 34 on Friday, could be significant, given Red Bull’s participation in the circuit’s inaugural laps late next week.

Karun Chandhok is scheduled to drive a Red Bull show car around the new Korean layout next Saturday.

“It will be a real honour to be one of the first people to drive around the new Korean circuit,” said the Indian driver.

Construction of Korea’s formula one circuit is running late.

Based on a statement provided by race promoters KAVO on Tuesday, it was reported by multiple outlets that construction of the track in Joellanam-do province is “on schedule”.

The reports follow rumours that F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone is lining up a potential replacement host for Korea, amid reports construction might have been delayed by the regional political situation.

The inaugural Korean grand prix is scheduled for October 24.

A KAVO official told AFP news agency that the track will be ready at the end of August at the latest.

“Our initial plan was to complete it in July but construction has been delayed,” he said, without giving details.