Ecclestone: Korea GP 'to go ahead'

The inaugural South Korean Grand Prix will go ahead as planned, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said.

"I will be there, the world will be watching and we will have a great race - it is on, end of story," the Briton, who is not attending this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, told his country's Daily Express newspaper.

"They had problems but they have done wonders in the last few weeks," added the 79-year-old.

"I've been in touch, I've seen photographs and the top layer of the track has been laid. They will pass the inspection."

FIA race director Charlie Whiting is due to inspect the circuit on Monday and Tuesday with the race at Yeongam, some four hours' drive from Seoul, less than two weeks away on October 24.

Ecclestone had warned at the Singapore Grand Prix last month that the race was in danger of being called off with organisers in a race against time to complete the track and photographs suggesting there was still plenty to do.

Cancellation would have a major impact on the world championship outcome, with five drivers currently separated by 25 points and a maximum 100 to be won including at Sunday's race at Suzuka.

Formula One drivers have said they trust the FIA to put safety issues ahead of commercial considerations and team bosses said on Saturday that they expected to be going to South Korea even if problems remained.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said the freight would be heading for South Korea from Japan on Monday.

"Of course by the time (the FIA) get there, we will have shipped our cars and our equipment to Korea, so it is pretty late," he said.

"I think we've got to respect the fact that there has been a lot of money spent and a lot of effort and I'm sure that the Korean nation will ensure that there is a grand prix.

"It's worrying that it is this late, of course, and that there is new Tarmac but it's the same for everyone. We are planning to be there. We want there to be four more Grands Prix to decide this championship.

"We very much hope it will happen and believe it will and are planning on that basis." Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn, whose drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg are not in the five-way title battle, agreed.

"The final surface has been laid and they were finishing off the kerbs and so on," he said. "The FIA are due there and everyone seems confident it's going to happen," he said.

"I think the infrastructure will probably be a bit weak but we want to race there and we need to do everything to race there if we can."

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