The fourth edition of the Formula One (F1) Korean Grand Prix will kick off this weekend in the southern part of the country, as the runaway leader in the drivers' standings looks to pad his already sizable lead.
The Korean Grand Prix, the only annual F1 race in the country, will open with two practice runs Friday on the Korea International Circuit in Yeongam, South Jeolla Province, about 400 kilometers south of Seoul.
The third practice session will be held on Saturday, followed by the qualifying race later on the same day. The final race will start at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
This year, the Korean Grand Prix will be the 14th among 19 races in the 2013 F1 season. It's part of the late-season Asian swing, which covers Singapore, Japan, India and the United Arab Emirates. Drivers will complete 55 laps on the 5.615-kilometer circuit.
Sebastian Vettel is the two-time defending champion of the race. The overall F1 champion in 2010, 2011 and 2012 from Germany has overwhelmed the competition in 2013. He has won seven of 13 races so far, including the past three in a row in Belgium, Italy and Singapore.
The 26-year-old leads the pack with 247 championship points, with Fernando Alonso in a distant second place at 187 points.
Drivers are awarded points for top-10 finishes, with the champion earning 25 points, followed by the runner-up with 18 and the third-place driver with 15, and so forth.
Vettel is well on his way to join Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as the only F1 drivers to win at least four consecutive season-end drivers' championships. Schumacher won five straight starting in 2000, while Fangio won four in a row from 1954 to 1957.
Heading into last year's Korean Grand Prix, Alonso was leading Vettel, 194 to 190, in the drivers' standings. Vettel overtook the lead with the win here, with Alonso finishing third.
Vettel also captured the following event in India to cap off his four-race winning streak, while Alonso never won again in 2012.
For the season, Vettel edged out Alonso 281 to 278.
In 2010, the two drivers were also engaged in a thrilling battle. Alonso held a 231-206 lead over Vettel with his Korean Grand Prix win. Vettel led through 46 laps but had to retire due to engine failure.
Vettel had a better finish to the season, however, claiming the final two races in Brazil and Abu Dhabi while Alonso finished third and seventh. Vettel grabbed his first drivers' championship with 256 points, four ahead of Alonso.
The duel at the top may not be as close this year, but Alonso will still try to narrow the gap the best he can. He has a good history at Korea International Circuit, having never finished outside the top five.
For the second time in its history, the Korean Grand Prix could be affected by inclement weather. Meteorologists said Tuesday Typhoon Fitow is making its way toward the Korean Peninsula from the waters east of the Philippines and forecast rain for the southern part of South Korea for Sunday, the final day of the Grand Prix.
In 2010, heavy rains forced a 10-minute delay at the start of the final, and a safety car was on the circuit for the first 17 laps. No overtaking is allowed while the safety car is on the track, and its presence helps prevent accidents in poor conditions.
The slippery track conditions and the lack of visibility also affected the race. Mark Webber, the second-fastest qualifier, spun out of the final on lap 19, and eight other racers, including the top qualifier Vettel, were unable to finish the race following accidents or mechanical malfunctions.
Off the track, the Korean Grand Prix bled red in the books in each of its first three years; the organizers said their operating losses were 72.5 billion won in 2010, 61 billion won in 2011 and 39.4 billion won last year.
In 2012, the final race drew 86,259 fans, up more than 1,200 from the previous year. (Yonhap News)
