With the Korean Grand Prix on the rocks, where better to look for an alternative venue than right across the (heavily fortified) border? Pyongyang boasts incredible urban scenery, a surprising lack of traffic, and wide, smooth roads. It's ideal for a street circuit then, one to please any enigmatic, diminutive, power-and prestige-hungry dictator.
But enough about Bernie Ecclestone. Let's take a look at the Eternal President Kim Il Sung Street Circuit.
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Track map]
The Sung Circuit is a long, fast 17 turn street circuit located in the heart of Pyongyang, North Korea. At 6.87 km in length, it would be the second longest circuit on the F1 calendar, just behind Spa.
The lap begins on
Sungri Street, and heads south winding uphill into the forest. After passing the
Cholima Statue, the circuit darts into the turns 1-3 chicane. It's then a short run down to the 4-5-6 kinks at the foot of the
Grand Monument.
The circuit continues down Sungri Street, passing some
incredible high-rises, before sashaying through the fast 7-8 couplet. Turn 9 is a hard right onto Seomun Street. At the
Russian Embassy, turn 10 is another hard right, followed by a slight correction to the left. Arriving at the roundabout at Mansudae Street,
Turn 11 is a moderate radius left.
The
Ryugyong Hotel looms large over Turn 12 as drivers circumnavigate the Potong Gate. The circuit then parallels the river,
swooping through a broad, flat out arc that is Turn 13. At the end is Turn 14, a hard right onto
Moranbong Street.
At turns 15 and 16, the circuit kinks to the right, and hard to the left to join the circle around the
Arch of Triumph. The pitlane continues around the circle, but the circuit itself turns hard right at Turn 17, and the winning driver emerges from
beneath the Arch of Triumph to cross the line and take the victory.
Construction for the site is minor--the construction of the garages and temporary grandstands would head the list. Runoff areas and fencing would be placed on existing right of way, with only some paving and grading necessary, and replacing existing traffic islands with removable ones.