The inaugural Korean Grand Prix nearly had the unhappy distinction of being Formula 1’s first short-notice cancellation for many years, as construction delays led to real fears that the circuit simply would not be built in time for its maiden race.

But an enormous effort from the organisers ensured the track was complete ready for F1’s arrival - though the venue remained somewhat rough around the edges, with many features either not ready for use, or not even built yet.

Then having pulled out all the stops to make sure the circuit was useable, Korean GP bosses were met with a massive race-day downpour, forcing the event to run behind the safety car for lap after lap, as concern grew that it might be a total washout.

Finally the rain relented enough for an entertaining race to begin, with Fernando Alonso winning after Sebastian Vettel’s late engine failure, and Mark Webber’s title hopes diminishing following his early crash.

It will be fascinating to see how much progress there has been at Yeongam this year, as the circuit is set to be part of a major development.

For instance it features a tight and twisty, barrier-lined ‘street’ section – which will eventually be part of a city, when the city itself is built!

There are no real heart-stopping corners on the layout, but it has enough challenges to keep the drivers happy, and it will be interesting to see if the tighter corners promote overtaking in a dry race.