Webber on top as Korea races to Grand Prix debut

As the Formula 1 circus rolls into Yeongnam, South Korea for Sunday's Grand Prix, there are still questions being asked over the readiness of the circuit.

The track was only signed off last week by the sport's governing body, and the final layer of asphalt was only put down a fortnight ago meaning it has yet to cure properly. Around the circuit building work is still going on and the army has been drafted in to help ready the grandstands.

Track designer Herman Tiike admits that drivers will find the conditions tough, but thinks that it will make for an interesting weekend of racing.

"The only problem the new surface will cause – and to me it is not actually a problem – is in terms of grip," Tilke said.

"It will not be easy to find the set-up for Saturday and Sunday because the track will change a lot. Some drivers will make the wrong set-up choice, because you are going to have to second-guess which is the right way to go."

For current leader Mark Webber and his team, Red Bull, finding the right set up is vital if he wants to maintain his 14 point lead over team mate Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, which has narrowed drastically in recent months.

His position is precarious and he has three former world champions, Alonso and McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, breathing down his neck as he prepares to take to an untested track.

But Button and Hamilton would kill to be in his position as they lag 31 and 28 points off the pace respectively. For them to have any chance of success this season they need to win or at the very least beat Webber convincingly on Sunday.

"Both our drivers need to attack," said McLaren's principal race engineer, Phil Prew, adding that the circuit shouldn't favour any one team over another. "Obviously it has some long straights with big stops, which is not dissimilar to Canada, which I think will favour our car.

"Sector two is a bit more like Turkey, where we performed quite well. And then you come to the last sector, which would typically be a very high-downforce sector, a bit more like Hungary perhaps."

If reigning world champion Button senses the desperation of his situation he isn't letting it show, and has even indulged in a spot of light-hearted ribbing of Mark Webber.

"Mark is pretty strong in the head," Button said. "Everybody plays mind games, though. I travelled over with Mark and it was fun – because I have been in his position. It's the little things like me saying: 'Are you feeling the pressure, mate?' You always get a reaction, even if they say: 'No, I'm not.'

"He's exactly as I was last year."

Webber proved a cool customer in practice on Friday as he recorded the fastest time of the day, with Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton the second and third quickest around the new track. ·