It has been over a decade since Formula 1 last visited South Korea. However, this may change in a few years, as there is strong interest from Incheon in hosting the championship on a city circuit.
According to Motorsport Week, a South Korean delegation met with F1 CEO and President Stefano Domenicali during the Japanese GP. One of the members of the group was the Mayor of Incheon, Yoo Jeong-bok.
During the meeting, the mayor reportedly handed Domenicali a letter of intent for what would be the Incheon GP. The idea would be to start in 2026 or 2027. Yoo Jeong-bok claimed: ‘Incheon is the best location to host F1, as it has a transportation network like Incheon Airport and Incheon Port and several luxury accommodations. We will start full discussions to host F1 in Incheon’.
Since Liberty Media arrived in 2017, city Grand Prix races have been gaining prominence: examples already confirmed are Miami and Las Vegas (debuting in 2022 and 2023, respectively), but also the new GP in Madrid announced for 2026. And, before the pandemic and subsequent legal controversy, the Vietnam GP on the streets of Hanoi was almost set to debut in 2020.
The competition for Incheon is high, to enter a calendar already at its maximum with 24 rounds. Osaka, Japan, is also reportedly interested in a GP, while circuits like Barcelona, Monaco, Monza, or Spa-Francorchamps seek to remain. South Korea hosted F1 between 2010 and 2013 at the Yeongam circuit, but the event was far from a success.
