Mercedes made a rare appearance at an event in South Korea featuring an official Formula 1 team, the first such presence since the country’s brief spell on the F1 calendar.
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Reserve driver Valtteri Bottas demonstrated a Mercedes W13 chassis, the model the team raced during the 2022 season. The demonstration took place at Everland Speedway yesterday, approximately 30 kilometres south-east of Seoul.
About 25,000 spectators attended the Peaches Run Universe 2025 event. Bottas completed multiple laps of the 17-turn, 4.5-kilometre layout, which includes a crossover section. Everland Speedway, which opened in 1995, has carried the Mercedes-AMG brand since 2018.
“I remember the passion of the fans from when I raced here back in 2013,” Bottas said. “If anything, that enthusiasm has grown. The fans were knowledgeable and energetic, and it was an honour to have so many people come out and enjoy the day.”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has expressed support for a return to South Korea, noting the country’s strong social media engagement and the appeal of showing how Formula 1 has evolved over the past decade. South Korea’s population is roughly 51 million.
South Korea’s previous stint on the F1 calendar, the Korean Grand Prix, struggled to attract large crowds. The event ran at the purpose-built Korea International Circuit outside Mokpo from 2010 to 2013. Attendance was consistently low, and Mercedes never won the race: Fernando Alonso won the inaugural event, while Sebastian Vettel claimed victory in the subsequent three editions for Red Bull.
The Everland Speedway shares its name with the nearby Everland Resort theme park; both are owned by South Korean conglomerate Samsung. The circuit does not hold an FIA Grade 1 licence, so it is not eligible to host a Formula 1 grand prix.
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Pictures: Bottas drives Mercedes F1 car at Everland Speedway
This article will be updated.
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