There were no signs of the newly-laid track surface breaking up as the formula one cars christened the Yeongam venue on Friday morning.
But the circuit was as slippery as most paddock observers have ever seen, with drivers’ tyres white with dust in the pitlane, and reporters coughing amid the haze.
Eyebrows were also raised when at least two snakes were photographed slithering across the layout on Thursday, and Sebastian Vettel expressed concern after finding a huge rusty nail as the walked the circuit.
"If you drive over that, you have a puncture," the Red Bull driver told Bild newspaper.