2012 FORMULA 1 AIRTEL INDIAN GRAND PRIX

The Indian Grand Prix (sometimes referred to as the Grand Prix of India) is a motor race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.

The first event took place on 30 October 2011 as the 17th race of the 2011 Formula One season. The new race track was officially homologated on 1 September 2011 by Charlie Whiting, and the inaugural race was won by Sebastian Vettel.

The Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida is 24 km from Delhi and the circuit, designed by circuit architect Hermann Tilke, is 5.141 kilometres in length. The track is spread across an area of 875 acres and is a part of Jaypee Green Sports city. The 10-year contract for the race has been given to the Indian construction company Jaiprakash Associates.

The track in all has 16 largely medium speed corners where Formula One cars lap at an average speed of approximately 210 km/h. The back straight lets cars reach a top speed of around 320 km/h. The current Formula One lap record, set during the 2011 event, is 1 minute 27.249 seconds. Prior to the first race organizers received feedback from teams who performed track analysis using simulators, leading to modification of Turn 7 in order to maximize overtaking opportunities into the banked Turn 10. A grandstand with a capacity of 13,000 overlooks Turns 10 and 11.

According to Ashok Khurana, executive vice-chairman of JPSI, the cost of the circuit was planned to be between 12 billion and 15 billion rupees (US$309 million/£188 million/€216 million, at exchange rates of 21 August 2009). In January 2010 Mark Hughes – former second in command at the Bahrain International Circuit for five years and also advisor to the Yas Marina Circuit for their first Grand Prix at the end of 2009 was appointed to run the circuit. However, on 24 January 2011 Hughes confirmed that he had resigned due to 'personal reasons'. His post later went to Azhar Rehman, a former race organiser in Sepang, Malaysia.

Circuit Information

Race Date : 28 Oct 2012
Circuit Name : Buddh International Circuit
First Grand Prix : 2011
Number of Laps : 60
Circuit Length : 5.125 km
Race Distance : 307.249 km
Lap Record : 1:27.249 - S Vettel (2011)

Pole position was by Sebastian Vettel with a time of 1:24.178. Podium finishers were as follows:

1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:30:35.002
2. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes +4.8

3. Fernando Alonso Ferrari +5.8

Fastest lap Sebastian Vettel 1:27.249.

To be honest, this is another Tilkedrome so don't expect much. I don't really remember last years' race, that tells you how much excitement this layout is. Although I suspect it could get interesting behind the race leader as Red Bull is on a roll, Ferrari have got their reliability and McLaren will be fighting tooth and nail for some points.