Oct 25, 2011
The latest circuit to be added to the Formula One calendar has been designed with a little help from several of the sport’s constructors to ensure fans get their money’s worth.
Although it was conceived by renowned circuit architect Hermann Tilke, the Buddh International Race Circuit in New Delhi has been tweaked by the organisers after it was tested on simulators by several of the sport’s teams. It’s hoped the modifications will boost the overtaking opportunities of the subcontinent’s first-ever F1 arena.
Never ones to shy away from making a little F1 history, we became the first Formula One team to drive the circuit ahead of this weekend’s grand prix.
Red Bull's Neel Jani had the honour of taking in the very first laps of the new track in an F1 car when he put the Running Showcar through its paces around the Buddh last week.
After a fierce workout behind the wheel, Neel – who is, understandably, the current holder of the circuit’s fastest lap time – declared: “I’m sure, come race weekend, that Seb and Mark will push their RB7s on this extremely exciting and fast track.”
Following virtual track time in the simulator, our (double) world champion Sebastian Vettel had this to say about the Buddh International Race Circuit: “It’s a combination of slow corners and high-speed straights which flow into each other. The altitude difference is extreme, rather like in Spa or Turkey, which will give the driving an additional element. Incidentally, we’re expecting the track to have the second-highest average speed of the season after Monza. That means that we’ll be completing a lap at an average speed of 235 km/h, so there should be plenty of good opportunities to overtake.”
Three high-speed straights and a good mix of corners – 16 in all – should keep things interesting around the 5.141km track. Plenty of earth has been moved to give Buddh plenty of gradient changes – it rises by 14m between turns 1 and 3 alone. The race is 60 laps, a distance of 308.46km.
When in New Delhi, the advice visitors should always heed is to explore from the crumbling, ancient streets of Old Delhi, the tree-lined avenues of the British Raj to the sprawling, irresistible modernity of New Delhi, it's a diverse, vibrant city.
Or you could go to one of the gigs...
Credit: Red Bull Racing Formula one Team (www.redbullracing.com)
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