(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - October 29, 2011: The Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida looked set to host a great motorsporting weekend as Formula One's superstar drivers and some of the sport's most storied teams burned rubber on the new track through two free practice sessions on Friday, and seemed to enjoy it, dusty conditions and stray dogs on the track notwithstanding.
With the top championship positions for this season locked ahead of the race, the Airtel Indian Grand Prix will be more a quest for domination in the speed stakes between the world's fastest drivers. There was palpable excitement in the Paddock area, where the teams are based, about the new track and a new market for Formula One racing.
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel claimed pole position on Saturday for the inaugural Formula One Indian Grand Prix. Vettel's time of 1 minute, 24.178 seconds around Buddh International Circuit was three tenths of a second faster than McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, who will drop down to fi
Red Bull's Mark Webber was third fastest, ahead of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and McLaren's Jenson Button.
Ferrari's Felipe Massa qualified seventh despite a heavy crash on the final lap when his right-front suspension broke going over a curb, sending him skidding into a barrier.
Mercedes' Nico Rosberg, Force India's Adrian Sutil and Toro Rosso pair Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari completed the top 10.
F1 Grand Prix: India's date with Hotwheels
"I loved it. It's a great track," McLaren's British driver Lewis Hamilton told ET, after he set the fastest lap time during the first free practice session in the morning, covering the 5.14 km track in one minute and 26.454 seconds. The fastest lap of the day was clocked by Ferrari's Felipe Massa at a minute and 25.706 seconds.
Hamilton said he has been having a good stay in India. "I had great Indian dinner last night. We went to this restaurant called Bukhara," Hamilton said. Did he have Dal Bukhara? "Ah yes, that, and some kababs," he added. Hamilton said he looked forward to a great race on Sunday.
Currently visiting New Delhi, Dawn Seth from England is enthusiastic of Formula 1, eager to be at Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, if unable to obtain the relevant popular demand seats at the grandstand, Dawn will glue herself to the television to watch the entire day race.
Jaypee Sports International MD Sameer Gaur said he expected nearly 90,000 people on race day. "We have sold about 85,000 to 88,000 tickets for Sunday," he said. He said reports that ticket prices have been slashed are untrue. "We were selling grandstand seats at 35,000 for all three days. Later, due to popular demand, we introduced a ticket for race day alone for 15,000. We have not slashed prices at all," he said.
According to a Formula One Management official, Gaur had tears in his eyes when the first car - a Force India driven by Adrian Sutil, rolled off the pit lane. "Yes, it has been an emotional day. It is a dream come true to see all these cars finally racing here," Gaur said. The second car off the pit was a Lotus driven by Karun Chandhok, who will not be racing on Sunday. He drove the first timed lap on Friday. Force India's Paul di Resta and Narain Karthikeyan on an HRT followed Chandhok, as spectators cheered wildly for the Indian presence in the race.
In unrelated events, Virgin's Jerome D' Ambrosio suffered a mild crash while Ferrari's Fernando Alonso suffered an engine failure during the second practices session. Some teams and drivers complained of dust, while others said Formula One is about racing under all kinds of conditions and dust was expected here.
"It's an interesting track, a good challenge. It was very dusty to start with, but the track seems fun, especially the wide entries which give a lot of options to the drivers. It should be a good race on Sunday," double world champion Sebastian Vettel said.
Jackie Stewart, three-time world champion and one of the sport's best-known drivers, told ET this was the best new track he had ever seen. "In terms of the track and all the core areas, the pit stops, the team buildings and other facilities, this is on par with the best in the world. There are areas where more attention to detail is required, but then some countries are more developed in paying that sort of attention than others. This is a tremendous achievement and it's great for India," Stewart, who has travelled to India since the 1980s, owing to his association with Ford and Bridgestone, said.
For guests of the uber-luxury Paddock Club and others with access to the Paddock area, including the press contingent, there were many exciting moments as they frequently came face to face with celebrated drivers such as Michael Schumacher, Hamilton and Vettel. One also gets a close sense of the team operations from the area, as it connects to the rear of the pit garage. From a sport that used to play out in the distant playfields of the world's billionaires, Formula One racing has now come closer home, in the dusty plains of Greater Noida.
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