[puneet_b]

Thanks for posting the new pictures.
I have to say I still don't like the fact that it's still under-construction just a month before the race. I hope everything gets completed in time. Would be extremely embarrassing if it gets cancelled because of delays.

[StreetAddict]

Originally Posted by anekho

Here are the latest photos of the Track! From the Indian GP twitter page.

Enjoy guys!

One word.... Sweet!!!

Great improvement compared to what I saw the last time we were there. Let's see how things turn out on the D-Day!!

[C300]

Originally Posted by anekho

Here are the latest photos of the Track! From the Indian GP twitter page.

Enjoy guys!

Originally Posted by puneet_b

Thanks for posting the new pictures.
I have to say I still don't like the fact that it's still under-construction just a month before the race. I hope everything gets completed in time. Would be extremely embarrassing if it gets cancelled because of delays.

Thanks anekho for the latest updates. Looks like the landscaping is almost complete. Its a race against time to put the finishing touches to the grandstand and pit area. Hope they can complete it in next couple of weeks.

[lavish_n]

Originally Posted by anekho

Here are the latest photos of the Track! From the Indian GP twitter page.

Enjoy guys!

Thanks Anekho. It must be great feeling being there.

I just hope the unfinished work is completed. we are just 20 days away from the teams landing on the circuit. Some of roof work opposite above the grand stand looks to be missed completion.

[gtonsing]

20 days away and I think all looks good. I am not privy to the Korean construction updates but I think looking back, the Indian GP track and surrounding areas look much more "ready" than did the Korean GO when raceday happened.

Good Job to all who were/are involved. Let the race begin!

[kimianks]

How Ironic. I book a Main Grandstand Ticket and now win another one thanks to Tag Heuer India on facebook. LOL

[deky]

^^^ Congrats.

The liberal use of saffron white and green makes me feel very proud of this circuit. I hope the organizers can pull it off without many or hopefully without any blemishes!!

Thanks for posting the pics

[prmd_cochin]

Is this our Buddh circuit ?

[C300]

Originally Posted by prmd_cochin

Is this our Buddh circuit ?

Nope. Thats Shanghai F1 circuit.

[myavu]

Something like this should have been done to promote Indian F1 Track

[Saptarshi B]

Just a few days away and my travel to Delhi has been cancelled.

And I was one of the first to book the tickets

Guys can anyone help me out to let me know how I can sell the tickets

I have four in Premium South Stand(Rs 12500) and four more in West Stand (Rs 6500) These are the best seats and they are sold off in the current blocks. Also have parking available

Any help from the bhpians will be appreciated since I have my money blocked

[drmohitg]

Hi guys the Vkool Dealer in Delhi, Mr. Deepak requested me to ask all the BHPians on there opinion regarding if Vkool should have an outlet at the race venue for advertising. I told him its a good idea and they should go ahead with it as so many petrol heads will present there. What do you guys think? Will it be a good idea or not?

Disclaimer: I am not associated with Vkool in any way.
Mods I didn't know where to post this. The manager just called me and requested me to post it here and see what TBHPians feel about the idea. If its against the forum rules in anyway please delete the post.

Regards,
Mohit

[goingout]

Originally Posted by Saptarshi B

Just a few days away and my travel to Delhi has been cancelled.

And I was one of the first to book the tickets

Guys can anyone help me out to let me know how I can sell the tickets

I have four in Premium South Stand(Rs 12500) and four more in West Stand (Rs 6500) These are the best seats and they are sold off in the current blocks. Also have parking available

Any help from the bhpians will be appreciated since I have my money blocked

That's really sad to know!

I have also not booked my tickets yet as I have to travel to Europe around the period. But I am still trying to work out my schedule and if things go to plan then I will buy 4 tickets. I can't confirm for now so please don't hold anything for me but if I do buy the tickets then I'll be in touch.

All the best!

[khanak]

With the Indian GP around the corner, it feels good to know all the hard work over the years has not been done for nothing. The idea of India hosting a Formula One Grand Prix in the early 90s was a distant dream and now we are less than three weeks away from the biggest sporting event our country has hosted. However, the road has not been easy.
In 1995-96, I started to wonder if it was possible for India to host an F1 Grand Prix in the foreseeable future as motorsport was becoming more popular in the country. My erstwhile colleague, Nazir Hoosein, didn't give me much comfort when he said, "Not in our lifetime, Vicky". At the same time, though, there were regular interactions with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone who had expressed his desire to have India host a round of the F1 World Championship.

A site in Salt Lake City, Calcutta, was initially the focus from 1995 for a few years and all kinds of stories had begun circulating on the development of the same. That was where it began and ended. Then arrived public statements from IOA chief, Suresh Kalmadi, on the proposed plans to bring F1 to India. While it made for exciting headlines at the time, looking back, I can't really see the IOA funding a $450m-plus project for motorsport.

Then came a serious vision from Chandrababu Naidu, who wanted to put Hyderabad on the world map. F1 plans, however, soon folded up in the hands of democracy. Naidu lost the elections.

Madras was briefly touted as the next hot destination, possibly because of the influence it had on motorsport in our country, but the price of land made it prohibitive to expand on the existing facilities. With a tradition of hosting races since 1950, the MMSC, India's largest motorsports club and its resources of more than capable members showed more than just a cursory interest in bringing F1 further south.

While the cost of constructing a facility at the time could have been imaginable, the sheer monies required to host and pay the rights fees for F1 put that dream to rest.

Vijay Mallya and I then decided to try and work out an economical way to bring the sport to India. Vijay organised meetings with Sunil Dutt (the then sports minister), Delhi CM, Sheila Dixit, and a few others. Unfortunately, when the cost and logistics of putting up temporary Armco barriers, FIA debris fencing and temporary pits came into the equation, Delhi joined the list of cities that were so near yet so far.

While the backdrop of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate would have given the Monte Carlo Casino a bit of a complex, shutting the roads down for days on end just was not a feasible option.

Back to the drawing board…
The various instances certainly left a hollow feeling within a few of us, who had put hours, days and months into trying to make F1-India a reality!

Little did we know then that under the radar, the low-profile Gaur family was on its way to constructing the Yamuna Expressway connecting Delhi with Agra. A casual visit to the Madras track from a few JPSI officials, claiming to have plans of building India's F1 circuit, was initially met with cynicism.

Negotiations with Bernie were soon finalised and thoughts of F1 coming to India were re-ignited.

The 5.137km circuit with 12 metres of elevation changes was finally designed with a 1.2km straight to truly showcase the raw speed of F1 machines. The enormity of the task slowly became apparent! Legendary delays in our 'system' started to take their toll on many administrative issues.

Its not just the stakeholders of the sport but the government that need to exploit this platform to promote India. 28 million Indian viewers watched the Monaco GP, and with a global audience of 527 million in 2010, 16,000 hours of coverage in 187 countries, none today can argue with the brand equity that F1 is.

The writer is the president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India and the father of F1 racer Karun Chandhok.

Source - India's road to F1 status - Hindustan Times

[deetjohn]

Lap of the Indian Grand Prix circuit with the 2011 F1 World Champion.

Lap of the Indian Grand Prix circuit with Sebastian Vettel - YouTube

Courtesy:F1 Fanatic – The Formula 1 Blog