Jenson Button set the pace in first practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Friday as Sebastian Vettel made a quiet return to the circuit where he became Formula One’s youngest champion last year. Now a double title holder, Red Bull’s 24-year-old German Vettel lapped fourth fastest and nearly half a second slower than McLaren’s Button. Vettel’s Australian teammate Mark Webber was second on the Yas Marina timing screens, 0.126 slower than Button’s best of 1:40.263, denying McLaren a one-two with fellow Briton Lewis Hamilton third.

The Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, who both spun off, were fifth and sixth respectively on a bright afternoon with the track temperature hovering around 40 degrees. Times of India

Adrian Sutil maintained his strong form from the Indian Grand Prix by setting the seventh fastest time and getting within a tenth of Massa’s best. Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg was a further 0.790s slower than the Force India in eighth, just ahead of Sutil’s team-mate Paul di Resta who rounded off a solid first session for the Indian team. Jaime Alguersuari was tenth overall in the Toro Rosso, 2.114s off Button’s pace.

It was also a good morning for new boys Jean-Eric Vergne and Romain Grosjean, who lined up 11th and 12th in the Toro Rosso and Renault respectively. Both were subbing in for the morning and had very productive sessions, with Vergne completing 26 laps and Grosjean 29. Grosjean also outperformed his team-mate Vitaly Petrov, although it should be noted that the Russian completed just 13 laps before what looked like an engine problem at the end of the session.

Rubens Barrichello was also troubled by reliability problems as his Williams suffered an oil pressure issue after just three laps. The car was recovered to the pits, but the team didn’t have enough time to get him back out. ESPN F1

Read the rest of this entry »

The brand has been sold to car company Group Lotus, sponsor of the Renault team, it was announced on Wednesday. It is part of a plan that will see Team Lotus, owned by Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes, change its name to Caterham F1 in 2012. BBC Sport understands Renault's new name will be Lotus F1 Team.

That name-change, although yet to be revealed officially, means the Team Lotus brand will once again disappear from the sport. Last Thursday, the two teams were officially granted leave to change the names of the chassis they run, an agreement that is part of a wider deal to settle a long-running legal dispute over the use of the Lotus name in F1.

The row was between car company Group Lotus, owned by the Malaysian company Proton, and Fernandes, who owns the Caterham sportscar company. An announcement on Wednesday said the dispute between the two parties had "ended amicably".

It added they would "work together on future projects in the automotive field". The dispute over the Lotus name in F1 began in 2009, when Fernandes entered a team in F1 using the name Lotus Racing, under licence from Group Lotus.

At that time Group Lotus had made it clear to Fernandes that it did not own the rights to the name Team Lotus. But the two parties soon fell out, with Group Lotus deciding it wanted to promote its brand in F1 with a more established team.

It agreed a sponsorship deal with the Renault team for 2011 and terminated its licensing agreement with Fernandes. Fernandes then reverted to the historic Team Lotus name, having bought the rights from businessman David Hunt - brother of 1976 world champion James Hunt - who had purchased the rights to the name following the winding-up of the original Team Lotus in 1994. Both decisions were the subject of a lawsuit which was finally resolved in London's High Court in May.

A judge ruled Team Lotus could continue to race under that name but that Group Lotus retained the right to use the Lotus marque on its road cars, and in F1 if it chose to enter its own team. Fernandes, however, had already begun formulating a back-up plan by buying English sportscar manufacturer Caterham in April.

That led to new talks with Group Lotus, which ended with them submitting the joint request to change their names that was agreed by F1 decision-makers on Thursday. The permission to change the names of the cars produced by the teams - and under which they are officially entered in the championship - was granted by the F1 Commission, a body of senior figures in the sport.

Chassis names have an impact on the amount of prize money a team can receive, which is partly distributed on grounds of historical results. Official permission from rivals is needed to change a chassis name because it has an effect on the amount of money all teams receive.

Last week, it was revealed that the cars run by the team currently known as Team Lotus would be known as Caterhams, and that the cars run by the team currently known as Renault would be called Lotus. On Wednesday, Fernandes announced that his team would be called Caterham F1.

Group Lotus has, BBC Sport understands, decided that Team Lotus as a brand will disappear - hence the decision to call the F1 outfit Lotus F1 Team. Group Lotus bought the rights to the Team Lotus name to ensure it had control over it and to prevent the possibility of a similar dispute occurring in the future.

The team has been racing under the official title of Lotus Renault GP this year, but is widely referred to as Renault to avoid confusion with Fernandes' Team Lotus, and because that is the official name of the cars it makes.

However, Renault, the French car company, no longer has any involvement, following the team's takeover by the Luxembourg-based venture capital group Genii Capital. Genii boss Gerard Lopez has recently become a shareholder in Group Lotus and Genii is believed to be considering a full takeover of the car company.

Group Lotus chief executive officer Dany Bahar said in a statement on Wednesday: "We understand that this has been a very difficult and confusing time for the fans of the sport and the Lotus brand, so we are glad to have reached a clear resolution on this important matter."

Team Lotus chief executive officer Riad Asmat added: "We are proud of what we have achieved by bringing the Team Lotus name back to Formula 1 when many tried and, although we are sad to say goodbye to Team Lotus, we are excited about owning our own future and being in control of our own destiny. "Now we have no-one to be compared to. We make our own history and we will remain green and yellow. "We look forward to an exciting future racing under our new team name of Caterham F1 Team."

Read the rest of this entry »

Following a lengthy meeting in Geneva on Thursday, sources confirmed that Team Lotus, Renault and Virgin Racing all received the necessary support to be allowed to change their titles for the start of next season.

It means from 2012, Team Lotus will become known as Caterham, Renault will switch to Lotus and Virgin Racing will switch to Marussia. The changes still need to go through the FIA's World Motor Sport Council before becoming official, but this is believed to be a formality - especially because FIA president Jean Todt is a member of the F1 Commission.

There is not expected to be any public statements about the matter from any of the teams involved until after the WMSC meeting - which takes place on 7 December. The decision to approve the name changes means that confusion over the Lotus name in F1 will be brought to an end, following a long-running dispute between Team Lotus and the road car company Group Lotus.

In a bid to clean up the matter after lengthy court proceedings, an agreement was reached which means that the Enstone-based Renault team will now be the only outfit running the Lotus name. Team Lotus will make full use of the Caterham brand, less than one year after the outfit's owner Tony Fernandes bought the sportscar manufacturer.

Read the rest of this entry »

Formula 1 chiefs are to discuss the 2012 calendar later this year, amid concern about the status of some of the races that are on next year's schedule.

AUTOSPORT has learned that talks about the position of the 2012 Bahrain and Korean Grands Prix have been added to the agenda for Thursday's meeting of the F1 Commission in Geneva. Furthermore, sources have revealed that F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone informed team principals over the Indian Grand Prix weekend that there were also now minor question marks about the fate of the new Austin Grand Prix.

Bahrain's position on the calendar is dependent on the ongoing political situation within the Gulf state, with this year's event having been cancelled because of troubles. The fate of the Korean Grand Prix rests on its financial situation, with race promoters having revealed that they want to reduce the hosting fee going forward - something Ecclestone has said he is reluctant to do.

It is understood that if either race is dropped then Turkey is the favourite to replace it, after losing its place on the calendar. Speaking to AUTOSPORT, Ecclestone said that he was keen for both Bahrain and Korea to remain on the schedule. "Yes, absolutely," he said. "But let's wait and see."

The situation in Austin appears more complicated, with Ecclestone suggesting that, while construction work is ongoing, there are issues inside the company that is putting the event together. "I don't think they are struggling [with building the track] at all," he explained. "I think there has been a disagreement inside the company."

When asked if he was certain the race would take place in 2012, Ecclestone said: "If you had said to me a month ago, is this [the Indian GP] 100 per cent going to happen then I would have said, 'I don't know'. So ask me a month before the race is due to happen."

But with Ecclestone having already pulled off a deal for New Jersey to hold a grand prix in 2013, he said that it would not be too much a blow if Austin's arrival on the calendar was delayed. "We can have it next year or the year after," he said. "It is not the end of the world."

Read the rest of this entry »

Formula One legend Jackie Stewart clearly remembers the last time he was in India, more than two decades ago. That visit to the south of the country made the 'Flying Scotsman' an indelible part of India's motorsport history.

Blog: The Indian F1 bauble

He had laid the foundation stone for India's first dedicated race track, the MMSC at Irrungatukottai near Chennai in 1987, triggering the start of a slow but steady renaissance for motorsports in this country.

The 3.7-km track then became the hub of racing in the country, the place where many drivers, including current F1 boys Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok, took baby steps into the sport.

This time, Stewart again finds himself in the midst of another milestone for Indian motorsport. Here for the inaugural Indian GP at the brand new Buddh International Circuit on Sunday, Stewart said he was glad he was again part of a momentous occasion.

"It's been a few years since I visited India. Last time I visited was in 1987 when I came to Madras (Chennai) to dig soil and inaugurate the construction of the first racing track in the country. Now I am here for the inaugural G in India. I'm happy I was present on both occasions," said the three-time F1 champ.

As Stewart put it, in 1987 "realistically there was no racing at all in the country". He added: "I came to lay the foundation stone for the first track here. And now with this F1 race happening, it shows how much India has progressed in the last few years. Two Indians have also featured in F1 and that is also a sign that things are heading positively," says Stewart.

However, the 72-year-old believes having an F1 circuit does not mean the country will start producing world-class drivers. "Look at the current Indian drivers here. Narain is old now and after him and the other lad Karun there is not much of depth in the talent pool. No one is knocking at the doors of F1. For a country to produce more quality drivers it should have a huge talent base from which the best come out to fight abroad," says Stewart.

"For that to happen, India should have more karting tracks, not big F1 circuits, so that more kids come into racing and then you will see an increase in the number of quality drivers coming out of here," adds Stewart.

When the dust settles after the bling and buzz of the inaugural Indian GP, the national motorsport federation should perhaps give a though to Stewart's observation. After all he is the Flying Scotsman, the man who has seen and done it all in motorsport.

Read the rest of this entry »

It's hard to imagine that India is finally hosting a round of the Formula 1 (F1) World Championship; I'm still pinching myself in disbelief. The scale of India's first-ever Grand Prix (GP) is huge and it will be fair to say that this is the biggest sporting event that the nation will witness. Yes, in magnitude, F1 is bigger than the cricket World Cup and even the Commonwealth Games simply because it's a truly global sport and not one in which only a handful of countries participate.
Just short of the Olympics, F1 doesn't get bigger than this. The 24 men, who will line up at the starting line of the Buddh International Circuit in Noida tomorrow in some of the fastest cars in the world are the best drivers on this planet. They can dissect a second into its thousand part, have reflexes of an angry mamba and the stamina of an Olympic runner. A glimpse of these drivers racing millimetres away from each other at a speed of 300 kmph is enough to tell you about the inherent risks of the sport. This is what makes them a rare breed and we must take pride in the fact that an Indian is also among these 24 men.

Despite no motorsport history to boast of, India's presence in F1 is impressive. Now, with the Indian GP, we are way ahead of most Asian countries, including China. Though China hosted its first GP seven years ago, it's yet to produce its first F1 driver (India has had two).

Building the Buddh International Circuit is an achievement in itself. It's a brilliantly designed track with a variety of corners and lots of elevation changes, which promise spectacular viewing.  Massive grandstands and the sheer expanse of the run-off areas in the Buddh Circuit are huge even by F1 standards. But look closely and you will know it's a bit of a rushed job. In the sanitised paddock area, uneven paving, sloppily-laid cement and plaster and paint that are peeling off are embarrassingly at odds with the slick and ultra-precise world of F1. However, I am sure that all shortcomings will be fixed by next year.

I am an F1 fanatic and have been going to watch F1 races since 1980. I have even named my elder son Niki after my racing hero Niki Lauda. However, the bitter truth is that fans like me constitute the minority. We follow what is essentially an exclusive sport that is alien to the average Indian. The heartland of F1 is Europe, where a long history of motor racing has developed a solid fan base. India, like Malaysia, Bahrain and China, doesn't have a great motor sport heritage or culture. That's why watching an F1 race in these countries is like watching a cricket match in Italy.

But the Indian GP may get a packed house in its very first year tomorrow (about 80% tickets have already been sold). For now the Indian GP is all about celebration and making history. Thousands will watch the first-ever Formula 1 race in India and fulfil what I think ranks high on their wish lists. But will this experience inspire a new generation to take to motor sport? As seen in Turkey, China and Malaysia, once the novelty dies down, there's a danger of dwindling spectators, especially when you factor in the hefty price one has to pay for a grandstand seat.

Though Force India will give the Indian crowd a reason to cheer, the fact is that like most sports we need a hero in F1. Narain Karthikeyan is the best Indian driver so far. But he's no Sebastian Vettel. What's most perturbing is that no other Indian comes close to him in terms of sheer talent. (Karun Chandhok's a lovely guy but he's just not quick). I have watched Karthikeyan race for over a decade and his flashes of speed have made him worthy of his place on the grid.

But for the sport to really take off, we need nothing less than a Sachin Tendulkar on the track. A World Champion. The interest in F1 spiked in Spain because of Fernando Alonso and in Germany because of Michael Schumacher and, now, Vettel.

With the Buddh circuit, there's an opportunity to build an ecosystem for motorsport that permeates down to the grassroot level to foster interest and talent. This is F1's best chance to win the hearts of millions of Indians. Thank Buddh for that!

Read the rest of this entry »

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
“By the time we race in India, I’ll have done several laps of the track on the simulator. What I know so far is that the track is 5.14-km and in the industrial town of Noida, about 50 minutes by car from New Delhi. The track is 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. I’m really looking forward to India; I always do when we drive on a new track.”

Mark Webber, Red Bull
“We have completed some good simulator work, but in terms of the kerbs and other subtle final details, these will obviously come into place right at the end, so I’d say we have an 85 percent understanding of what the track is going to be like. It’s always nice to drive at a new venue and in the simulator it looks like quite a quick flowing track, very rewarding. It’s going to be pretty warm, which is going to be a challenge for the tyres. I’ve never been to India before. There are some amazing cricket players from India - it’s their number one sport and I’d love to watch Australia play cricket there someday. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
“I’ve been a few times before - we’ve done a few Vodafone promotional days there. The last time was just crazy - just after Singapore, we did a demo run in Bangalore and were expecting 5,000 people to turn up. On the day, there were around 40,000 fans - it was just incredible. You can’t believe how many people are aware of Formula One and how many are looking forward to the race next week. There’s already a great deal of knowledge about the sport - I think it’s going to be a big deal. India’s a sport-mad nation - mostly, it’s about cricket, which is understandable because they’re a very successful cricketing country, but I really think the people of India are going to take Formula One to their hearts. The reception we’ve had in the last few years has been greater than I could ever have predicted and I think the whole country is ready for something new and something exciting. I really hope India will get turned on to Formula One in a big way - it would be amazing to have an entire continent supporting you - and I really hope we can put on a fantastic race! It’s too early to say, but I think we’re set to be competitive at all of the final three races. We were quick at Singapore, Japan and Korea - and I think the pattern at the front has sort of settled down now as we reach the end of the season. I think we have a car that can be quick anywhere, so I’d like to think we’d be in the hunt again next weekend.”

Jenson Button, McLaren
“The first time you run on a new circuit is a strange experience because you’re piecing together an incredibly diverse and vivid set of data in your mind. That’s quite an intense experience. You’re quickly gathering everything together - constantly assessing the grip-level, watching for unexpected bumps, checking the kerb-height, run-off areas, pit-lane entry and exit, gradient. And that all happens at about 170mph! But the track itself has quite a nice mix of corners - the start of the lap is pretty stop-start, there are a couple of long straights mixed with tight hairpins, but it’s the end of the lap that’s more interesting: there are some pretty high-speed changes of direction through the esses and some gradient change. One of the things that looks really interesting is the double-apex banked corner at the back of the circuit - that’s pretty unusual. It’s sort of a mix between Turn 13 at China and Korea’s Turn 11. I always look forward to the next Grand Prix. The word is that people in India are really excited about Formula One and the event - it’s important for the sport that we make a good first impression and I really hope we have a fantastic race. Our car’s been pretty competitive recently and we’d like to win more races before the end of the season.”

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes
“For the next race, we are heading to India for the first time; a country which a lot of people tell me is fascinating. I’m looking forward to experiencing this new culture and seeing the track for the first time. I am sure we will be impressed with what has been done there. There has been a lot of interest in the build-up to the event, and therefore hopefully we will entertain a lot of new fans in India. I’ve always been happy to welcome new tracks on the calendar and enjoy the challenge of adapting to them. The outcome of the last race in Korea was unlucky for us, therefore I am extra-motivated to score some points next weekend, and reward the good work of the team.”

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
“This will be my first visit to India, and it will be very exciting for me to discover the new culture. I am planning to spend a few days in the country and looking forward to doing some sightseeing, particularly making a visit to the Taj Mahal. I hope the first race in India will be a great show for all motorsport fans there, and a big success. I enjoy going to new tracks for the first time as I tend to learn them quickly, and it will be very interesting to set the car up as there will be so many unknown points. I hope to be able to fight in amongst the top six cars again, like during the last race in Korea, but this time hopefully I will be able to stay ahead of one of them until the end of the race.”

Narain Karthikeyan, HRT
“Driving in front of the home crowd cheering on is going to be a surreal experience. A once in a lifetime experience and I feel extremely fortunate. There is a huge buzz around the Grand Prix already and I’m sure that it’ll be a resounding success that will motivate more youngsters towards the sport and give us the future F1 drivers. Making it into F1 at the time I did was a seriously uphill task and the thought of being able to compete in the inaugural Indian GP was non-existent. But it is finally here and I’ll be on the grid. It is going to be one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar. There are points at which, if you’re in an F1 car, you will see nothing but the sky. The layout itself is going to put tremendous energy through the tyres and the strategy will play a key role in the final result. For sure I’ll race hard and try to get a good result for myself and the team. I would like to express my gratitude towards Tata Group and the rest of sponsors for their continued support and belief throughout my career.”

Karun Chandhok, Lotus
“I am very excited about driving at the new Buddh International Circuit in FP1 in front of my home crowd and while I am obviously disappointed that I won’t have the chance to race on Sunday, I accept the team’s decision to opt for the experience and talent they have at their disposal with Jarno and Heikki. This is a team that is still young, still growing, and I know that they have to do their best to secure their future in the sport - sometimes the hard decisions have to be made, and in this case it must have been a very difficult choice, but I understand that this isn’t about me. It’s about the team and everything the 254 people on track and back at the factory are doing to build for the future. For me, I believe that I have grown as a driver in and out of the car this year with my role in the Friday practice sessions and I’m looking forward to playing my part in helping the team have another strong weekend on track.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
“I’ve been with this team since the beginning and seen the progress we have made together, so it’s a proud moment to be starting the Indian Grand Prix with the only Indian team. I’m sure sitting on the grid will feel a bit different and I will always remember this race. I think based on our recent performances we go to Delhi believing we can score points, and we need to do that to strengthen our position in the championship. We can dream of a podium, but we also have to be realistic. There should be massive support for the team and it would be the icing on the cake if we can give everybody a special result to celebrate.”

Paul Di Resta, Force India
“Obviously this is a massive race for us in a very special place. It’s the first race for India, taking Formula One to a new culture, and a great opportunity for us to put on a great show for the fans. When you consider what Dr. Mallya has already done by creating an Indian team, this is the next step to really put Formula One on the map in India. We did a simulator session last week, but because it’s a brand new track there are still a lot of unknowns and question marks about the characteristics of the track. The layout looks interesting and the good thing for me is that it’s a new track for everyone to learn. Getting up to speed will be key and the grip will build up throughout the weekend, but as long as we find a good balance by Saturday we should be okay. We will go there and do our maximum. Obviously each race is important because the same number of points are on offer, but there’s no denying that a strong result in the team’s home race would feel special for all of us. So there will be a lot of attention on us, but we will go there ready to fight and grab some more points.”

Read the rest of this entry »

A new Formula 1 venue is always an exciting prospect, but as the paddock heads for India's Buddh International Circuit this weekend, there will be even more feverish anticipation than usual – particularly among the teams' commercial chiefs.

The world championship's push towards far-flung new markets has seen mixed levels of success in recent years. F1's global reach has never been greater, but in too many of its recent additions it races in front of empty grandstands, before a population who care little for the sport, in regions with no motorsport heritage and therefore zero chance of home heroes to cheer for a long, long time.

Sponsors may be pleased to see their cars running in locations like South Korea and China, but it is depressing to compare the atmosphere at such races to the crowd fervour seen at tracks like Monza and Silverstone – locations that show F1's full emotion-tugging potential at its finest.

But this is where F1 chiefs hope India might be different. With its huge population, the nation is naturally an enormous market for sponsors, who are universally thrilled by India's arrival on the F1 schedule.

However it's India's passion for sport, primarily cricket at present, that F1 really hopes to tap into. F1's bosses see the possibility of large, cheering crowds at Buddh in time, because India is a country that knows how to go crazy over a sport it loves – and the teams reckons F1 has the potential to earn India's love.

Early indications from promotional activities in the country are good, with ample crowds for street demonstrations there, though reports suggest the inaugural grand prix will not be a sell-out. India already has a well-established foothold in F1 as well, having had two drivers on the grid – though only one will be racing this weekend – and an Indian-owned team already.

Narain Karthikeyan was a trailblazer for India's motorsport potential when he came to the European scene in the late 1990s and lit up British Formula 3 with his spectacular driving style – even though translating it into results wasn't always straightforward.

Karthikeyan, Team Lotus test driver Karun Chandhok and Force India's Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta have been undertaking huge media commitments in India in the build-up to the race.Karthikeyan admits that it's going to be hard for those completely new to F1 to understand why he's right at the back of the field... let alone why Chandhok is only appearing in Friday practice, and, livery and ownership aside, British-based Force India and their Scottish and German drivers are not exuding Indian characteristics...

But it's a basis to build on, a little something to make F1 more relevant to the locals – and far, far more than the likes of Turkey, Bahrain, China, Abu Dhabi, Singapore and Korea had to go on when they joined the calendar. Vijay Mallya had hoped his Force India team would be ready to take a podium in India's inaugural F1 race.

It seemed a wild prediction when he made it three years ago, but then Force India peaked too soon – with their startling late-2009 form almost delivering wins. That always seemed too good to be true in the longer term, and sure enough in the less surreal 2010 and 2011 seasons they have slipped back to the upper midfield.

But recent developments bode very well for their Buddh chances – with Sutil and di Resta getting very accustomed to reaching Q3, and taking aim at Mercedes for the honour of being 'best of the rest' behind Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari.

Those three teams are simply too strong for Force India to have a hope of getting a podium on pure pace this weekend, but should something utterly bizarre happen among the front-runners, Mallya's squad are genuinely one of those best placed to pick up the pieces on current form.

And with Karthikeyan's realistic ambitions extending to out-qualifying HRT team-mate Daniel Ricciardo – and maybe one of the Virgins at a stretch – it could be Sutil and di Resta who get Indian national passion flowing. On paper, the circuit layout doesn't look like much to stir the drivers' passions, with few quick corners.

But most of its bends are medium-speed rather than slow, bar the tight hairpins deliberately placed to prompt overtaking – which ought to guarantee a spicy race at least – while the Turn 10/11 combination looks a little reminiscent of Suzuka's challenging Spoon Curve.

Buddh's secret weapon could well be its gradients, with the circuit undulating throughout its 3.192-mile distance – and a few swoops, dives and cambers can make all the difference in turning a layout tepid in 2D diagrams into a thriller in 3D real life.

In many ways though, the quality of the circuit is incidental: What matters is that F1 is finally in India and, much as will be the case with its arrival in Russia and return to the United States, desperate to win over a nation that could be a massive part of the sport's future success if it gets this right.

Read the rest of this entry »

Indians will get a taste of their own Grand Prix when the inaugural Formula One race is held at the Buddh International Circuit near Delhi on October 30.

The 5.14-kilometer Buddh International Circuit has been designed by German architect and racetrack designer Herman Tilke, the man behind the race tracks in countries like Malaysia, Bahrain, and China. It can handle a top speed of about 320 kmph for an F1 car. As millions of fans gear up to witness their F1 dreams come alive in India TOI takes you inside the circuit.

TURNS 11 & 12: Turns 11 and 12 are basically one long double apex right hander. The corner will be ultra-fast with speeds of over 210 kmph even through the tightest part of the corner. Given the panoramic grandstand, if you want to see a Formula 1 in all its glory, then get a seat at Turns 11-12! The banking through the corner which will enable great speeds should make it a driver's favourite

SPEED: 207kmph

TURN 5: This is going to be one of the best overtaking opportunities on the lap with the last of the late-brakers being able to reap the rewards for being brave. The circuit drops downhill towards Turn 5 and then Fl ows through some quick direction changes for Turns 6 and 7. The drivers will start to build speed up through the fl owing right-left sections of Turns 8 and 9 before climbing uphill again.

SPEED: 290kmph

MAIN GRANDSTAND

This permanent structure is located just next to the start line, and opposite the pit stop building. The roofed structure that spreads over 65,000 square metres incorporates more than 1,200 metric tonnes of steel. Undoubtedly the best place to enjoy all the F1 action fi rst hand. Seats are Rs 35,000 apiece.

PADDOCK AREA: This is the area where teams will park their equipment trucks and engineers re-assemble the cars before the race. The media conferences will take place in this area.

PIT BUILDING: The nerve centre of the F1 race - the Pit Building will house important race facilities, such as the garages for the Formula One race teams, race control facilities, media centre, the winners' podium, as well as the Paddock Club.

SPECTATOR GUIDE

All set to attend the opening F1 but dont know what all to carry for the event? Don't leave your home without reading our comprehensive guide.

HAT: To shield your face from hot sun.

SUNGLASSES: With UV protection your face from hot sun.

BINOCULORS: Good magnifi cation and long range lenses are recommended.

CLOTHING: Wear comfortable attire. October afternoons are warm but comfortable in Delhi.

SUNSCREEN: With a high SPF rating.

Read the rest of this entry »

An official with direct knowledge of the plan says Formula One is coming to New Jersey in June 2013 with a race on the Hudson River shoreline just minutes from New York City.The person says the Grand Prix event will take place in Weehawken and West New York, with the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Monday because the race has yet to be announced. A press conference is scheduled in Weehawken on Tuesday, and will likely be attended by New Jersey governor Chris Christie. The U.S. hasn't hosted a Formula One race since 2007 in Indianapolis, an event won by Lewis Hamilton.

STANDINGS: Vettel clinches F1 points title
A race is scheduled for Austin, Texas, in 2012. The race could mean a big boost to the economy in North Jersey, which typically benefits from national and international events at the Meadowlands Sports Complex, where the NFL's New York Giants and Jets play. But although the Super Bowl is coming to MetLife Stadium there in 2014, the complex has sagged a bit economically with the loss of the NHL's New Jersey Devils and NBA's New Jersey Nets to the nearby Prudential Center in Newark. The tentative name for the race is the Formula 1 Grand Prix of America.

The area is not foreign to motorsports, though it has been awhile. The Meadowlands Grand Prix was a CART IndyCar race held in East Rutherford from 1984-1991. It was the first major race in the New York City metropolitan area since 1937, and the course twisted and turned around the original Giants Stadium.
The Formula One race would likely stroll through River Road, which runs alongside the Hudson River, allowing for clear views of the New York City skyline. It would also offer fans and tourists easy accessibility to New York City lodging, restaurants and nightlife, though they could also easily stay in Hudson County, as well.

Read the rest of this entry »