Grand Prix 2011 Indian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Is the season over yet?

Unfortunately the answer is no as the F1 circus rumbles onto India for a brand new track, but after problems with the construction of the track, there is a degree of hesitation as not everyone is overjoyed about the prospect of a race there at the current moment in time. Added to the fact that it is another Tilke track, many fans aren't optimistic for an exciting race, but we've been proven wrong before. After all, we thought 2011 would be a close championship!!

Red Bull reasserted itself as the best car on the track after a dominant win in Korea with Vettel taking yet another win as he continues to rewrite the record books in the same way as Schumacher used to, just not as controversially as the elder German. Mark Webber had his strongest races recently pushing Hamilton very hard for second place, perhaps showing that he still has it for next season.

Hamilton put a long list of poor races behind to finish second in Korea after taking his first pole position of the season and it turned out after the race that he was running with tyre bits in the front wing which was costing a good couple a tenths a lap, something which would surely have cost him a true crack at a third race victory of the season, but at the very least it shows that he's getting back to his best, but a split with his partner might explain a less than happy mood recently.

Ferrari are constantly lingering as the team behind the top 2 and they are almost in a race with themselves as they are far quicker than Mercedes but not quick enough (mainly Massa) to challenge the Red Bulls and Mclarens for victories, particularly on a consistent basis after the problems with the EBD after Silverstone.

In the midfield there is a serious log jam as Mercedes, Renault, Force India, Sauber and Toro Rosso fight over points and championship places as a lot of money is at stake for 4th-8th in the championship and it's probably the best place to see action at the moment as the racing has been close and extremely well fought with different cars being better at each different circuit with none having the best all round package of the 5 teams. Now even Team lotus is getting involved in the action as they are starting to beat some of these cars on pure pace which will no doubt please the owners, and Kovalainen beating Petrov on pure pace in Singapore would particularly have pleased the team after the rows with Group lotus this season.

No-one knows what to expect from the Indian track, but early reports indicate it's better than previous Tilke tracks, but then it can't be worse than Bahrain and Abu Dhabi really.... We hope so anyway.

For Galahad's superb write up, see here http://cliptheapex.com/pages/buddh-international-circuit/
 
Shame it wasn't Karun Chandok as imo he's better than Narain Karthikeyan but I suppose he doesn't have the $$$ and is contracted to Lotus
 
I was actually arguing for Karun's case!

He wasn't great at the Nurburgring; qualified behind Glock and finished behind Ricciardo.

Its either a sign of confidence in him or in Red Bull's money that Ricciardo will keep his seat - deservedly - for this race though.

Protracted driver changes are what HRT do best, aren't they?
 
He wasn't great at the Nurburgring; qualified behind Glock and finished behind Ricciardo.

Its either a sign of confidence in him or in Red Bull's money that Ricciardo will keep his seat - deservedly - for this race though.

Protracted driver changes are what HRT do best, aren't they?

But they all had race experience beforehand, and if Karun is in for Jarno, it would be an italianless grid! Someone on twitter says first since Japan 1996
 
Great, don't they want a hope in Hell's chance of actually doing anything worthwhile - this isn't a beauty pageant and bugger 'national pride'
 
I don't see the attraction in bringing an Indian driver for the Indian GP.

What do they think it will do? Earn them money? Make the Indian fans support that team?

As a British fan, if a team brought in British drivers specifically for one race, I'd feel more insulted than pride.
 
That's because Britain has produced endless F1 drivers since 1950, and - which is more important - a lot of them have been successful. So you are used to British drivers competing (the same goes for me with German drivers, even though we produced only 2 really top class drivers).

India has only had two drivers ever, and both of them are not among the best the sport has ever seen, so it might be something special for these folks to see them both in the country's inaugural Grand Prix
And maybe Bernie is behind it, to make more people actually attend the Grand Prix, which will be useless I guess, considering the ridiculousy expensive tickets.

But nevertheless I can understand that you would feel embarassed. I definetly would as well, because it appears that Lotus considers Indian people as pretty dumb, simple-minded and not being interested in the sport, just in a driver languishing at the back end of the field...
 
But is it worth it? I mean Lotus and HRT won't come up with an all Indian-company-sponsorship covered car (well maybe HRT will), and I guess Karun and Narain won't be in the focus of journalists after the race (unless they get a 1-2, which is not so likely).
So there will be a few interviews on Friday a la "How does it feel racing at home" "What does the GP mean to India" "IS India now the greatest country on the planet" and that's it, where the two guys can show their hats...Worth the trouble? Maybe I guess...
 
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