Grand Prix 2013 Indian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Here's CTA's discussion thread on the Indian GP, as F1 travels to New Delhi from October 25-27:

WDC:

Despite the best efforts of Webber and RoGro, Vettel needs only a fifth place finish to secure his 4th title, which means its all over in the WDC. But the drivers down the grid have more than pride at stake.

Alonso's lack of performance over the last 2 races, better pace from Hamilton and Kimi and the lack of any bad luck for Webber means that the 2nd to 5th positions in the WDC are yet to be settled. And good performances (or the lack of it) from several drivers (Hulkenberg, Massa, Sutil, Di Resta to name a few) could still determine where (and if) they are driving next season.

WCC:

RBR may be on the verge of winning the WCC, but only 33 points separate 2nd placed Ferrari from 4th placed Lotus, and the battle for 2nd position (very important from a monetary standpoint) is poised to go down to the last couple of races. Sauber and McLaren may have secured their respective positions from their rivals, but can McLaren get that elusive podium to avoid the record books from being rewritten.

Circuit and Race:

Despite having an interesting track layout, with each and every lap of the Indian GP being led by Vettel to date, its no wonder that the past races don't trigger too many memories. And with race not being held next year, a good race and crowd support will be essential for the race to return in 2015.

But throw in some encouraging signs from the Japanese GP (atleast Vettel didn't win it in Lap 1) and the tyre degradation battles in the last 2 races (tracks similar in nature to the BIC) and who knows, we could have an interesting Indian GP. But one things for sure, it will be a pleasant surprise if we dont see that finger....

 

[Kewee]

What does everyone expect. India's the most impoverished country on the planet and motorsport is very much a minority sport.

 

[MCLS]

Perhaps they should have thought of that before giving it a Grand Prix event

 

[The Pits]

Perhaps they should have thought about that before paying to host a Grand Prix event

 

[Mika's Italian Tears]

Unlike events in most other countries, the F1 race in India is hosted by a private group - the Central or State Government DO NOT fund or subsidize the race in any manner whatsoever. In fact, when approached by various associations in the past to host an event, the Government has not only declined to support the races due to funding issues, but also mentioned that it does not recognize F1 as a sport which deserves any tax subsidies (due to the elitist and exclusive nature of F1).

The race track is located at 90 mins distance from the centre of New Delhi (and is technically NOT in the state of New Delhi, with Delhi's name being used as its a recognizable region). Jaypee Group, the race promoter owns massively large tracts of undeveloped land near the race circuit and the race was brought here by them to give a boost to the residential and industrial land prices (which has worked to some extent).

The race was never expected to bring in profits from attendances and Jaypee knew this from day 1 itself. Motorsport is popular in Southern India (where Chandok and Karthikeyan were brought up) and has absolutely no history or tradition in Northern India where the track is located (infact BIC is the only racing track I have ever heard of in North India). This may seem slightly weird to some, but the sheer size of India and the income of the majority of the population does not make it feasible for thousands of fans to fly 800 miles to watch the race.

The race promotion too is carried out only by Jaypee Group - the current economic situation doesnt really encourage a private group to spend a humongous amount on marketing a race and that is taking its toll on this year's event.

If Bernie wanted to bring to a race to India so that it becomes as popular as cricket (a comment he made repeatedly in the first year) the track should have been in South India and with government support (right now Jaypee even has to pay customs duty to the government on behalf of the teams for all the equipment).

This may not be the last race (and possibility of the race returning in 2015 remains reasonable) but the 5 year contract won't be extended in any case whatsoever IMO.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

If the Indian govt carry through their threat to tax the F1 teams on 1/n of their respective revenues (not profits!) where n is the number of races per year, I doubt very much there will ever be another Indian F1 race.

 

[Road of Bones]

Which means that Vettel will win all the Indian GPs held in India (in all probability...)

 

[GermanF1]

India, Korea and Bahrain should leave the calendar immediately. Nothing exciting ever happens at these tracks and nobody turns up.

 

[Jen]

Thank you Rachit Bedi for explaining, I hadn't realised what was involved!

 

[RasputinLives]

India, Korea and Bahrain should leave the calendar immediately. Nothing exciting ever happens at these tracks and nobody turns up.

Yet Korea and Bahrain rank up as two of the most exciting races of the year in the CTA polls.

 

[Road of Bones]

...and of course, a CTA "race excitingness" poll is the ultimate barometer of a GP's success/failure, isn't it?

 

[RasputinLives]

No. Just thought it was interesting.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Turkey never attracted the crowds either and always produced fantastic racing, maybe the key to a good race is no fans at the circuit? If the polls are to be believed we are in for a cracker this time at India.

 

[Josephiah]

Jaypee Group, the race promoter owns massively large tracts of undeveloped land near the race circuit and the race was brought here by them to give a boost to the residential and industrial land prices (which has worked to some extent).

Though if I recall correctly, one man's "tract of undeveloped land" is another man's "Oi, you're going to pay me for building on my family's subsistence farm, right?"

 

[Mephistopheles]

What is the point in holding race in a place where none of the locals can afford to see it?

 

[Mephistopheles]

Here's a better idea. Go to India, ignore the race and enjoy the country. Beautiful beyond belief, you'll never forget it.

I've been to India Its a shit hole at least as far as the poor are concerned....

 

[teabagyokel]

When they say one man's drink is another man's poison, the latter gentleman is almost always Mephistopheles.

The wealth of the locals does provide a contrast to Monaco though.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Never a truer word spoken...

 

[Kewee]

Mephistopheles ...... I spend many wonderful times in the poorer regions of India. It's a country you either love or hate, I honestly believe it's impossible to have neutral feelings about India. I love it, but I also know others who hate every aspect of the place. I'm not intending to start a religious discussion Mephistopheles but it's virtually impossible to discuss India and its people without touching on religion. My only comment is, what the Indian people lack in material wealth they more than make up for in spiritual wealth, which possibly explains why they retain contentment and happiness in such appalling conditions.

 

[Mephistopheles]

As you know I'm not a religious man and so I hated the place and I only saw poverty and begging everywhere I looked, I made the mistake of giving some money to a child, (It was early evening and getting dark.) and within seconds there were boys all around asking me for more money and then they turned on the kid that I gave the money to trying to take it off him, then one of the boys picked up a rock and hit the lad with the money in the head he was bleeding and then he collapsed and the others fell upon him ripping the money from his person, locals turned up and broke the gang apart the last I saw was the lad I had given the money to was laying on the ground bleeding from his head wound, my girlfriend was in a complete state I had to drag her away and get her back into the hotel complex where it was safe and all this for what amounted to little more than about 50 pence, for all I know the kid could be dead....

Like I said I hated the place, for all it's so called religion it is a hell hole and somewhere I will never visit again...

 

[LifeW12]

Should have built it in Chennai

Its clear though that they made a terrible mistake with this race, its gonna become a white elephant and quickly. Its not a bad track they just built it in the wrong country. There are other countries out there that wouldn't have a problem getting major support, South Africa is one of them.

96.9% of the population lives on less than US $5 a day