New Delhi: Sebastian Vettel has fond memories of Indian Grand Prix as he won the inaugural race last year and the defending champion says the layout of the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) makes it a challenging race.
Vettel will go into the October 28 race with a six point lead over Ferrai’s Fernando Alonso.
“I loved the track layout last year, but not just because I won the race. With an average speed of 235kph, the course is the second quickest of the year after Monza. “There is a lot of elevation change around the lap which adds to the fun, from as much as 8% downhill and up to 10% uphill; it’s like a roller coaster! It really has emerged as one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar for the drivers,” he said.
Vettel’s teamate Mark Webber too said finding the right balance will be key on the BIC.
“It’s a challenging venue and I really enjoy the track, it’s a nice circuit to drive. There was a massive crowd there last year and it was a good atmosphere. The track is similar to Korea with mainly long straights in sector 1 followed by a very busy sector 2 and 3, so we need to get the balance right between downforce and top speed,” he said.
Indian GP DRS zone increased
Formula 1 drivers should have a better chance of overtaking at the 2012 Indian Grand Prix thanks to the introduction of an extended DRS area for this year’s race.
With the 2011 event at the Buddh International Circuit proving underwhelming in terms of passing moves – with a total of just six genuine efforts at the front of the field – the FIA has reacted to try and improve matters for this year.
As well as having the original zone that runs along the maximum distance of the start-finish straight, a second DRS zone that runs from Turn 3 to Turn 4 has been extended by 80 metres.
The FIA has also confirmed that the zones will be wholly independent, with separate detection points for each.
Sauber’s head of track engineering Giampaolo Dall’Ara reckoned the revisions should be a boost to the racing. “An interesting aspect compared to most of the other races this year is the fact there will be two DRS sections with two detection zones, which should normally help overtaking,” he said. (Agencies)