21/10/2013
NEWS STORY
Jules Bianchi: "It seems next weekend may be my first and last opportunity to drive the Buddh International Circuit, but I am very much looking forward to doing so because it is really a very special track. I attended the race there last year, so I got the chance to see it first-hand and to hear the drivers' reaction to driving it. I'm sure I will be equally impressed. Turns 3 and 10-12 look particularly interesting. I'm working on the basis that Japan was my 'jinx race' and with that behind me I am very optimistic about the step we have taken with the car performance and the developments we have yet to bring."
Max Chilton: "The Indian Grand Prix represents another new race for me and my team-mate, so once again it will be an exciting and challenging weekend in equal measure. The Team have good experience of the track, having raced there on two occasions previously and, as always, the work we have done in the sim will be a huge benefit, so we have a good foundation on which to start the weekend. Having reflected on Japan in particular I'm really pleased with how things are progressing at the moment, so I'm hoping for a similarly productive time in India, making good steps at every stage of the weekend. A good two-car finish is our Team target, but also from my point of view I would obviously be happy to maintain my record of being the only driver to finish every race - for another four weekends!"
John Booth, Team Principal: "We very much enjoy racing on the Buddh International Circuit, so we will take time to savour our final experience of what is actually a very challenging and technical track and one which has received a great deal of praise from drivers and engineering teams during the past two seasons. Once we have acclimatised Jules and Max to the circuit, we will be firmly focused on maintaining the positive upturn with car performance and indeed trying to extract even more in India and over the next few races with the smaller developments we are introducing."
All you need to know: Laps 60... Circuit length 5.125 km.. .Race distance 307.249 km... 16 corners, 9 right-handers, 7 left... Circuit direction clockwise... Lap record 1:27.249 (S.Vettel - 2011)...
The circuit was brand new for 2011 when New Delhi hosted the inaugural Indian Grand Prix... One of its most striking features is the undulation, for which over 4m3 tons of earth was moved to achieve the spectacular rise and fall through the lap, 14 metres between Turns 1 and 3 alone... Circuit hallmarks - likened by some to Spa thanks to its series of fast, rolling curves, which allow the drivers to put the car on the absolute limit... a mixture of slow speed turns and high-speed straights, drivers will pick up speed and be hard on the brakes in fairly even measure...
Tyre nomination Pirelli PZero White Medium and PZero Yellow Soft tyres are nominated to provide the best possible compromise between performance and durability given the big elevation changes and technically demanding corners...