Indian drivers
Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok on Saturday said the
challenging Budh International Circuit will provide fans with
quite a spectacle when F1 comes to the country this October.
|Last Updated: Aug 20, 2011, 05:22 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Greater Noida: Gearing up for Formula One
action on their home track for the first time, Indian drivers
Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok on Saturday said the
challenging Budh International Circuit will provide fans with
quite a spectacle when F1 comes to the country this October.
"I can relate some of the corners to corners of some
other circuits in the world. There are a lot of overtaking
opportunities and long straights. Spectators can see the speed
of an F1 car, which would go up to 320kms per hour. It will be
a huge spectacle," Karthikeyan said.
Adding to that, Chandhok said, "It (circuit) is
challenging for drivers. The elevations change...then there
are 2-3 corners with double the width for overtaking...great
for spectators. It`s a tremendous facility."
Chandhok is optimistic but still not quite sure about his
chances of racing in the event but Indian motorsports`
long-time flagbearer Karthikeyan will be there on the grid.
Karthikeyan, the first Indian to be in the driver`s seat
of an F1 car long before Force India came into being, today
confirmed that he will race on October 30 for his Spanish
outfit Hispania Racing but Chandhok said does not yet know
whether he would be joining his compatriot on the grid.
Karthikeyan had competed in the first half of the 2011
season for Hispania before being replaced by Daniel Ricciardo
for the rest of the season.
"My seat was never under question for the Indian race.
Yes, I would like to have a race or two to warm up for the
Indian GP," Karthikeyan said as the tickets were launched
online for the first ever F1 race in India.
"It`s a dream coming true. I got goose bumps when I saw
the circuit. It`s a massive facility and I am very excited. It
will be a great showcase," Karthikeyan added.
Chandhok, who signed with Lotus Team this year as a
reserve driver, said it actually makes a lot of sense if
Indian drivers race in their home GP for their respective
teams.
Chandhok drove for the first time this season at the
German Grand Prix when he replaced teammate Jarno Trulli.
"I am quite optimistic about it but I can`t say anything
at this stage. We have discussed it but nothing is final. It
makes a lot of sense if Indian drivers are there but nothing
is final at this moment," he said.
Both of them hailed the Budh International circuit, the
venue for the race, as a tremendous facility, which they said
will be challenging for drivers and benefit the future
generations.
Asked how F1`s arrival will help motorsport in India and
whether it will be able to bring people to the circuit, both
the drivers had no doubt that benefits will be huge.
"We are not trying to compete (with any other sport). The
viewership of F1 in India has gone up astronomically. I am
told there are 27 million viewers and we need only 0.5 per
cent of that to fill the circuit`s capacity of one lac and
20,000," said Chandhok.
"People do relate to Michael Schumacher and there is
overdose of cricket. Motorsport will grow bigger. For future
generation of drivers, it will be a huge infrastructure.”
Having a GP here will bring change like it happened in
Malaysia and China," Karthikeyan said.
PTI
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