51 replies to this topic

[Exb]

How has no-one started a build-up thread yet with less than a day and a half until practise gets underway? I guess it shows peoples enthusiasm levels at this point in the year. I was starting to wonder if there is a race this weekend, however a quick check on twitter confirms all the teams are in India getting ready for the GP so I am starting a thread - I'm excited about the race even if the rest of you are not ;)


So the third and possibly last? Indian GP is only a few days away, still lots to be decided, not least a close fight for 2nd place in the constructors championship, so I'm expecting Ferrari, Mercedes and Lotus to be pushing hard to try to secure it. Can Force India turn around their run of disappointing races at their home GP and fight off the challenge from a resurgent Sauber?

This year the tyres are Medium and Soft (as opposed to Hard/Soft last year) and a 2 stop strategy is predicted by Pirelli.
The first DRS zone (between turns 3 and 4) has been extended by 80m but the detection point and 2nd DRS zone down the pit straight stay the same.

[Atic Atac]

Congrats Seb!

 

Build up closed? 

[tomisumi]

India is surely the worst tilkedrom ever...I´m glad to watch it last time. At least I don´t have to wake up so early...

[SamH123]

If you can blank out RB the WCC is pretty cool

 

The current order is Ferrari/Merc/Lotus but arguably the current pace of the teams is Lotus/Merc/Ferrari.  Could be really tight come the end of the season for 2nd

[Jerem]

India is surely the worst tilkedrom ever...I´m glad to watch it last time. At least I don´t have to wake up so early...

I don't agree. India is a pretty challenging track, the long right-hander after the Massa chicane isn't easy to get right all all the final part of the circuit looks quite fun. Unfortunately the circuit has no personality, like most Tilke tracks (except Austin I'd say). I think Korea and China are much worse than India, and Valencia was the worst ever. Just my opinion though.

 

Regarding the GP this weekend... well, I just hope that the lengthened DRS area doesn't make overtaking ridiculously easy.

[Boxerevo]

How has no-one started a build-up thread yet with less than a day and a half until practise gets underway? 

 

 

Congrats Seb!

 

Build up closed? 

[scheivlak]

If you can blank out RB the WCC is pretty cool

Years ago we had those threads here like "WDC and WCC without Ferrari" or "WDC and WCC without Ferrari/McLaren/Williams" (yes, Williams......) with points standings after every race.....

[OvDrone]

*queue mildly annoying Crofty voice* Hello and welcome to the third Indian Grand Prix at the lovely and vibrant Buddh Internation... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

 

Wake me up when the MotoGP and Nascar races start.

[Andrew Hope]

The Indians fans are pretty passionate. They're kind of like the Australian, Malayshian, Chinese, Bahraini, Spanish, Monegasque, Canadian, British, German, Hungarian, Belgian, Italian, Singaporean, Korean, Japanese, Emirati, American and Brazilian fans.

[goingthedistance]

Apparently only 20,000 tickets have been sold so far. Could be a fairly quiet celebration for Seb.

[Kingshark]

 

Edited by Kingshark, 24 October 2013 - 04:44.

[speednerd]

Apparently only 20,000 tickets have been sold so far. Could be a fairly quiet celebration for Seb.

 

27,000.

 

But yeah.... interest has clearly waned in the event, no thanks to the shitty timing of the event and the apathetic attitude of Indian Government.

Edited by speednerd, 24 October 2013 - 05:36.

[PayasYouRace]

Possibly Tilke's most polarising track? Some apparently hate it, while I'm in the group that thinks it's one of his better creations. It's fast, flowing in the final sector, has good elevation changes and provides a challenge. The main downsides are the weird widened entrances to corners and too many overly tight corners in the first sector.

[Kobasmashi]

The track is ok in quali but it's setting and the racing it produces are boooooriing

[Bloggsworth]

I'll reserve any comment till I know that the race is actually going to happen - Personally I think the whole circus should pack their bags and fly out, I could do with a lie-in. If the Indians are determined to shoot themselves in the foot, then let them limp back to the 18th century. What next, every sport but cricket labelled as "Entertainment..."

[Miggeex]

This track is amazing. Drivers likes it and I haven't been bored in either of the last 2 races. Hopefully we'll get a good one this time also.

[ArkZ]

Only rain can save this race, there was no rain race in this season wtf! (even Malaysia was damp only for 5-6 laps... so hardly a wet race)

[sportingcp]

Most exciting race ever. Who´s gonna win? I don´t have any idea. Can´t wait.

[muramasa]

This circuit is like the Greatest Hits album, that's why some people like is while some dont.

 

As for this weekend, Alonso will win while Seb retire - the most dramatic overturn of championship ever will begin here

[speednerd]

Most exciting race ever. Who´s gonna win? I don´t have any idea. Can´t wait.

[Antonov]

I wonder how many cars Massa will break riding over them kerbs

[sportingcp]

 

 I was being ironic of course, but actually if we forget about Vettel and RB it could be a good race and the fight for the 2nd place in the WCC is still interesting.

[Zava]

James Calado ‏@JamesCalado20m

Due to Paul being unwell I will be driving tomorrow mornings FP1 session.

[SenorSjon]

Only rain can save this race, there was no rain race in this season wtf! (even Malaysia was damp only for 5-6 laps... so hardly a wet race)

1) Races are planned beyond wet seasons in these parts of the world

2) The cars are not able to run in wet races. And the teams won't risk a wet setup due to the ground effect with the diffuser. Car to high means no performance. All thanks to parc ferme...

3) SC drives around until it is time for slicks.

[froggy22]

I personally feel this is Tilke's best track since Turkey. Once you get past the 1st sector with stupidly long straights at tight corners, the track flows nicely. It doesnt lend itself to racing very well but it looks like a good drivers track. Drivers seem to love it too.

[Owen]

Well, it's still going ahead. That's a good start.

http://www.autosport...t.php/id/110826

[Fastcake]

Can't say I'm excited. The races so far have been comptelely forgettable, and chances are Vettel is going to cruise about again.

[OO7]

Congrats Seb!

 

Build up closed? 

[Doughnut King]

 

James Calado ‏@JamesCalado20m

Due to Paul being unwell I will be driving tomorrow mornings FP1 session.

 

 

If Paul's so unwell today that they know he can't drive tomorrow morning then how do they know he'll be able to drive later on in the day?

Edited by Doughnut King, 24 October 2013 - 12:24.

[HoldenRT]

How has no-one started a build-up thread yet with less than a day and a half until practise gets underway? I guess it shows peoples enthusiasm levels at this point in the year. I was starting to wonder if there is a race this weekend, however a quick check on twitter confirms all the teams are in India getting ready for the GP so I am starting a thread - I'm excited about the race even if the rest of you are not ;)

 

 

Come January, people will be begging for an F1 race.  Even a boring one.

[JHSingo]

Says something when the most excitement surrounding this race regards whether it will be cancelled or not.

[Cool Beans]

Says something when the most excitement surrounding this race regards whether it will be cancelled or not.

I actually don't even care. The first F1 race ever where I couldn't care less, I'll watch it if it's on but won't move my life one way or another. 

Edited by Cool Beans, 24 October 2013 - 14:35.

[SpaMaster]

The drivers have always liked this track. Lot of varieties of corners, elevation changes, wide corner entries and successive stretches in first sector that aid racing.

 

What is bad is the zero promotion of the race in Delhi or anywhere in India. I have been driving around Delhi a fair bit in the past week and I am yet to see a billboard, a banner or a TV advertisement. I have always maintained the Indian population has it in them to like F1. Just in my office, three of my colleagues who either don't follow F1 at all or only follow very loosely have decided to come for the race because of me. I am not at all surprised they are coming. That has always been my take on the Indian market. Just very poor promotion. Oman vs Qatar football matches seem like promotion epitomes compared to this. There would be lot of Kimi flags and Ferrari flags anyway.

Edited by SpaMaster, 24 October 2013 - 14:43.

[sopa]

Come January, people will be begging for an F1 race.  Even a boring one.

 

The funny thing is that in the beginning of a season fans want to see exactly that - a boring race. Because they want to know, "how does the real pecking order look like" without any messing. For the end of the season they want exciting races. However, usually the real life goes the other way around.

[Seanspeed]

Its not the track's fault that Red Bull have things nailed down by this time of year.

 

I think the layout is great.  Some really great, flowing sections and a good amount of elevation change.

 

Not sure why the 1st DRS zone needed extending, though.  It was already producing blow-by passes and is a massively long straight as it is.  I really, really don't understand some of their decisions.

 

Well anyways, even Valencia produced a cracking race before being taken off the calendar, so fingers crossed. 

Edited by Seanspeed, 24 October 2013 - 15:23.

[ANF]

Don't miss the interview with Mr Cutter, painter of white lines. http://www.lincolnsh...tail/story.html

Edited by ANF, 24 October 2013 - 15:55.

[Baddoer]

Guess what...

 

 

[g1n]

[st99]

If Paul's so unwell today that they know he can't drive tomorrow morning then how do they know he'll be able to drive later on in the day?

 

It's really weird, some journalists said that he looked perfectly fine today in the interviews and normally when a driver is sick they announce it on the day not before.

This sounds similar to when GP2 or GP3 drivers get "sick" and are replaced. Might this be an indication that he may be out of FI next season?

Edited by st99, 24 October 2013 - 17:25.

[kimister]

 Oh, product placement 

[HeadFirst]

It's really weird, some journalists said that he looked perfectly fine today in the interviews and normally when a driver is sick they announce it on the day not before.

This sounds similar to when GP2 or GP3 drivers get "sick" and are replaced. Might this be an indication that he may be out of FI next season?

Perhaps PDR has Montezuma's Revenge ...... or would that be Ghandi's Revenge?

 

As for the race, I'm looking forward to it. Even if Vettel runs off at the front, there should be some good battles among Hammy, Fernando, and Kimi. We also have some young guns, both signed and not, looking to impress.

[P123]

Apparently Di Resta has been diagnosed with being a miserable ****

 

Did you cough on him?

[Lotus53B]

Apparently Di Resta has been diagnosed with being a miserable **** with a dangerously over-inflated ego.

I can't disagree, but miserable **** = Scots, and dangerously over-inflated ego = F1 driver, so he's in character...

 

For the record, I live in Edinburgh, Scotland....

[djparky]

the track looks but has produced 2 mind numbing grand prix...another Tilke-drome that hoepfully we won't see again after this year.

 

as for the "race"- unless it rains I can't see anything special happening

[V3TT3L]

People say India config is close to Korea.

If that's true I expect a very close race.

[mangeliiito]

Drinking game anyone?

MW: Yeah, obviously he’s had an incredible run. Some of the championships have been tight, some less tight. Obviously ’11 and this year have been pretty much a non-event but 2010 and 2012 were up to the last race. I think he’s certainly done an incredible job. I think he’s been very strong on the Pirellis; obviously (on) the Bridgestones was probably a little bit tighter but on Pirellis he’s certainly been very strong and no real weaknesses on those tyres so it’s been strong for him. Just super consistent and that’s what’s made him strong, obviously, and also getting the most out of the package. Obviously the car’s been quick and he’s capitalised on a lot of venues. He’s won with a dominant car but also he’s won with a car which some races is probably not... certainly over those four years to win races he probably shouldn’t have won races. That’s also been a quality of his.

[scheivlak]

Drinking game anyone?

Certainly 

[apoka]

Obviously, "MW" is ambiguous, but from the sound of it, it is obviously Webber.

 

[Zava]

Obviously, "MW" is ambiguous, but from the sound of it, it is obviously Webber.

at the first glance, without reading it, just looking at those bold words, I thought Whitmarsh, but in hindsight, I was obviously wrong.

[Seanspeed]

I don't get the joke.