Author: David Bodapati

26 Oct 2011 (Sahara Force India Release): Team Principal and Managing Director, Dr. Vijay Mallya, looks forward to the inaugural Indian Grand Prix. Preview from the Sahara Force India F1 Team:

Dr. Mallya, the big day is almost here, the very first Indian Grand Prix in Delhi. How proud are you to see India host its first race?
I have been involved in motor racing for over 30 years and it’s one of my greatest passions. I brought the first Formula 1 car over to India in the 1980s and it was always a dream of mine to one day see this great nation host a Grand Prix. So this weekend is a very significant moment and I’m extremely proud. It’s a major step forward for Indian motorsport and for sport in general in our country. We are all looking forward to it immensely.

Is it fair to say this is the biggest race in the team’s history?
Absolutely. This is a very important weekend for Sahara Force India and we are all determined to be as competitive as possible. I want to savour every moment of what will surely be one of the most spectacular events of the season and the start of a great Formula 1 tradition in India.

What do you think this race will do for the popularity of Formula 1 in India?
There is already great interest in Formula One in India, but having our own race has created a real buzz and will take the sport to an even wider audience. As soon as the ticket sales were announced, people were clamouring to buy them. Hosting the premier racing series in the world is a great privilege and there is great excitement throughout the country.

Earlier this month you announced the team’s partnership with Sahara India Pariwar – what will this mean for the team going forward?
This is yet another great milestone in the history of this team. The Sahara Group brings fresh investment and Saharasri Subrata Roy Sahara shares my vision to push the development so that we continue to compete effectively with the teams ahead of us. The Sahara Group has played a very important role in the development of sport in India and is an ideal partner to help us achieve greater success in the future.

This weekend you will present the winner of your one from a billion young driver hunt. How pleased are you with the way this programme has progressed?
I made the decision to begin a driver hunt in India about 18 months ago. It was a massive undertaking to hold open trials in seven cities, but I was delighted by the quality of the drivers who came along to show their skills. Last week the top ten youngsters visited Silverstone to complete their final assessments based on driving talent, fitness and media training. There can only be one winner, but all of them showed dedication and hunger during the trials and can be very proud to have made it so far in the competition. Going forward we have some promising kids who we will support as they try to build careers in motorsport.

Adrian on India
Adrian Sutil gets set for the biggest weekend of the year in Delhi.

Adrian, we’re all set for the Indian Grand Prix. How will it feel to race in India?
It will be a very special moment. I’ve been with this team since the beginning and seen the progress we have made together, so it’s a proud moment to be starting the Indian Grand Prix with the only Indian team. I’m sure sitting on the grid will feel a bit different and I will always remember this race.

What are realistic expectations for the weekend?
I think based on our recent performances we go to Delhi believing we can score points, and we need to do that to strengthen our position in the championship. We can dream of a podium, but we also have to be realistic. There should be massive support for the team and it would be the icing on the cake if we can give everybody a special result to celebrate.

Because it’s a new circuit, does that change your approach?
Maybe we will run a little bit more than usual, but we know how to cope with new circuits because we had the same situation in Korea last year. With a new track it just takes a bit longer for the grip to come up and you have to do more set-up work than usual. I always enjoy experiencing a new track so I’m looking forward to it.

You know India well from your many visits there – how do you think the Indian fans have embraced the sport?
Every time I go there Formula 1 seems to become even more popular, and having a race there will add even more interest. I hope this year we will have more fans cheering us than any other team.

Paul on India
Paul Di Resta talks about his hopes for the team’s home race.

Paul, how excited are you ahead of the very first Indian Grand Prix?
Obviously this is a massive race for us in a very special place. It’s the first race for India, taking Formula 1 to a new culture, and a great opportunity for us to put on a great show for the fans. When you consider what Dr. Mallya has already done by creating an Indian team, this is the next step to really put Formula 1 on the map in India.

What do you know about the track?
Not a massive amount, to be honest. We did a simulator session last week, but because it’s a brand new track there are still a lot of unknowns and question marks about the characteristics of the track. The layout looks interesting and the good thing for me is that it’s a new track for everyone to learn. Getting up to speed will be key and the grip will build up throughout the weekend, but as long as we find a good balance by Saturday we should be okay.

What result would make you happy this weekend?
We will go there and do our maximum. Obviously each race is important because the same number of points are on offer, but there’s no denying that a strong result in the team’s home race would feel special for all of us. So there will be a lot of attention on us, but we will go there ready to fight and grab some more points.

Whyte & Mackay City Guide
Our team partner, Whyte & Mackay, makers of Scotch whisky, give their tips for a week in India.

Where to visit?

A trip to Delhi wouldn’t be complete without taking in some of the famous tourist attractions. India Gate should be near the top of your list. It’s a monument built in 1931 to honour soldiers who lost their lives serving the country.

Another experience to try is the Kingdom of Dreams in Gurgaon. It’s India’s hottest new theme park and showcases both Indian culture and the performing arts.

Where to eat?
Delhi is famous for its range of cuisines. To enjoy some authentic North Indian dishes, you could visit Punjabi by Nature located at Vasant Vihar and Raja Garden.

Oh Calcutta will give you the taste of east Indian cuisine, or to sample the real taste of Old Delhi, pay a visit to Karim’s or Paranthe Wali Gali at Jama Masjid, Old Delhi.

Where to drink?
After a busy day at the track, there’s plenty of premium pubs in Noida where you can relax and unwind. Add Quantum and Kink to your wish list for Saturday night.

If you’re after a nightclub, there’s plenty of happening destinations in central Delhi. Look out for HYPE, F-BAR, CAPITOL and Jynxx. Visit these venues from 11:00pm onwards.

25 Oct 2011 (Lotus Release): With the Team Lotus announcement getting delayed day by day, it was a foregone conclusion that India’s second F1 driver Karun Chandhok will not be lucky to drive in the inaugural Airtel Grand Prix of India. It was a big disappointment for the fans that the Formula One race this Sunday at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, near Delhi but the presence of the first Indian F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan will be a consolation.

Tony Fernandes, the team Principal of Lotus, who earlier expressed his interest in giving Karun a chance said it would be a team decision. He felt that the team preferred to go with experience and rather go for the 10th place in the constructers championship than to take a sentimental decision of fielding Karun Chandhok

Tony Fernandes said: “From the team perspective the key goal for us this weekend is to maintain the performance levels we saw in the last two races and while I am sure there will be fans in India who want to see Karun race for us on Sunday we had to make the best decision for the future of the team. While all the emotional reasons for him driving were right we were conscious that the limited running he has had in the car this season, largely due to the weather conditions that have hit most of his FP1 sessions, has not given him the best preparation for this race, so we have taken the very difficult decision not to run him in this weekend.”

Karun Chandhok in turn hid his disappointment and said: “I am very excited about driving at the new BIC in Free Practice (FP1 on Friday) in front of my home crowd and while I am obviously disappointed that I won’t have the chance to race on Sunday, I accept the team’s decision to opt for the experience and talent they have at their disposal with Jarno and Heikki. This is a team that is still young, still growing, and I know that they have to do their best to secure their future in the sport – sometimes the hard decisions have to be made, and in this case it must have been a very difficult choice, but I understand that this isn’t about me. It’s about the team and everything the 254 people on track and back at the factory are doing to build for the future. For me, I believe that I have grown as a driver in and out of the car this year with my role in the Friday practice sessions and I’m looking forward to playing my part in helping the team have another strong weekend on track.”

Tony congratulates Jaypee Group
“I am very excited about the Indian Grand Prix and I would like to congratulate The Jaypee Group and everyone involved at the circuit for their hard work in creating what I am sure will be an incredible event, said the Lotus F1 team Principal in a Press Release on Tuesday,” added Tony Fernandes.

“It is absolutely vital that we secure tenth place in 2011 to give us the platform to keep growing and despite the fact that Karun’s performance levels have continued to improve every time he has driven for us in 2011, it was considered too much pressure to put on Karun to drive in his first home race, deal with all the attention he would have had and be able to perform at the same level as either of our regular race drivers over the whole weekend. For that reason we had to take the pragmatic decision to put our faith in the experience and pace we have in Jarno and Heikki, and are confident they will continue to perform at the level they have over the last two years with us. While this is obviously not the decision Karun wanted us to take he understands that we have to take the long-term view and do so in the best interests of the team. He also understands that his relationship with our team is not about just one race, it is about growing together and while this is an historic event, there will be many opportunities to race in India in the future, and he is in the best possible place with us to take advantage of those chances in seasons to come,” concluded Fernandes.