INDIA in F1

Category: India In F1

  • Emotional Vijay Mallya reflects on Historic Airtel Indian GP

    2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Preview
     
    Vijay’s vision
    Team Principal and Managing Director, Dr. Vijay Mallya, reflects on an emotional Indian Grand Prix and looks forward to the penultimate race of the year. (Text and pictures: Force India Release)
    The Indian Grand Prix weekend was obviously a huge one for you personally. How would you sum it up?
    It was outstanding. It was emotional and there was a great sense of pride. It was a dream come true. When Force India became the first and only Indian team on the grid in 2008, it was a great moment for me too, but even at that time I really didn’t think that India would ever host a Grand Prix. It couldn’t be better, it was like the confluence of two dreams: owning an F1 team and racing on home turf. The icing on the cake was at least getting one car into the top ten and into the points.
    Were you impressed with the track itself?
    The drivers, and not just ours, have said that it is perhaps one of the best tracks in the world. It’s got all the infrastructure and facilities you need. People may complain that the level of finish needs more attention, but that’s because they completed it in a bit of a hurry. But otherwise the basics are there.
    And what about the team’s performance?
    Adrian did a superb job: he kept his head and drove really well. He made sure he didn’t give up ninth place. With Paul we knew exactly what we were doing, starting on the hard tyre and bringing him in early. Had there been a safety car, Paul’s eventual race result might have been vastly different. But we had to take the gamble – no guts, no glory, I guess! Overall I’m quite happy with our performance and I don’t think there’s any reason why we should not feel proud of what we have done.
    At this stage of the season points are precious in terms of the constructors’ championship…
    Formula One becomes more and more competitive with each passing day. Toro Rosso has clearly made a huge step since Japan. We’ve also made a bit of a step with the upgrades we brought to India. But at the end of the day you never know until the last race is over. We found that out painfully last year when Williams pipped us by one point, but now I think we’re comfortably in sixth position, ahead of Toro Rosso as well as Sauber. But it’s never done until it’s done.
    The other big news in India was the announcement of your One from a Billion winner. How satisfying is it to be promoting Indian talent?
    It is huge. Everybody has been quite critical of me, particularly in India, as to why I don’t have an Indian driver in the car. They’re trying to force comments out of me on the two Indian drivers that we currently have and I’m not going to fall into that trap. All I know is what’s good for my team and that’s what I’ve been doing. But I’ve often said that amongst 1.2 billion people there’s got to be a Lewis Hamilton somewhere. We found three exceptionally talented kids, all 14 or under.
    In India you indicated that you will make a decision on the drivers for 2012 sooner rather than later. Can you update us on that?
    All the drivers have asked me to make an early decision, and I respect that. I have a big decision to make! But it’s not made yet – I’m not the type of guy who’s going to make a decision and string people along. When I decide I will just tell them the way it is and that’s it.
    Any thoughts on the rest of the season?
    Only two races to go! We hope to do well in Abu Dhabi, particularly because we think the car is suited to the track. Let’s see.
    Adrian on Abu Dhabi
    Adrian Sutil savours his points finish in Delhi and gets set for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
    Adrian, how satisfying was it to get some points in Sahara Force India’s home race?
    It felt really good and I think that was the maximum for us. I just lost out to the Toro Rossos because they were faster on the day. But I was happier with the balance than in Korea, so it’s clear that we made a little step with the car. Ninth position was two very important points so it was a good weekend.
    It was a very busy week for you and the whole team – did you enjoy having all that attention?
    It was very nice in the drivers’ parade, I could see all the people in the stands and they were really cheering for us a lot. It was a very special crowd, very unique. I haven’t seen so many fans for us at any other circuit. It’s definitely something I will remember.
    What are your thoughts ahead of the Abu Dhabi race?
    It was a difficult race for us last year, but I think this year it should be much better. There are long straights and hairpins, and it’s a track where low-speed corner performance counts. That should suit our car so I think we’ll be okay.
    Paul on Abu Dhabi
    Paul Di Resta looks forward to his first race at Yas Marina.
     
    Paul, let’s look back on the Indian Grand Prix – a gamble on the strategy didn’t go your way, but a good result for the team…
    We always knew that we were going extremely aggressive with the strategy. It was a decision to cover our bases. We took this route based on the tyre data from Friday, but the conditions in the race turned out to be quite different. Sometimes it works for you and other times you have to take it on the chin. Other than that the speed in the race was strong. The big picture is our position in the constructors’ championship so it was important that Adrian picked up the points. We said all along that the fight for sixth place would go down to the wire and we need to continue delivering in the next two races.
     
    Abu Dhabi won’t be a totally new experience for you, but you’ve yet to race there…
    I did half a day at the young driver test and then a full day for the Pirelli tyre test last year. So I’ve learned the layout and have a feel for the place. Before we get there I’ll have another half day in the simulator to get back up to speed.
     
    What were your impressions of the track last year?
    It’s a very technical circuit with a lot of tight, low-speed corners and you need to be very precise with the car. There’s very little high-speed stuff, apart from the esses after turn one, but they are taken pretty much flat anyway. There are definitely some similarities with Singapore so that’s a reason to be optimistic because the lack of high-speed corners seems to suit our package. As ever, we have to see how the teams around us perform.

  • Grand Prix No.18 – Abu Dhabi

    The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the penultimate round of the 19-round FIA calendar of the 2011 F1 World Championship will be held at the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi.

    All times are local (Abu Dhabi is GMT +4)

    Thursday 10 November
    15:00: FIA press conference

    Friday 11 November
    13:00 – 14:30: First free practice
    17:00 – 18:30: Second free practice
    19:00: FIA press conference

    Saturday 12 November
    14:00 – 15:00: Third free practice
    17:00 – 18:00: Qualifying
    18h00: FIA post qualifying press conference

    Sunday 13 November
    17:00 – 19:00: Abu Dhabi GP
    19:00: FIA post race press conference

    Abu Dhabi GP Info
    No of Laps: 55
    Circuit length: 5.554 km
    Lap Record: 1:40.279
    2010 Winner: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

  • Khushlani disappointed; Auer sizzles despite a last-lap drama

    Greater Noida (Near New Delhi, 30 Oct 2011 (By Sanjay Rajan/JK Release):- India’s Akhil Khushlani was a little disappointed at not being able to reach the goal he set for himself in the JK Racing Asia Series, being run as a support race to the inaugural Indian Formula One Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit on Sunday.

    A total of 20 drivers from around the world are part of the JK Racing Asia Series, formerly known as Formula BMW Pacific, held over the weekend. Khushlani, along with six other Indian nationals took part as guest drivers in the series and at least two of them stood out with great performance.

    “It was pretty decent. I had good racing this weekend but we were looking forward to a podium actually. But at the end, the experience is more important and I would say it went well overall,” said Khushlani, who finished ninth. “The competition is quite tough, but we could have done a lot better. It was just bad luck,” he added.

    Race 14 of the JK Racing Asia Series was eventually won by Austrian Lucas Auer, taking his second consecutive race uncontested from pole here in India over the weekend. Auer led the charge all the way from the start, pulling a gap and setting the fastest lap of the day.

    “It was a very good race. I had a good pace today. Immediately at the first lap, I could push, held it and managed to make good times and could hold it till the end,” the Austrian said.

    “For me it was just a perfect race because I could drive consistent quick laps,” said Auer during the post race press conference.

    After a great start, taking second from Lorenzo Camplese, Malaysian Afiq Ikhwan pushed ahead trying to catch up with Auer. Despite all his efforts, the Meritus.GP driver was unable to do so and finished second place.

    “For me it was not a really good weekend. I had a crash in the first race (on Saturday) and it was unlucky,” Ikhwan said. “Then this race, the car was not really on pace. I couldn’t get a feel for the car yesterday so today I just kept defending my line and kept my time consistent. The race is still on for the next round,” concluded Ikhwan.

    Malaysian Nabil Jeffri and Italian Lorenzo Camplese were battling for third for most part of the race and had a last turn incident where Jeffri got too close to Camplese as they made a dash for the finish line. They touched, allowing fifth placed runner, Irfan Ilyas to sneak past them for third.

    “It was a really tough race for me. On the first lap, I dropped down to sixth or seventh then eventually I overtook one by one. I see that Nabil and Lorenzo has pulled a gap from me,” Ilyas said.

    “Towards the end, my team told me ‘Irfan, you are on pace, don’t give up’ and then on the last three laps my team said ‘Irfan keep on pushing, you can get podium’. That’s why I kept on pushing and on the last turn when Nabil and Lorenzo had a fight, I managed to sneak in through,” Ilyas said with a smile.

    India’s Vishnu Prasad put in a stellar performance during the race, but was unable to reach his goal of a top seven. His tenth position was good enough to make his Meco’s Ministry of Speed team happy and Prasad was grateful for the experience.

    “Tiring race. My main aim was to finish in the top eight but I couldn’t achieve that, I think I finished tenth,” Prasad said. “Definitely the pace was there, I could find another two seconds but I was one second off the leader’s pace, but a personal best for me.

    “I hope I can do the November round as well and to be there in the top five,” he added.

    Series driver, Raj Bharath of India, did not have a good outing and was a little disappointed with the outcome. He was confident that he will be able to do better in the next four rounds, as he will have better knowledge of the circuit then.

    Sarosh Hataria, Rahil Noorani, Sandeep Kumar, Mohit Ahuja and Shashank Ravishankar completed the finishers for the day in sixteenth to twentieth respectively.

    The JK Racing Asia Series will return to India next month for the final four races to be held from November 25 to 27.

    JK Tyre & Industries, the leading tyre manufacturer in India, is the title partner for the JK Racing Asia Series. The Series is also supported by AirAsia, Asia’s leading low-cost carrier.

    The JK Racing Asia Series is currently the only Junior Formula that provides a unique opportunity where the drivers are given a platform to compete in front of the Formula One fraternity. On three occasions the JK Racing Asia Series will support Formula One Grand Prix, in Malaysia, Singapore and the newly built circuit in India.

    Results: Race 14 (10 laps, 50.99 km): 1. Lucas Auer (Austria, Eurointernational), 20:10.176; 2. Afiq Ikhwan Yazid (Malaysia, Meritus GP) 20:19.426;  3. Irfan Ilyas (Malaysia, Petronas Mofaz Racing) 20:29.120; 4. Lorenzo Camplese (Italy, Eurointernational) 20:29.216; 5. Nabil Jeffri (Malaysia, Petronas Mofaz Racing) 20:29.469; 6. Duvashen Padayachee (Australia, Eurasia Motorsport) 20:32.984.

    About JK Tyre Motorsports

    JK Tyre & Industries Ltd is synonymous with motorsports in India. It has actively promoted motorsport for more than three decades. From sponsoring drivers for rallies and races to developing infrastructure, from making motorsport an affordable sport to supporting international events, JK Tyre has been in the forefront of the campaign to make motorsport a more affordable sport for Indians. It has invested hugely towards infrastructure alone, making India the motorsport hub of Asia. In its largest motorsporting endeavour, JK Tyre has acquired ‘Formula BMW Asia Pacific’ and rebranded it as ‘JK Racing Asia Series’, and the cars taking part are christened as ‘Formula JK Tyre Pacific’.

     

     

     

  • Adrian gets valuable points in 9th place, Paul misses again

    2011 Indian Grand Prix Race Report – 30 October
     Sahara Force India finished in the points in the team’s home race as Adrian Sutil raced hard to a well-earned ninth place finish. Team-mate Paul Di Resta tried an aggressive strategy and came home in P13.
    P9 Adrian Sutil, VJM04/04
    Tyre strategy: Used soft, new soft, new hard
    Adrian: “It was quite a good race and I think we can be happy with the two points today. In the early laps I struggled with the rear of the car, with a bit of oversteer, and could not hold off the Toro Rossos who were a bit quicker today. But in the second and third stint the car balance improved and I was able to keep the Sauber [Perez] behind me in the closing laps. We were also fortunate that Buemi retired, which gave me another position. I think ninth was probably the maximum today and I hope Vijay will have a smile on his face tonight.”
    P13 Paul Di Resta, VJM04/02
    Tyre strategy: New hard, used soft, used soft, new soft.
    Paul: “We went for a fairly aggressive strategy today – starting on the hard tyre – and it was always the plan to come in early with the hope of a safety car. It was a gamble to get rid of the hard tyre early on, and if it had worked we would have gained a pit stop and done the race on three sets of softs, which was the quickest way. We had to do three stops because of the tyre wear, which was quite high to begin with, but got better later in the race. It’s good that Adrian has picked up a couple of points, which are valuable for the championship, and that was the reason why we split the strategies.”
    Dr. Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director
    “Today’s Indian Grand Prix was a great event and I hope that all the fans enjoyed the day as much as I did. We targeted points and that’s exactly what we delivered with Adrian’s excellent drive to ninth. As for Paul, he performed well, but we went very aggressive with the strategy to cover the chance of a safety car. In the end it didn’t work out, but we needed to cover our bases. These two points are important for our championship battle and I’m delighted that Sahara Force India will go down in the record books for scoring points in the inaugural Indian Grand Prix.”
    “Regarding my decision about the 2012 drivers, I have said this week that I will give an answer to the drivers before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. I already have three excellent drivers, who are all in the running, and the decision ahead will not be an easy one.”
    end/Credit: Force India Release

  • Sutil in strong 8th place for Force; Narain 22nd for HRT

    Greater Noida (Near New Delhi), 29 Oct 2011:

    Sahara Force India delivered a strong performance at Buddh International Circuit today as Adrian Sutil qualified in eighth place for Sunday’s Inaugural Airtel Grand Prix of India, the 17th Formula One race of the 2011 season. Force’s second driver Paul Di Resta will start from P12 onn the grid. Abu Dhabi and Brazil will be the last two races in the season.

    Meanwhile, the only Indian on the grid at the Airtel Indian GP, Narain Karthikeyan came out with his best for the home race to avoid the wooden spoon. He however, qualified, behind his Hispania teammate at P 22. Narain Karthikeyan (22nd, Q1 – 1m 30.238s) said: “We got the potential out of the car and beat both of the Virgins and I am proud of it. I was up on my teammate but made a small mistake. Nevertheless, I’m very happy with the way I drove and the position I achieved. I think this was the maximum that we could get and the team did a fantastic job to get us ahead of Virgin. It’s a fantastic sensation racing in front of my home crowd and for tomorrow I am aiming to finish in the best position possible.”  (HRT  Release)

    P8  Adrian Sutil (VJM04/04)

    Q1: 1:26.271
    Q2  1:26.140
    Q3: No time

    Adrian: “We’ve been saying all week that this is a special race for us so I’m very happy with today’s qualifying performance. We are so determined to do well here and today’s result is the first step towards that. P8 is one of my best qualifying results of the season and I think it was the maximum we could achieve from the session. The balance of the car was excellent and I really enjoy this circuit, which seems to suit my driving style. But tomorrow is the important day and now we have to think hard about the strategy we will run. I feel very comfortable with the car and I think we will be more competitive than we were in Korea.”

    P13* Paul Di Resta (VJM04/02)

    Q1: 1:26.864
    Q2: 1:26.503

    Paul: “Starting P12 is a bit disappointing really, because we looked quite strong this morning. But I struggled with a bit of understeer in the high-speed corners and we couldn’t fix it during the session. I think the conditions cooled a little bit, which maybe didn’t help us because I couldn’t get the balance quite where I wanted it. I feel that points are still achievable tomorrow and we seem quite strong on the longer runs. There’s a hard task ahead, but I will stay focussed and try to do the best job possible in the team’s home race.”will start from P12 following grid penalities.

    Dr. Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director
    “Another excellent day of track action at Buddh International Circuit and I’m delighted to see a Sahara Force India starting the very first Indian Grand Prix from the fourth row of the grid. The whole team has worked very hard to bring our final upgrade package here this weekend and I think that showed in our performance today. Adrian clearly loves this circuit and was on top form this afternoon. Paul has also been very strong, but unfortunately he lost the sweet spot he had with the car this morning and missed out on making Q3. Still, we know we have a strong car for tomorrow and I’m hopeful both drivers can be in the hunt for points. It’s our home race and I hope all the fans will get behind Sahara Force India in what will be a spetacular and historic moment for India.”

    Credit: Sahara Force India Release

     


  • Karun creates history by driving first F1 car on a timed lap at Buddh Circuit

    New Delhi: 28 Oct 2011:  (Team Lotus Release) Karun Chandhok, Car 20
    -Chassis T128-01: “It felt great to finally be able to drive an F1 car
     here at the Buddh International Circuit, and it was a real honour to
    be the first car to set a timed lap in front of the fans. I want to
    thank the team for giving me that chance, and everyone at the Jaypee
    Group and all the people involved in helping create the first ever
    Indian Grand Prix for doing such a great job on the whole event.

In the car I was pretty pleased with how it went today. We completed
    most of the morning programme and without the yellow flags at the end
     of the session I’m pretty sure there was another second in hand on
    my final lap time. The track itself is really enjoyable to drive,
    particularly the middle section which is very quick, and as it evolves
    and the times keep coming down I think we’ll see some very good racing
    here all weekend.” Heikki Kovalainen, Car 20 -Chassis T128-01: “I’m
    reasonably pleased with how it went this afternoon but think I suffered
    a bit from not running this morning. Still, you have to deal with what
    you have in front of you so we worked hard in the afternoon session to
    get used to the track and find a balance that gave me the confidence to
    push. There’s definitely quite a lot more to come from the car and as the
    track evolves I think we’ll see that the fact we’re pretty kind to the
    soft tyres should help us, probably more on Sunday than tomorrow, but we’ll
    see.” Jarno Trulli, Car 21 - Chassis T128-03: “That was a very smooth Friday
    and we made good progress in both sessions, both on learning the track
    and on the best setup here in India. The track is not too hard to learn
    but it’s interesting – there are a few different lines you can take and
    I think that will encourage overtaking, so Sunday’s definitely going to
    be fun. The track surface developed quickly today and I hope it continues
    to do so – off line it’s still very dusty and that could catch out a few
    people, so let’s see how it evolves over the weekend. On the tyre side I
    think we’ve seen some interesting results today. The softs seem to hang on
    very well over the long runs but the hard tyres have almost no grip and
    it seems pretty tough to get them up to temperature. We’ll have to see if
    that’s the same tomorrow as it could change as the track keeps developing.”
    Thierry Salvi, Renault Sport F1 Support Leader: “This was obviously our first
    time running here in India so the first task was to take a look at how the gear
    ratios we had run on the dyno worked when we were actually on track. It looks
    like we have made the right choices as we hit our targets around the whole
    track, particularly on the full throttle ratio which plays an important role around
    this type of circuit, which is pretty similar to Korea.” Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical
    Officer: “An excellent first day here in India for us. We were able to complete a very
    decent number of laps on both cars and completed the whole program we had set for all
    three drivers today. This morning Karun was the first car out to set a timed lap here
    and that was obviously a special moment for him, but he focused on the job he had to do
    and worked through the aero program we had set him. This afternoon we worked on tyre
    evaluation and we made good progress on a track that looks to be very exciting for the
    drivers and fans,and a good challenge for the engineers, so from our perspective this
    has been a very good day.” Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: “I am delighted to see the
    Indian Grand Prix get under way in such a good style, both for the Indian fans and the
    team that put the race together, and for our team who have had a very good Friday on
    track. It started with an historic moment for Karun as he became the first driver ever
    to record a timed lap in an F1 car at the Indian Grand Prix, and I am very pleased for
    him that he finished the session as the fastest Indian driver out there, having
    completed his program and putting in another strong performance. This afternoon both
    Jarno and Heikki were also very strong, Jarno finishing FP1 a couple of tenths away
    from the cars ahead and in the afternoon session both drivers looking strong on heavy
    fuel on both tyre compounds, which bodes well for the race. We are finishing the
    season extremely well, both in terms of reliability and performance, and I think that
    gives us good cause for optimism for the last three races this year,and looking ahead
    to 2012.”
    Ends

  • Arjun Maini, Tarun Reddy, Jehan Daruvala win the `1 from a Billion Hunt’

    Delhi, 28 Oct 2011: After hosting the regional rounds of the `One From A Billion’ Hunt spanning seven cities, the Sahara Force India Formula One Team Academy has finally chosen the three winners from thousands of applicants during the final round of the Hunt recently held at Silverstone.

     

    Arjun Maini (14 year old) from Bangalore was chosen as the winner of the Sahara Force India Formula One Team Academy’s One From A Billion Hunt. The first runner up was Tarun Reddy (14) from Chennai with the second runner up being Jehan Daruvala (13) from Mumbai. While Arjun Maini and Tarun Reddy qualified from the Bangalore and Chennai regional rounds of the One From A Billion Hunt, Jehan Daruvala qualified through the Wild Card Entry Round that was held in Hyderabad.

    At the end of the intensive hands-on week, an expert panel consisting of Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal, Sahara Force India Formula One, Eddie Jordan, F1 Expert and Commentator of BBC, Anthony Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg, Test and reserve driver, Sahara Force India Team, evaluated and picked the three winners on the basis of a holistic assessment of their multiple capabilities and proficiency in requisite areas.

    The winners were chosen from the ten national finalists selected during the National Finals held in Goa. The ten finalists went on to do a week-long intensive stint at Silverstone, UK comprising sessions of driver tuition on Dmax Karts, a day at the Porsche Human Performance Centre to assess and develop fitness for motorsports and media training with Goodman Media. The ten selected drivers completed their Silverstone experience with a race in Senior Dmax karts at the Daytona Kart Circuit, Milton Keynes.

    “The top three were very close in the race for the championship and I have decided that all three would be sent to Europe for a comprehensive Driver Development Programme. The decision to be taken in consultation with their parents will ensure their education, lodging and training by Sahara Force India.” added Dr. Mallya.

    Arjun Maini, Tarun Reddy and Jehan Daravala, will receive a fully funded European based driver development programme preparing them to become Formula One drivers. They will commence their journey to becoming a Formula 1 driver with a go-karting programme in Europe. They will then advance to appropriate single-seater formula series before progressing to GP3 and GP2 and then F1.

    Bollywood connection

    The Sahara Force India Formula One Team, hosted a very special guest at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix. Present at the Sahara Force India Formula One Team garage and showing his support for the team was none other than Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan. Present along with Mr. Khan was

    Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director, and Subrata Roy Sahara, Chairman of Sahara Force India Formula One Team

    (Note: Retrieved from old website articles in Oct 2019)

  • I want to savour every moment: Vijay Mallya

    I want to savour every moment: Vijay Mallya

    File photo of Paul Di Resta during the Korean GP on 16 October 2011. Courtesy: Sahara Force India.

    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.

  • Big disappointment for Karun as Lotus aims for 10th

    Big disappointment for Karun as Lotus aims for 10th

    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.

  • Sahara India Pariwar announces co-ownership of the Force India Formula One Team with Dr. Vijay Mallya

    New Delhi, October 12, 2011: Sahara India Pariwar, a leading promoter and patron of sports in India, today announced an equity investment in the Force India Formula One Team, India’s only F1 team.  Subsequent to subscribing to new shares, Sahara India Pariwar will be investing approximately USD 100 mn into the Force India Formula One Team. With this investment both the Sahara India Pariwar and Dr. Mallya will own 42.5% each in the team. The Mol family’s equity will be at 15%. The new logo of the Sahara Force India F1 Team, as the team will now be called, was jointly unveiled today by Saharasri Subrata Roy Sahara and Dr. Vijay Mallya, at a press conference in New Delhi. 

    Sahara’s joint partnership with the Force India F1 Team will provide an opportunity for the team to further invest in cutting edge technology to improve performance and achieve new heights.
    On this occasion ‘Saharasri’ Subrata Roy Sahara, Managing Worker and Chairman, Sahara India Pariwar said, “India is reaching new heights in all spheres, including sports. Formula One car racing has always remained a bastion of the western world. The advent of India in this exciting sport has remained a matter of pride for all our countrymen. I feel doubly proud that Sahara is the co-owner of India’s only F1 team and I am sure that through the Sahara Force India F1 Team, we will together bring pride and laurels to our beloved nation.”
    The investment could not have come at a more opportune time as India looks forward to hosting the inaugural Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida and as millions of fans gear up to witness their Formula One dreams come alive in India.
    Shri Subrata Roy conveys his high appreciation and heartfelt thanks to Dr. Mallya for including India in the prestigious Formula One circuit and for guiding Force India to its current position of sixth in the Formula One world championship.
    Speaking about the partnership with the Sahara Group, Dr. Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director of the Force India Formula One Team said, “I am delighted to welcome Saharasri Subrata Roy Sahara as Chairman of Sahara Force India. It has indeed been a matter of pride for me to put India on the F1 map with Force India and raise the performance of the team to its current levels. The Sahara Group has played a very important role in the development of sport in the country and is an ideal partner to take the Force India F1 Team to greater success in the Formula One World Championship”.