2013 Indian GP - Buddh

[iotar__]

The prices were dropped significantly, with general admission close to US$25 on raceday...pretty decent track,located close to airports and the capital city, I am sure we wont see Korea and India post 2014...

Happens, local driver participating would help probably, F1 is overall too expensive, I read that local government is covering Spa losses despite all discounts for Euro classic.

It's normal rather high speed and wide F1 track, I didn't remember it and and had to re-scroll last race. Track is not the biggest problem and you can overtake there in the usual place - big straight as Gorsjean did against Maldonado/Rosberg. Alonso had one too but it was early in the race and dismissed as result of gear ratios, pity this gear ratio is not used to explain qualifying, it's always in one direction about Alonso for some .

[oT v1]

Can anyone remember how strong the lotus's were last year? It's nice to see a battle in the WCC at least, I hope Merc can topple the big rouge one and Lotus can apply some pressure.

[Blackout]

Can anyone remember how strong the lotus's were last year? It's nice to see a battle in the WCC at least, I hope Merc can topple the big rouge one and Lotus can apply some pressure.

The E20 were not very strong in India last year because of the newly adopted coanda exhausts. they lacked power and were difficult to set up. The E21 is much stronger than the E20 in every area (fast corners, slow corners etc) only top speed didnt increase much compared to the coanda version of the E20.
Medium and soft specs of the Pirelli schould help the E21s a lot.

[dren]

I hope Mercedes puts in a proper performance this race. It should be a Red Bull 1-2 again, though.

[SectorOne]

For Quali it will probably be a Red Bull - Mercedes - Lotus - Ferrari lockout.
And the race Lotus and Mercedes switch places possibly.

[iotar__]

Maybe if it's very hot (30 degrees now) it can be something similar to Germany/Hungary. Degradation is probably not high enough and Red Bull is faster now.

[SiLo]

I'm not even sure why I'm posting, I've basically given up until 2014...
But Vettel win, possibly pole.

[dren]

Narain Karthikeyan will sit in for Mark Webber and whoop Vettel's ass, until team orders come into play and force Narain to pull aside and wait for a lap so Vettel can pass him for the lead.

[godlameroso]

Last year they brought the soft and medium compounds, this year with the softs and mediums they're essentially using the softs and super softs of last year. At least we'll see some sort of qualifying record here. As for the race, the nature of the circuit means that a three stopper will be the best strategy, that way they can push with the tires. The softs will never make it more than 8 or 9 laps, at least pushing at the start, maybe they can go 15 on low fuel. While the mediums will be good for about 15 but teams will have to stretch them out at the end. The Pit delta is about average so about 20-24 seconds.

In any case it seems that Red Bull will destroy everyone here, particularly in the third sector, as that is where they have always been strongest. Last year Vettel could pull half second gaps at will in sector 3 alone, and now that they don't have any problem with the high speed stuff of sector one it'll be no problem for them at all. Sector 2 is the most interesting to me personally. It's more about accuracy than anything else, the hardest part is judging the proper entry speed for it because the whole sector is one long continuous dance.

[Jonnycraig]

Expectations:

Vettel pole & win
The Ricciardo railway to reach 11 carriages

[FW17]

only 20k tickets sold

[raymondu999]

As for the race, the nature of the circuit means that a three stopper will be the best strategy, that way they can push with the tires. The softs will never make it more than 8 or 9 laps, at least pushing at the start, maybe they can go 15 on low fuel. While the mediums will be good for about 15 but teams will have to stretch them out at the end. The Pit delta is about average so about 20-24 seconds.

Eh? A 3-stopper for a race that was a comfortable 1-stop the year before?

[Hail22]

only 20k tickets sold

Could that be proof that fans disapprove Bernie Ecclestones decision to remove the race for 2014?

Or that F1 racing has become a Pirelli / Bull procession?

[Diff-user]

only 20k tickets sold

Could that be proof that fans disapprove Bernie Ecclestones decision to remove the race for 2014?

Or that F1 racing has become a Pirelli / Bull procession?

If anything the fact that there will be no race in 2014 should have pushed more people into buying this year's ticket. In India, motorsports isn't be as popular as say cricket or soccer. The 20k you hear of are pretty much most of the motorsports enthusiasts in the country willing to spend a weekend watching these cars race.

The thought that there might not be another F1 race in the subcontinent might push a few thousand more to buy the tickets may be. But thats pretty much it. I feel bad on losing my home grand prix, but then that's bernie's show biz.

[godlameroso]

The worst part is that a state of the art track will be basically abandoned. Think of all the good that could have been done with that money.