India has pulled up its socks to foray into the league of popular hosts, by setting the stage to welcome the celebrated car race event, Formula One that would be flagged-off on 28th October 2011. The country's first Formula One track was unveiled on 18th October. With the Buddh International Circuit, India will make its debut attempt to host high profile and expensive races such as Formula One.
The large-scale project covering a vast area of 875 acres, has been built at an approximate cost of $10 billion or $215 million. The track has a length of 5.14 kilometres or 3.19 miles with a width of around 18 metres to 20 metres.
The name of the event has been inspired by the embodiment of peace, Buddha. In addition, the Buddh International Circuit also credited the place at which it has been constructed, the Gautam Budh Nagar District, through its name.
"I've driven on the track here in Greater Noida and I believe it is one of the best tracks in the world. One of the unique features of the track is 14m elevation which is hardly seen anywhere else in the world," Karthikeyan said on Monday.
According to reports, the track is expected to be the second fastest, used in the Formula One history, with celebrated names of car races estimating the fastest lap to be under 1 minute and 27 seconds and the average speeds exceeding 210 kmph. The track has been designed by Hermann Tilke, a German engineer and auto racer, who is known for designing numerous Formula One motor racing circuits.
The Buddh International circuit is part of the larger Jaypee Greens Sports City that will also comprise a 1,00,000 seating capacity cricket stadium, 18-hole golf course, 25,000 seating capacity hockey stadium and a sports academy. The first look of the circuit was unveiled to media persons on 18th October.
“The CWG experience was really shameful. We at the JPSI took the F1 track as a challenge and its success will be a fitting statement to the world. We are aware of the fact that India can't afford another debacle," Jaypee Group Founder Jai Prakash Gaur told the media.
"A total cargo of about 600 tonnes is supposed to come in. About 70 containers have already reached the track from Yeongam (South Korea) without any hitch and are safely in the team garages," Gaur informed.
