Track changes add to thrill of Indian GP

Greater Noida - Fans attending the Oct 26-28 Indian Grand Prix will see a handful of track changes at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) including at the ‘famous’ turn 8 which caused Felipe Massa‘s accident during the inaugural edition.

The length of the kerbs at turn 6, 7, 8 and 9 have been increased from 5 to 15 metres, leaving little room for the drivers to take short cuts to get back on the racing line. The tweaking has given a “sausage” look to the kerbs, all of which stand at 25mm.

“We made changes to the kerbs after the recommendations of the FIA. The track is completely ready for the racing weekend. It should be a more exciting race than last year with the championship wide open,” said Farhan Vora, in charge of the race operations.

The run-off area at turn 10 and 11 of the 5.12 track has been extended by a metre with the gravel replacing the astro-turf.

Efforts have also been made to ensure greener surroundings at BIC where dust was a major concern last time. An estimated one lakh saplings have been planted around the facility, which looks a lot prettier now.

For ensuring a dust-free track, Vohra said: “We have hired special mechanised dusters from Bahrain and these will start working after Oct 15 to clean up the dust particles from all over the track.”

The needs of the spectators has also been kept in mind by Jaypee Group, the promoters of the race.

The main hassle for the fans was reaching BIC. But the organisers promise a smooth ride for the commuters this time around.

The car parking facility at BIC has been increased from 15,000 to 21,000 besides space for 1,000 two-wheelers.

More than 200 chartered buses from Noida City Centre Metro station will be available as a Park and Ride facility.

Access will be provided to Delhi-NCR Radio cabs to enter the circuit with a dedicated parking area and the shuttles, like last year, will be in service to drop spectators at entry gates.