Indian Grand Prix track homologation on Sept. 1

[1]

The countdown has begun for the Indian Grand Prix with just under 90 days to go for the inaugural Formula One race at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida on October 30.

The Jaypee Group track, which is taking its final shape with thousands of construction workers burning the midnight oil, will be homologated by the FIA technical delegates on September 1.

“We have been sending reports to the FIA on fortnightly basis and they are completely satisfied with the progress,” said Vicky Chandhok, president of the Federation of Motorsports Clubs in India.

“Actually the final inspection was scheduled for the first week of August and the track was ready for it. But FIA’s technical director Charlie Whiting confirmed that he will be coming to New Delhi only on August 31.”

While garages, pit buildings, grand stand, hospitality area and media centre were completed on schedule, the final layer of the tarmac, known as weathering course, will only be laid in mid September.

“The basic track is ready with kerbs and tecpro barriers in place. The FIA-appointed German consultants who are camped at the track advised the promoters to lay the final layer some 45 days before the event. After that, as a dry run, a round of the JK Tyre National Racing Championship will be held to check the operation of the track,” Chandhok added.

Chandhok said the complete facility at the Jaypee Sports Village with all the luxury areas will be ready only by next year. “The fifth storey of the hospitality and an exclusive restaurant for the media will be completed later,” he said.

Meanwhile, reports suggest that Indian GP could be advanced to the first half of the 2012 season in April as the FIA is mulling a major reshuffle in the calendar to give more time to the Bahrain GP organisers.

Bahrain, which was cancelled this year due to unrest in the country, is set for the second half with Australian GP taking its place as season-opener. Malaysia, China and India are likely to be the first set of flyaway races before the European season.