Strewn construction waste, heaps of trash, minimal workforce, coarse sand, dug-up areas... concrete and huge pipes lying unattended.
All like an echo from a haunted history -- self-explanatory a sorry tale of unpreparedness for an event which is supposed to bring international glory to the country, but whose shoddy and slothful
preparations now could turn out to be an embarrassment for the nation.
Though the countdown to the start of Indian Grand Prix at Buddh International Circuit has already begun, work outside the circuit is still far from being over.
Construction of roads leading to the venue is way behind schedule and the delays are causing anxiety among officials concerned and the locals, who do not want the image of the grand spectacle to take a beating.
The inaugural Indian Formula 1 race will take place at the Buddh International Circuit being built by Jaypee Group at an estimated cost of approximately 215 million dollar.
The mega sports spectacle will scripts a new chapter in the history of Indian motor Sports.
The circuit is roughly 5.14 kilometres and was designed by F1 circuit designer Hermann Tilke. The track is spread in an area of 875 acres.
It was a moment of whoops of delight for all the motor-sport enthusiasts in the country when it was announced in 2009 that India will host its Formula 1 race in 2011.
Since then, everybody has been awaiting the day when these Formula 1 cars blast past them. But with just few days remaining for the gala event to begin, the air has been thick with apprehensions regarding the completion of the work in time.
The scene outside the circuit may relate a different picture, but the FIA, the governing body of world motor sport, recently expressed satisfaction with the most construction work at the
circuit.
An FIA statement reads: "The WMSC received positive reports on the on-going situation in the preparation of the Indian Grand Prix from the Indian representative of the WMSC and the Formula One Commercial Rights Holder (Bernie Ecclestone)."
The event is to witness the participation of big names of the sports as well as foreigners, who will come flocking to the National Capital Region before it starts.
Three nearby hotels report almost 100 per cent occupancy at the time of the event and expecting to laugh all the way to the bank. India is expecting to rake in a huge amount of foreign exchange
during the extravaganza.
Defending champion Sebastian Vettel, who in all probability, will be crowned double world champion by then, there will a bunch of former winners that include: Fernando Alonso (2005, 06 champion), Jenson Button (2009 champion), Lewis Hamilton (2008 champion) and of
course seven time world champion Michael Schumacher whose presence is sure to be felt even though he is not the force that he once was.
Top all that up with the fact that there will be a couple of Indian drivers in Narain Karthikeyan (Hispania) and Karun Chandhok (Lotus) and an Indian Formula One outfit in Force India; one wonders whether there could have been a better setting for a maiden Grand Prix in a calendar year.
There is still no confirmation about the fact that Chandhok will race for Team Lotus since he has raced for them just once this season when he replaced regular driver Jarno Trulli for the German
GP; Chandhok, however, has not raced for them since then even though team principal Tony Fernandes has said he would like the Indian to participate in his home race.
Apart from anything else, the Indian GP will be more of an educational experience for racing enthusiasts in the country and if anything more comes out of it then it should be treated as nothing
more than a welcome bonus.
All like an echo from a haunted history -- self-explanatory a sorry tale of unpreparedness for an event which is supposed to bring international glory to the country, but whose shoddy and slothful
preparations now could turn out to be an embarrassment for the nation.
Though the countdown to the start of Indian Grand Prix at Buddh International Circuit has already begun, work outside the circuit is still far from being over.
Construction of roads leading to the venue is way behind schedule and the delays are causing anxiety among officials concerned and the locals, who do not want the image of the grand spectacle to take a beating.
The inaugural Indian Formula 1 race will take place at the Buddh International Circuit being built by Jaypee Group at an estimated cost of approximately 215 million dollar.
The mega sports spectacle will scripts a new chapter in the history of Indian motor Sports.
The circuit is roughly 5.14 kilometres and was designed by F1 circuit designer Hermann Tilke. The track is spread in an area of 875 acres.
It was a moment of whoops of delight for all the motor-sport enthusiasts in the country when it was announced in 2009 that India will host its Formula 1 race in 2011.
Since then, everybody has been awaiting the day when these Formula 1 cars blast past them. But with just few days remaining for the gala event to begin, the air has been thick with apprehensions regarding the completion of the work in time.
The scene outside the circuit may relate a different picture, but the FIA, the governing body of world motor sport, recently expressed satisfaction with the most construction work at the
circuit.
An FIA statement reads: "The WMSC received positive reports on the on-going situation in the preparation of the Indian Grand Prix from the Indian representative of the WMSC and the Formula One Commercial Rights Holder (Bernie Ecclestone)."
The event is to witness the participation of big names of the sports as well as foreigners, who will come flocking to the National Capital Region before it starts.
Three nearby hotels report almost 100 per cent occupancy at the time of the event and expecting to laugh all the way to the bank. India is expecting to rake in a huge amount of foreign exchange
during the extravaganza.
Defending champion Sebastian Vettel, who in all probability, will be crowned double world champion by then, there will a bunch of former winners that include: Fernando Alonso (2005, 06 champion), Jenson Button (2009 champion), Lewis Hamilton (2008 champion) and of
course seven time world champion Michael Schumacher whose presence is sure to be felt even though he is not the force that he once was.
Top all that up with the fact that there will be a couple of Indian drivers in Narain Karthikeyan (Hispania) and Karun Chandhok (Lotus) and an Indian Formula One outfit in Force India; one wonders whether there could have been a better setting for a maiden Grand Prix in a calendar year.
There is still no confirmation about the fact that Chandhok will race for Team Lotus since he has raced for them just once this season when he replaced regular driver Jarno Trulli for the German
GP; Chandhok, however, has not raced for them since then even though team principal Tony Fernandes has said he would like the Indian to participate in his home race.
Apart from anything else, the Indian GP will be more of an educational experience for racing enthusiasts in the country and if anything more comes out of it then it should be treated as nothing
more than a welcome bonus.
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