The weather conditions for the first Indian Grand Prix look set to be ideal.
Regional temperatures tend to peak around May and are in decline through October. The conditions forecast are typical for this time of year: three hot and sunny days are expected with air temperatures consistently reaching around 30C.
Of greater concern to teams will be the considerable amount of dust at the track. This is not unusual for a new circuit because of the large amounts of construction work involved.
It should improve over the course of the weekend as drivers complete more laps of the circuit. But the surface is likely to remain treacherous and slippery off-line.
This will be a challenge for the engines as well as the drivers, as Cosworth senior engineer David Lamb explains: “Dirt ingress is prevented via the air filter, which Cosworth will inspect regularly during Friday’s running.
“If this becomes blocked, engine power reduces as a result. As with nearly all aspects of engineering, filter design is a compromise. The thinner the filter, the less the blockage and the better the engine performance. However, go too thin and dirt will pass into the engine which will have similar, if not worse, results.”
Location of Buddh International Circuit
Buddh International Circuit, which is being used for the first time this year, lies around 50km south-east of India’s capital New Delhi:
2011 Indian Grand Prix
Image © Renault/LAT
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
27th October 2011, 12:48
How close is Dhaka the capital of Bangladesh is on the map! I can feel the essence of F1,so near yet so far.
BasCB (@bascb)
27th October 2011, 21:44
LOL, I feel for you Wasif!
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
28th October 2011, 3:13
@BasCB Don’t laugh mate, I am going through a lot of pain these days.:(
BasCB (@bascb)
28th October 2011, 7:41
Sorry, was not meant to upset you there @wasif
BBT (@bbt)
27th October 2011, 18:01
I nearly posted the other day, expect to hear about the dust.
BasCB (@bascb)
27th October 2011, 21:46
Lovely picture that!
Fixy (@)
28th October 2011, 14:54
I wonder how long the car had been there!
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
27th October 2011, 21:58
The bit about the dust and air-intake reminds me of the WRC rounds that take place high-up above sea level. It really affects them so high up where the air is thin.