2013 Indian Grand Prix Preview

Round 16 of the 2013 Formula 1 season will take place in India, at the Buddh International Circuit. 

(c) Getty Images

Sebastian Vettel could take his fourth consecutive title this weekend. All he needs is a fifth place finish. He is dominating the sport at the moment after taking his fifth win in a row at the last race in Japan - only five other drivers have achieved that run of success.

F1 heads from one of the oldest venues on the calendar, Suzuka, to one of the newest this weekend. The Hermann Tilke designed circuit debuted in 2011 and its first race was seen to be a roaring success. However, attendance figures fell at last year's race and they don't look to be getting any better for 2013.

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Drivers enjoy the challenging layout which contains an 8.2 second double-apex right-hander and a number of high-speed bends. It also provides plenty of overtaking with unusually wide corner entries at turn three and four, in order to encourage different lines to be taken.

However, the Indian round will be absent from the 2014 calendar and its future looks to be in doubt. With organisers and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone keen to move the race to an early season date in 2015, it didn't make sense to host an October round next year.

Vettel has dominated the race weekends since its debut two years ago. He has won both races and has led every single one of the 120 laps completed so far at the tricky circuit. Could he continue that incredible run? Let's wait and see...

Like Korea, the circuit has three very distinct sectors. The first is full of big stops and long straights before drivers head into the second sector, which is full of medium and high-speed corners. The final turn is a mix of fast direction changes and slow hairpins.

A lap of the 3.192 mile circuit starts on the medium length start/finish straight. The pit lane exit is to the right and feeds on to the track just before turn one. The first corner is a third gear right-hander that is a strong overtaking opportunity due to the heavy braking zone.

Turn two is a flat-out left that leads on to the tight, second gear right-hand hairpin that leads on to the long second straight. This is where the first of two DRS zones are positioned – the other being on the pit straight. Cars reach up to 195mph on the back straight before funneling in to the second gear right that is turn four.

(c) Sahara Force India F1 Team

The entries to the third and fourth corners are very wide which opens up a number of different lines. The fourth turn – a fourth gear right taken at 62mph - is another strong overtaking possibility due to the heavy braking zone. A good exit is vital for the run on to the following straight - where the second sector begins - that leads to the fifth gear turn five.

Turn six and seven make up a left-right chicane that is tricky to get right. Both apexes are taken in fourth gear before a short burst of speed that leads to another high-speed chicane – this time a right-left taken in fifth gear.  

Turn 10 is a long fourth gear hairpin and is regarded as the most challenging corner on the track. Cars spend 8.2 seconds corning the double apex of turn 10 and 11 – speed builds up through the right-hander before tightening on the exit and through the fast kink of turn 12. After the challenge of the second sector, the third sector begins with a fast fourth gear left that heads uphill. Turn 14 is taken in fifth gear before a short straight.

Turn 15 is a downhill right-hand hairpin taken in third gear and is the penultimate corner on the circuit. The final turn is a second gear left-hand hairpin that heads on to the pit straight. A good exit from this corner is crucial, particularly with the second DRS zone being positioned on the pit straight. The pit lane entry is to the right and runs through the run-off area.

(c) Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

The track is a tough one to master on one lap and has requires a good rhythm, particularly the flowing middle sector that gives drivers very little time to recover.

However, unlike the last race in Japan, the track is very forgiving with plenty of tarmac run-off areas.

The circuit has a non-abrasive track surface which helps lower tyre wear and degradation, despite the high-speed corners. This makes it difficult to get temperature into the tyres. 

The track is definite Red Bull territory and it would take a miracle for Sebastian Vettel to lose the title this weekend. We could well see another dominant showing from the German driver and if he does win his sixth race in a row, he will be only the third driver to do so in F1 history.

Mercedes could well challenge the Red Bulls in qualifying with the low tyre wear and long straights. Lotus is confident that their strong form will continue and Ferrari will be hoping for a strong qualifying, to set them up for a strong race on Sunday afternoon. 

Will we see Vettel crowned world champion once again? It is highly likely, but let's wait and see what the race weekend brings...

(c) AllF1

Indian Grand Prix Fact-file: 
Location: Greater Noida, India
Track Length: 3.185 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 16
Laps: 60
Gear changes per lap: 54
Full throttle: 65%
First race: 2011
Lap record: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, 2011: 1m27.249
Tyre compounds: Soft and medium
2012 race winner: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
2012 pole position: Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing: 1m25.8283
2012 fastest lap: Jenson Button, McLaren: 1m28.203
Live on: Sky Sports F1 (Highlights BBC One)