Greater Noida: The Formula One drivers on Thursday had a first brush with the track at the brand new Buddh International Circuit here and found it "challenging" although it was quite dusty in the morning when they first saw it.
The 5.14 km-long track with 16 corners will hosts India's first-ever Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday with practice sessions starting on Friday morning.
Adrian Sutil, the driver of the home team, Sahara Force India, was first to speak on the track.
"Quite good job on the circuit really. I went around the circuit this morning and it all looked finished. Looks very interesting lay-out wise. It was still very dusty I have to say, quite dirty, so we will have to see how it is for Friday morning. But hopefully it is going to be a great event," he said.
Williams driver Rubens Barrichello gave a thumbs up to the facility.
"I have also felt that the track is quite good. They have done a super job in a short period of time. We are going to go out on Friday but like any new circuit there should be some dirt on it and some dust, but that's fairly normal. I am enjoying what I have seen so far," he said.
Team Lotus driver Jarno Trulli was a bit concerned about the dust but hoped it will be better as time passes.
"I arrived only last night but the circuit itself looks pretty good. They must be really proud about having such a nice circuit in India especially for the future of the country's motorsport. The layout of the circuit seems very interesting.
"Obviously, the question mark is about how dirty and dusty it is. I have been around this morning cycling and it was very dusty. I hope they can clean on Friday morning and see how the circuit develops over the weekend. But it is definitely something that looks pretty good," Trulli said.
Legendary Michael Schumacher from Team Mercedes said the track had plenty to offer for an interesting race.
"Just seen the safety car running around and saw the elevation change, some blind spots (Turn 3), so quite a bit of a challenge for us with high and low speed corners, good overtaking, so a good mixture of all that we like to enjoy ourselves on. I am looking forward to drive the car," he said.
Talking abut the hairpin turn, the seven-time world champion German said, "It is a new sort of philosophy with this overtaking, with getting the circuits very wide at the entry as we have the one line defend mechanism so if you go that far certainly the other guy choosing the outside line can take a good run at you at the end of the straight.
"It offers a good tactical perspective for overtaking, for having a good show, and hopefully make the Indian fans enjoy."
Ferrari driver Felipe Massa said, "I think it is very nice. I am enjoying being here in India and also to see the circuit. It is pretty interesting even all these hairpins with very wide braking point. I think that is a very interesting even for overtaking. So I think it will be a nice circuit."
India's very own Narain Karthikeyan, said the organisers have done a pretty job with the circuit.
"First of all, as I have been saying, I never thought in my racing career that I would be racing in India and here we are just around the corner. With the circuit, again like everybody else, it is wide in some places, I am sure lots of different lines you are going to see, lots of overtaking," he said.
"It is definitely a very challenging circuit with lots of run off areas and so on. They (organisers) have done a very good job, no doubt," Karthikeyan added.
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