The only people buying that story appear to be India’s motorsports federation,
who ducked the issue yesterday by accepting Ferrari’s explanation.
“The FMSCI will not permit any attempt to subvert the process of justice by
politicising the event,” added its president, Vicky Chandhok.
Bernie Ecclestone, probably thankful for a new controversy after his position
as Formula One’s chief executive was put firmly back in the spotlight this
week with developments in Germany relating to allegations of bribery, was
certainly not buying it.
“I don’t understand why they would do that,” he said of Ferrari’s ‘tribute’.
“Quite strange, quite strange … It’s not the sort of style you would
expect from Ferrari. I’ll have to speak to them now.”
Ecclestone, 82 on Sunday, added in an interview with the Economic Times of
India that he was unconcerned by the half-empty grandstands at this
gargantuan facility built on farmland outside Delhi.
“Always, always the same,” he said. “First year, a lot of people come because
it is the first time. The second year, it always drops off and then it
starts climbing again.”
Perhaps. But the truth is Formula One has a job on its hands if it wants
India’s billions. Fans here have precious little to cheer for. Narain
Karthikeyan is 35 years old and qualified 23rd in his HRT, while Force
India, ostensibly the ‘home’ team despite the fact that they are based in
Silverstone, are having a horrendous week.
Co-owner Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines is facing financial ruin and only
an 11th-hour deal with unpaid staff warded off the threat of protests at the
circuit this weekend.
Their two drivers, Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta, qualified 12th and 16th,
very poor by the team’s standards.
Perhaps the presence of various Bollywood stars and Test cricketers will help
put a gloss on things, but if the race is a dud – and it wasn’t brilliant
last year – Formula
One will have an ever bigger job on its hands generating interest
for 2013.
Vettel, understandably, played down his chances, pointing out that the gap to
the McLarens
was a lot closer than expected.
“You know that a lot of things can happen in the race,” the German said. “I’m
very happy to be on pole but there is a hard race coming tomorrow.
“We had a bit of a surprise on Friday on the long runs – everyone was
quite close – so we’ll see what that means with strategy [for the race].”
Hamilton, who starts third, was bullish, predicting that McLaren could
“definitely challenge” Red Bull for victory.
“Our race pace was just as good as theirs in practice so I’m excited about
that,” he said.
His team-mate Jenson
Button, who starts just behind him in fourth, observed that the
start would be crucial. It will indeed.
If Red Bull get off to a flier, and Vettel reaches turn one safely in the
lead, it may be up to the local stray dogs to find a gap in the fence and
provide the entertainment.
Leading positions after qualifying:
1 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 1min 25.283secs
2 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull 1:25.327
3 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) McLaren 1:25.544
4 Jenson Button (Gbr) McLaren 1:25.659
5 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Ferrari 1:25.773
6 Felipe Massa (Bra) Ferrari 1:25.857
7 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Lotus F1 Team 1:26.236
8 Sergio Perez (Mex) Sauber-Ferrari 1:26.360
9 Pastor Maldonado (Ven) Williams 1:26.713
10 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Mercedes GP No Time
11 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Lotus F1 Team 1:26.136
12 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Force India 1:26.241
13 Bruno Senna (Bra) Williams 1:26.331
14 Michael Schumacher (Ger) Mercedes GP 1:26.574
15 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:26.777
16 Paul di Resta (Gbr) Force India 1:26.989
17 Kamui Kobayashi (Jpn) Sauber-Ferrari 1:27.219
18 Jean-Eric Vergne (Fra) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:27.525
19 Vitaly Petrov (Rus) Caterham 1:28.756
20 Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) Caterham 1:29.500
21 Timo Glock (Ger) Marussia 1:29.613
22 Pedro de la Rosa (Spa) HRT-F1 1:30.592
23 Narain Karthikeyan (Ind) HRT-F1 1:30.593
24 Charles Pic (Fra) Marussia 1:30.662