In praise of Buddh

Anybody who fails to grasp the full meaning of an exodus should, shortly after the race, be around the airports that serve Yeongam, the depressing scene of the South Korean Grand Prix.

Incheon is 305 kilometres away, five hours by car, Gimpo 12 kilometres closer to the track, with Gwangju 70 minutes drive distant and Muan, the most recent build, half-an-hour away.

They are the scenes of a mass, ASAP exit of the Formula One brigade, or at least those fortunates who don’t have to hang around to clear up or stay dutifully connected.

I don’t know whether the traffic cops, if there are any, turn a blind eye to the speeding escapees from the dire portside venue or there are enough helicopters to go round. But, at the earliest opportunity, drivers and their cohorts flee up the road to any of those airports for fear of having to stay another night in the dubious and spartan atmosphere.

Not so, and what a welcome contrast, concerning this weekend’s brightly different and thoroughly enjoyable setting of the Indian Grand Prix on the outskirts of New Delhi, the Buddh International Circuit, in only its second year but already a hot favourite both as a track to severely test the talent on show and as a fun place to be.

The testimonials, from all F1 ranks, from humble mechanics to multi-millionaire team owners and their ultra-spoiled and cossetted drivers, are piled thick and fast on Buddh, the dream circuit with a guaranteed and long-lasting future for its £25m-a-year (Dh148 million) fee to Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s organising set up.

Drivers love the place and revel in the derring-dos presented by the bespoke $300m (Dh1.1 million), 120,000-seater circuit. Meanwhile, team bosses enjoy the problems they have to sort out to get their cars into levels of mastery over the super-fast, tricky and interesting challenges and, behind the scenes, the pit-lane crews could not have better working conditions.

Here’s what last year’s winner Sebastian Vettel, of Red Bull, has to say: “I love this track, and the place, and not just because I won here last year.”

The double-champion, hoping to pile up more points for a third successive title, adds: “It is a great atmosphere. And it is like a roller-coaster ride with some fantastic, high-speed corners. The second quickest after Monza. And that means...FAST.

“It really has emerged as one of the most challenging circuits of them all. Absolutely fascinating. And a mega challenge with speeds around 317km/h and 62 per cent of the time on full throttle.”

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, seventh last year, expounds: “I love the place. India? Great. The people, the colour, the noise, the spectacle, the chaos and the intensity and vibrancy of it all.

“And the folk are the friendliest you could wish to meet. The flow of the track is incredible and you can put the car right on the limit. I can’t wait to get out there and give it a go.”

His boss Martin Whitmarsh was more succinct: “Buddh International has the potential to be a classic, with terrific market potential and the drivers love it.”

Goodbye, Yeongam. Hello, Buddh. Thank goodness.