In the formula 1 diary auto motor und sport F1 reporter give a personal look behind the scenes of the Grand Prix racing and let the season 2012 once again pass in review. Part 17: GP of India.
We are now already for the second time in India, and I've seen nothing from the country except for the airport, the hotel, the circuit and the communication routes. Blame yourself, you say. But unfortunately only a short trip to the land of sacred cows is possible in the final sprint of the formula 1 World Championship. The work at home settled not by themselves in the Office. Therefore, there is also this time India only in the fast pass.
Raikkonen arrives as a diplomat
I arrive until Wednesday to midnight at the airport in Delhi. It reassures me that it Kimi Raikkonen, Pedro de la Rosa and Red Bull test driver Sebastien Buemi just make. Kimi travels first class. At half-mast with his jeans, the worn out sneakers, the backpack and the ski Cap he looks more like an exchange student as a first class passenger.
FirstClass is sure his bank account. As the only one on the plane, he enjoys the luxury of that it receives an Indian at the gate and escorted to the passport control. Raikkonen is on the diplomatic track. We must join us in the "normal" people in the snake. That is fortunately quite small. Not much off at midnight at the airport.
You think Germany invented the bureaucracy? Then, they were never in India. It already starts at the request of the Jounalistenvisums. A three-week act with a paperwork without end. The document, which they send to the Embassy, fills one half Leitz folder. What that merely make the whole paper?
When you consider that you then maybe stand two minutes at the immigration desk, the procedure was pretty inefficient. At the airport I was expected by our driver. Don't worry, we are not snapped on. As a foreigner you can not even sail in India. It is also better that way.
Advantages of a chauffeur
Not that I would, believe to me in the chaos between rickety trucks, Tuk-Tuks, me uberladenen mopeds, cyclists, pedestrians, stray dogs, cows and notifications to find their way. Who has survived Sao Paulo for 25 years, is also in India. Sometimes, no traffic regulations are better than too many. Here stop simply applies the law of the strongest. It announces its intentions of driving with the Horn.
Nevertheless man constantly balances on a boundary to the accident. Thus the chauffeur to deal better, if there are times so far. No idea whether appears at small scratches on the car at all the police. It is probably impossible to determine whether that were not already there before.
A real accident could be pretty time consuming. I wouldn't know how many forms in an accident would have to be filled in. Fortunately, the visa expires only in January. In addition you must worry about the way. The driver knows the way to the hotel and from there to the track. That must be not always the case, we will not know until departure.
Basically, keeping his driver all weekend. Three, we sit in our Toyota. Mrs Bianca Leppert and Roger Benoit from the Swiss look are also still with. The Grand Prix veteran from the Switzerland once briefly angry looks at our driver at the beginning of the journey. Thus, he knows what will be played in the future. Punctuality and reliability are our first priority. Expected to our Swiss friend of the common Indian. We are lucky. Our man is a model of reliability.
Between ruins to the State of the art race track
There are two worlds in India. The normal on the road is rather depressing. Left and right it looks like on the garbage dump or a construction site. There seems to be more ruins than finished homes. Is run out of money as well again in the project whatsoever.
The hotels and the Racecourse are the other world. As a UFO would be landed on the moon. Everything as we know it with us. The hotel prices are accordingly. It is said nowhere to stay is as expensive as in India. The small construction defects on the line were all eliminated. Power supply and Internet work without complaint.
A grand as everyone else would one say Prix. Only the smog is all finished. There is a point of view like ours in the middle of November. Even on Sunday, if not may drive the trucks and factories remain tight.
Oh yeah, the boss's birthday. Bernie Ecclestone is slim at the age of 82. He hates birthday parties, but so far the power isn't enough then but that he could prevent a small standing party at caterers Karlheinz Zimmermann. The team bosses appear to a glass of champagne.
In the rush to the airport - as far as the plan
Bernie at a table where I sit with Niki Lauda and Stefano Domenicali comes later. Agreement to talk begins the formula 1 boss quite openly about the recent points of contention at the Concorde. On the question of whether I should go, he holds me firmly. "Oh what, formula 1 has become but totally transparent." It is blasphemed a bit about this and that, and you get a small impression of how to run formula 1-meetings. Of course, details are not betrayed.
On Sunday night, Mrs Leppert, photographer Daniel Reinhard and I have it hastily. Around ten o'clock in the evening time, we must be ready with our work. The superior Vettel win faster writing. The background is already prepared, and the race runs with a one top tactics for all involved so clearly that you must be no Einstein to read it properly.
Bianca must Dhabi, Dani Reinhard and I on the plane after Abu on the machine back to Zurich. For the transport, we get a new driver. A funny Indian turban and Gilroy. Unfortunately we realize only in the downhill that he is half-blind. It only detects obstacles when they appear in front of his nose. Also, he does not know the way to Delhi. We wonder how he found at all at the track.
We guide him on the highway, and from there on the outskirts of Delhi. He is so insecure that he follows a truck stubborn with 60 km/h on the unlit part of the highway. Who is his guide dog. Only when the road is illuminated, he is courageous. It is however not a champion of change. Pretty shaky, he touches himself from one lane to the next and reaps it mostly a furious few.
Familiar faces at the return
When we left the District of Noida, the strained countenance of our driver brightens suddenly. "Welcome to Delhi," he said visibly relieved. We interpret this as a sign that he knows from the way now.
We actually come after 90 minutes at the airport. There is our way. Bianca can fry up to the next Grand Prix three days in the heat of Abu Dhabi. We know that there is snow in Zurich and Stuttgart. What a contrast.
By the way, the men aboard the Swiss are again the same as in the one way flight. I see Raikkonen, de la Rosa and Buemi. I agree with this: you like neither India nor Abu Dhabi. Otherwise they would spend not voluntarily once six hours in the aircraft eight and a time. If I am honest: I am as well.
We are now already for the second time in India, and I've seen nothing from the country except for the airport, the hotel, the circuit and the communication routes. Blame yourself, you say. But unfortunately only a short trip to the land of sacred cows is possible in the final sprint of the formula 1 World Championship. The work at home settled not by themselves in the Office. Therefore, there is also this time India only in the fast pass.
Raikkonen arrives as a diplomat
I arrive until Wednesday to midnight at the airport in Delhi. It reassures me that it Kimi Raikkonen, Pedro de la Rosa and Red Bull test driver Sebastien Buemi just make. Kimi travels first class. At half-mast with his jeans, the worn out sneakers, the backpack and the ski Cap he looks more like an exchange student as a first class passenger.
FirstClass is sure his bank account. As the only one on the plane, he enjoys the luxury of that it receives an Indian at the gate and escorted to the passport control. Raikkonen is on the diplomatic track. We must join us in the "normal" people in the snake. That is fortunately quite small. Not much off at midnight at the airport.
You think Germany invented the bureaucracy? Then, they were never in India. It already starts at the request of the Jounalistenvisums. A three-week act with a paperwork without end. The document, which they send to the Embassy, fills one half Leitz folder. What that merely make the whole paper?
When you consider that you then maybe stand two minutes at the immigration desk, the procedure was pretty inefficient. At the airport I was expected by our driver. Don't worry, we are not snapped on. As a foreigner you can not even sail in India. It is also better that way.
Advantages of a chauffeur
Not that I would, believe to me in the chaos between rickety trucks, Tuk-Tuks, me uberladenen mopeds, cyclists, pedestrians, stray dogs, cows and notifications to find their way. Who has survived Sao Paulo for 25 years, is also in India. Sometimes, no traffic regulations are better than too many. Here stop simply applies the law of the strongest. It announces its intentions of driving with the Horn.
Nevertheless man constantly balances on a boundary to the accident. Thus the chauffeur to deal better, if there are times so far. No idea whether appears at small scratches on the car at all the police. It is probably impossible to determine whether that were not already there before.
A real accident could be pretty time consuming. I wouldn't know how many forms in an accident would have to be filled in. Fortunately, the visa expires only in January. In addition you must worry about the way. The driver knows the way to the hotel and from there to the track. That must be not always the case, we will not know until departure.
Basically, keeping his driver all weekend. Three, we sit in our Toyota. Mrs Bianca Leppert and Roger Benoit from the Swiss look are also still with. The Grand Prix veteran from the Switzerland once briefly angry looks at our driver at the beginning of the journey. Thus, he knows what will be played in the future. Punctuality and reliability are our first priority. Expected to our Swiss friend of the common Indian. We are lucky. Our man is a model of reliability.
Between ruins to the State of the art race track
There are two worlds in India. The normal on the road is rather depressing. Left and right it looks like on the garbage dump or a construction site. There seems to be more ruins than finished homes. Is run out of money as well again in the project whatsoever.
The hotels and the Racecourse are the other world. As a UFO would be landed on the moon. Everything as we know it with us. The hotel prices are accordingly. It is said nowhere to stay is as expensive as in India. The small construction defects on the line were all eliminated. Power supply and Internet work without complaint.
A grand as everyone else would one say Prix. Only the smog is all finished. There is a point of view like ours in the middle of November. Even on Sunday, if not may drive the trucks and factories remain tight.
Oh yeah, the boss's birthday. Bernie Ecclestone is slim at the age of 82. He hates birthday parties, but so far the power isn't enough then but that he could prevent a small standing party at caterers Karlheinz Zimmermann. The team bosses appear to a glass of champagne.
In the rush to the airport - as far as the plan
Bernie at a table where I sit with Niki Lauda and Stefano Domenicali comes later. Agreement to talk begins the formula 1 boss quite openly about the recent points of contention at the Concorde. On the question of whether I should go, he holds me firmly. "Oh what, formula 1 has become but totally transparent." It is blasphemed a bit about this and that, and you get a small impression of how to run formula 1-meetings. Of course, details are not betrayed.
On Sunday night, Mrs Leppert, photographer Daniel Reinhard and I have it hastily. Around ten o'clock in the evening time, we must be ready with our work. The superior Vettel win faster writing. The background is already prepared, and the race runs with a one top tactics for all involved so clearly that you must be no Einstein to read it properly.
Bianca must Dhabi, Dani Reinhard and I on the plane after Abu on the machine back to Zurich. For the transport, we get a new driver. A funny Indian turban and Gilroy. Unfortunately we realize only in the downhill that he is half-blind. It only detects obstacles when they appear in front of his nose. Also, he does not know the way to Delhi. We wonder how he found at all at the track.
We guide him on the highway, and from there on the outskirts of Delhi. He is so insecure that he follows a truck stubborn with 60 km/h on the unlit part of the highway. Who is his guide dog. Only when the road is illuminated, he is courageous. It is however not a champion of change. Pretty shaky, he touches himself from one lane to the next and reaps it mostly a furious few.
Familiar faces at the return
When we left the District of Noida, the strained countenance of our driver brightens suddenly. "Welcome to Delhi," he said visibly relieved. We interpret this as a sign that he knows from the way now.
We actually come after 90 minutes at the airport. There is our way. Bianca can fry up to the next Grand Prix three days in the heat of Abu Dhabi. We know that there is snow in Zurich and Stuttgart. What a contrast.
By the way, the men aboard the Swiss are again the same as in the one way flight. I see Raikkonen, de la Rosa and Buemi. I agree with this: you like neither India nor Abu Dhabi. Otherwise they would spend not voluntarily once six hours in the aircraft eight and a time. If I am honest: I am as well.
