Although the Formula One World Championship has already been decided, excitement reached a crescendo when 24 cars lined-up on the grid at 10 am today for first of the two practice sessions scheduled for today.
And as soon as the cars were off the block, the audience let out a roar.
The practice sessions are important as it helps the drivers have a real look at the track and the team engineers understand track dynamics.
The qualifiers would be held tomorrow, followed by the real showdown on Sunday.
Formula One drivers are all excited about the Indian GP. They had their first brush with the track yesterday and found it "challenging".
The Buddh International Circuit is 5.137km long, with 16 corners (seven left and nine right). The race will be 60 laps at a distance of 308.220km. The maximum speed is expected to be 315kph, reached before turn four.
The fastest corner will be turn 12, taken at 255kph. The circuit has a main straight more than 1km long and a sweeping corner reminiscent of Turkey`s turn eight.
The pitlane extends more than 600m, one of the longest in F1.
Narain Karthikeyan, the only Indian driver to have scored points in F1, finishing fourth for Jordan in a six-car 2005 US Grand Prix, will also be the only Indian in the race, competing for HRT (Hispania).
It is a special day for Team Force India as it is their maiden appearance before the home crowd.
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, 24, has already won the 2011 title as Formula One's youngest double world champion. He is only the ninth driver to win back-to-back championships.
Red Bull has also won the constructors' title for the second year running.
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