Calm and peace aren't exactly the first words that come to mind when thinking of the high-speed thrills of Formula One, however, that is exactly what's on the mind of the owners of the F1 track in Greater Noida, the Jaypee Group, who have named the track Buddh International Circuit. The name for the 5.14km circuit, which will host the inaugural Indian Grand Prix in the last week of October this year, raised a few eyebrows. "It's an interesting name, though an unusual one for race track. I look forward to racing there," HRT's Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan told HT.
On the reasoning behind the name, Jaypee Group CEO Sameer Gaur told reporters during last week's Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang, "It comes from the word Buddha to mean peace and calmness. It is also not about one person but an entire region working with one another."The organisers will make an official announcement next week, and will also reveal the names of the corners on the Hermann Tilke designed circuit which is being built at a cost of around $400 million.