The organizers of the Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit, the Jaypee Group and Jaypee Sports International, are adamant that F1 will be back in India in 2015 after a 'leap year' in 2014.
Sahara Force India team principal Vijay Mallya echoed Jaiprakash Gaur's assertion. However he did not entirely buy into the "official explanation" of scheduling issues due to the race being shifted in March and, as a result, an October event this year putting too much of a strain. Much has been written about the stand of both the central and state governments on F1 before and since it touched down in India.
There's not much need to repeat it all here but the end result is that the loyal fans of F1 in India, including the section of the general public curious enough to inquire about F1 are convinced that this will be the last time the sport touches down here.
To be perfectly honest, however, there are a fair number within India's motorsport fraternity and in the ranks of the country's motorsport press that are of the same opinion too.
We could talk about that till the cows come home (fitting pun given that this is India) or just look forward to the F1 race and how it may pan out.
MIX AND MATCH
A look at the sharp end of the F1 grid reveals that the top three qualifiers opted to use Pirelli's soft compound tyre to start the race. The driver right at the top of that pile is Sebastian Vettel who could very well wrap up his fourth consecutive world championship today. He and the Mercedes AMG F1 pair of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton behind him are also on the soft compound tyres.
Behind them, however, is the highest placed driver who will be starting on the hard compound tyres. Vettel's Red Bull Racing teammate Mark Webber is just under a second behind the German and will be counting on the prediction that the soft compound tyres will start to blister and will need changing in six to eight laps.
Felipe Massa in fifth place managed to outqualify former double F1 champion Fernando Alonso at Ferrari, however, even the feisty Spaniard is starting on hard tyres.
Alonso was third fastest behind the Red Bull pair of Vettel and Webber during Saturday's third free practice session when it came to outright pace. The man who holds the record for the most number of points scored in F1 has always been the pragmatic type. He probably realized the need to try out something different in order to delay what seems like the inevitable; another win and a title triumph for Vettel.
A CHARGE FROM THE REAR?
Romain Grosjean of Lotus F1 gave Red Bull a fright in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka two weeks ago and forced the team to split strategies in order to beat him.
Any hopes the Frenchman had to repeat seemed to have been dashed in qualifying when he was not able to set a fast enough time on the harder medium compound tyres in the first segment.
It meant a relegation in Q1 itself and a best possible starting position of 17th on the F1 grid. On the bright side for the Frenchman, it also means the freedom to start on whatever tyre he likes and possibly even stay out longer than the leaders before a first stop.
Of course, making his way to those frontrunners can't be easy with some stern tests along the way.
THE INCREDIBLE HULK
The resurgence of Sauber F1 as an upper midfield team continues with Nico Hulkenberg qualifying seventh behind Lotus F1's Kimi Raikkonen. Should the aforementioned Grosjean's attempts to get to the sharp end of the grid be successful enough to get to Hulkenberg, it's unlikely the German will do him any favours.
Lotus F1 boss Eric Boullier is expected to announce Hulkenberg as Raikkonen's replacement when the Finn heads off to Ferrari next year.
When asked on Friday about Lotus F1's driver line-up for 2014 on Friday, in fact, Boullier said that the next few days should sort the matter out.
A FORCE FOR INDIA?
As Hulkenberg and Sauber F1 charge up the grid, the team from whom they are attempting to steal sixth place is not in particularly good shape.
Sahara Force India F1 drivers Paul Di Resta and Adrian Sutil qualified 11th and 12th and have long been looking over their shoulder as Sauber F1 move closer.
In fact, the biggest buzz in the Sahara Force India team building this weekend has been when their junior academy driver Jehan Daruvala showed up following his title win in the British KF3 karting championship.
It's almost as if people here in India are waiting impatiently to have one of their own to cheer for on the F1 grid who, unlike Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok, would have a far better grounding in junior racing disciplines before taking the big leap to F1.
Maybe that's also when the sport will be taken a little more seriously by people in general in India. But again, that's a topic of discussion for another day. For now, let's go racing.
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