The newly proposed April date for the 2012 Indian GP could see the race take place in temperatures of nearly 100°F, Indian motorsport chief Vicky Chandhok has warned after seeing Bernie Ecclestone's new calendar proposal.
Ecclestone has proposed sweeping changes to the original 2012 schedule, largely to move the Bahrain GP to a November date in order to give the country time to calm their current political unrest.
As part of the move which sees Bahrain switch from a season-opening date to a late double-header slot alongside the Abu Dhabi GP, the Indian race has been moved forwards.
Originally, the race at the new Buddh International Circuit was scheduled for a late-season date, just as it will have for the inaugural event at the track this year.
But the revised Ecclestone proposal sees the race scheduled for April 22nd, which has concerned Chandhok given the high temperatures in the New Delhi region at that time of year.
"I am not happy with April because it's going to be hot," Chandhok told the Reuters news agency regarding the new date, "But if we have to go in April we will go.
"But I really think that the ideal dates for India are when it's cooler. Maybe March or you go to October, November, December."
The average high temperature for April in New Delhi is over 36°C (97°F), compared to the slightly more bearable 30°C average for October.
Chandhok's issues with the new calendar can be added to a litany of concerns over Ecclestone's new proposal, with F1 teams reportedly very unhappy at the logistical challenge of the packed end to the season.
Under the FOM chief's new calendar, the final seven races of the season will take place over just seven weeks, seeing the teams travel across the Far East and Middle East, before a final double-header on the other side of the world with the US and Brazilian GPs.
Despite his concerns about the 2012 date though, Chandhok remains confident that F1's newest event will be a success when the inaugural Indian GP weekend takes place from October 28th-30th this year.
"I have been to every single racetrack in the world," he questionably bragged. "It's going to be one of the fastest circuits in the world.
"[We have] 1.2km straight and three corners that have now been redefined - they are following the new FIA guidelines to encourage overtaking."
He insisted: "I think it's going to be phenomenal. There will be lot of scope of overtaking."
And Chandhok also shrugged off any concerns that the track may struggle to be ready for the opening GP, following the news that FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting has delayed his final inspection ofthe track until September.
"He [Whiting] is visiting Korea at the end of this month, on his way back he is flying over Delhi," Chandhok calmly explained.
"So he will stop over at Delhi as it will make logical sense for the FIA. It's purely procedural and a matter of convenience for the date of inspection."
Concerns over the readiness of F1's newest track have been heightened after last year's mini-farce in Korea, when work on the new Yeongam track was still being finished less than 24 hours before the start of the GP weekend.
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