We were running out of time: Tilke

“You had to be afraid of course as the last asphalt layer was done later than usual. But everything worked out fine and the show was the best possible. We started the design four years ago. But construction only started two years ago,” Tilke told PTI in an interview.

“This land was very flat. We had to bring in the earth to make elevations. It was not logistically difficult but, more a challenge in terms of time.

“In the end, we were running out of time and then it became a big challenge. But high technology and quality was there... so the difficulties were mastered by Jaypee group (the organisers of the race),” he said.

The 54-year-old architect has also designed the tracks in Sepang (Malaysia - 1999), Sakhir (Bahrain - 2004), Shanghai (China -2004),  Istanbul Park (Turkey - 2005), Valencia (Spain - 2008), Yas Marina (Abu Dhabi - 2009) and Yeongam (Korea - 2010).
Additionally he has made a good number of renovations to existing circuits (the Red Bull Ring in Austria, Barcelona in Spain, and the Nuerburgring and Hockenheim circuits in Germany).

Tilke said the elevations make the BIC a challenging track. “It is like if you get into a third dimension. The car will be much lighter when you get to the very top of the bump. It makes it more interesting. With a flat track only, you are in just two dimensions, but with elevation you enter in a three dimensional system. It makes it more difficult and challenging.”