Formula One: Organisers vow 'dog-proof' race
India's Formula One organisers have vowed to ensure stray dogs stay off the track on Sunday, in an effort to avoid repeating last year's embarrassing incident when a canine intruded the circuit.
"Canine entry points to the circuit have been identified and blocked," Askari Zaidi, spokesman for the Jaypee Group, told AFP at the state-of-the-art track designed by Germany's famed architect Hermann Tilke.
"The fencing around the circuit has now got two layers. The track is completely dog-proof," he added.
The intrusion by the stray dog during the first practice round at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix in Greater Noida last year caused much embarrassment to the organisers of the world-class event.
The dog caused only a brief delay, but organisers were not willing to take any chances this year.
The swanky Buddh International Circuit on the outskirts of New Delhi is surrounded by vast expanse of land dotted by residential and commercial projects in various stages of construction.
Cows and dogs wander freely around these construction sites where labourers toil all day in the sun to give shape to these future high-rises.
Zaidi said that after last year's 'unfortunate' incident, organisers had urged local authorities to tackle the stray menace.
"They deployed dog-squads to catch the strays. Since then we have hosted a number of events on this track without any dog barging in.
"We can promise a 100 per cent dog-free race on Sunday."
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