India and Red Bull collect wins for F1 at awards

Formula one has collected two category wins at this year’s Professional Motor Sport World Expo awards.

India’s new Buddh circuit won in the best circuit category, while Red Bull’s title-winning RB7 took the plaudit for car of the year.

The winners were decided by a judging panel including figures such as Gary Anderson, Michael Andretti and Pascal Vasselon, and announced during a ceremony in Cologne.

"With adequate facilities to put on a great event, it will mature into one of the best," said former Jordan and Jaguar engineer Anderson, referring to the new-in-2011 Indian grand prix venue.

As for Red Bull’s award, GP2 engineer Jordi Riba said: "The RB7 got my vote for its awesome domination but also for its innovative rear packaging, with the KERS alongside the gearbox and the pull-rod suspension."

1996 world champion Damon Hill, however, thinks the team will have a tougher time in 2012, perhaps because McLaren has a better overall driver lineup.

He thinks Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button arguably outpaces Vettel and Mark Webber.

"I think at the moment they (McLaren) might have the edge on Mark in the Red Bull.

"It’s harder when you’ve won to then steel yourself and put in the same effort again — to win again and keep doing that," Hill told Sky.

"It’s much harder on Red Bull to carry that. In some ways it’s easier to catch up."