Full grandstands are more important than a challenging racetrack for the drivers. That's the view of 2009 World Champion Jenson Button, who hopes this weekend's inaugural Indian Grand Prix will be a hit with the locals.
"A Formula One race isn't just a television event," says Jenson. "It's got to be an event in itself and that means having full grandstands. That's more important than having a great circuit layout.
"You want people to get behind a new race and for there to be a great atmosphere. You want there to be cheering. I have no doubt that the Indian people will love F1 when they start to understand the sport."
Jenson has never previously been to the Indian subcontinent and he's looking forward to his visit. Prior to the race he'll take some time out for a bit of sightseeing around New Delhi.
"I love experiencing new cultures," he says, "and India is definitely going to be interesting. Everyone involved in F1 is very lucky to do a job that allows them to visit so many different countries. We might like some places more than others, but every race is an experience."
As for the brand new Buddh International Circuit, Jenson will reserve judgement until he's driven it this weekend. But he was impressed by what he saw on the simulator at McLaren's HQ last week.
"I've done a bit of set-up work on the simulator in Woking," says Jenson, "and the track seems pretty interesting. It's a bit up and down, and quite slow, to begin with and then fast for the rest of the lap.
"There's a very challenging double-apex right-hander at the back of the circuit, which I'm looking forward to experiencing. I love seeing the scenery go past quickly and I like high-speed corners. There's so much lateral G-force through them that it's hard to find the limit of the car, but that's a challenge all of the drivers enjoy."
As for the competitiveness of the McLaren MP4-26, Jenson hopes he'll be fighting for a podium finish.
"I see no reason why we can't take the fight to Red Bull," says Jenson. "We've matched them at the last few races and I hope that trend will continue until the end of the year. Although the world titles are settled, we're incredibly motivated to win every race and if you win a grand prix in F1, you know you've done a great job. That's what we're aiming for in India."