Write All the big names will roar into town in 2010 but
huge investment and massive planning and development in Delhi are
needed before the Grand Prix circus arrives.
‘Many teams would like to compete in India''s booming market and the people at Formula One know it.’
Businessman Dominic Cabral from the Western Indian state of Goa is an
avid motor racing fan, one among a growing legion in India who follow
the sport with a passion. Once
a year, Cabral travels to at least one race at which 28-year-old Narain
Karthikeyan – the first Indian Formula One driver – is participating.
Last year that took him to the Malaysian circuit. This year he plans to
travel to Bahrain in April. Cabral was not the only one in
Malaysia waving the Indian tri-colour flag. Around 500 Indians attended
the race. The motor sport craze has come of age in India. In
2010, Cabral and other Indian motor sports fans will be in for a treat
closer to home. That is when the country with the second largest
population in the world will host its first Formula One Grand Prix. India
has a great fan following for this sport and F1 is set to provide yet
another boost to the economy. As an example, the small country of
Bahrain in the Persian Gulf region made a small investment $150 million
in the sport three years ago. Today, it is reaping huge returns. The
Bahrain International Circuit, a state-of-the-art race venue, took in
$664 million over the last three years. Last year''s turnover alone
stood at $394 million. Many teams would like to compete in
India''s booming market and the people at Formula One know it. No wonder
Bernie Ecclestone, the F1 supremo, told the Bloomberg News Service: "India is a country that is probably going to grow quicker than China." complete article at the link here --- http://www.sportingo.com/more_sports/ferrari_mclaren_lewis_hamilton_will/1001,6161