Does Delhi even need a new circuit?

NEW DELHI: German architect Herman Tilke has arrived in the Capital on the invitation of Suresh Kalmadi’s IOA to evaluate some sites for a potential Formula 1 track.

The very same man was in Delhi a few months ago and he submitted a feasibility study to Formula One Management that speaks of the great viability of a street race.

This development questions the need for the proposed IOA-backed circuit as Tilke’s report says that a street circuit is very much feasible. The study proposes a paddock area and pitlanes at Rajpath and the use of other arterial roads around to put together the roughly five and a half km track — the distance that most F1 tracks traverse.

A street circuit will cost about a 100 crore while a new facility will be more in the vicinity of 400 crore without taking into account the cost of the land and the roughly $30 million rights fee. Binding 700-odd acres to a circuit is another bit that needs to be evaluated.

Meanwhile Kalmadi is upbeat about Tilke’s visit. “We have shown him a few sites and will take him to a few more on Tuesday. He is here at IOA’s invite and expense and we are confident of putting up a top-notch circuit to host Formula 1,” said Kalmadi, keeping his cards close to to his chest by not disclosing the precise areas that Tilke is inspecting.

While Kalmadi evaluating the potential of an exclusive circuit for F1 is still good news, the not so good news is that Pasquale Lattuneddu, Chief Operations, Formula One Management, who was also supposed to come failed to turn up. In fact IOA’s invite to captains of the corporate world for an interaction on Monday night specifically mentions the presence of Lattuneddu.

F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone giving the mandate of evaluating F1 bids from India to Vijay Mallya is said to have not gone down too well with Kalmadi. Lattuneddu not showing up may well be FOM’s way of telling Kalmadi that Mallya’s the main man. After all he is the only Indian party that has actually put his money into F1 even as many keep mouthing off alone.

However, Kalmadi may still be able to raise the funds and procure the land to construct the track and then even FOM will also have no qualms about going with his proposal. As of right now he first has to put up the $30 million odd for the rights and that deadline expires on September 30.