India to make Formula One debut in October next year

India’s wait for a Formula One race is over. The Indian Grand Prix is now a reality.

The FIA on Wednesday announced in Paris that it will be the 18th race of the 2011 calendar and will be held at the Jaypee International Race Circuit in Greater Noida on October 30.

The biggest challenge for the organisers will be to get it ready in time for the race and make sure there is no repeat of the Commonwealth Games fiasco.

The FIA will inspect the circuit in July 2011 before giving the final go-ahead. The track and all the safety features should be ready by May 2011.

Mark Hughes, vice-president (operations) of Jaypee Sports International Limited (JPSI), said the work is on schedule and they will not go the CWG way. “There is absolutely no question of missing our deadlines. Jaypee Group is putting their own money to build the track. It’s not like Commonwealth Games which is handled by government agencies,” Hughes told DNA.

“The track, paddock and all the safety regulations will be ready by May next year. The construction of grandstand and surrounding area can carry on. For the moment, the work is progressing well and it will be ready on time,” added Hughes, who had previously worked as operations director at the Bahrain International Circuit. Hughes also stated that the Formula One community wanted to come to India for more than a decade. “Now that they are here, they are more than happy.”  

It’s a victory for promoters JPSI, who received a major setback a year ago when the sports ministry wrote to them that their request for getting approval for remittance of $36.5 million to be paid to Formula One Administration for holding a race in India had been rejected on the grounds that “Formula One is not a sport and the race would have no impact on the development of sports in the country”.

The talk of bringing Formula One to India had been going on for a decade with cities like Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bangalore considered as possible venues.

“The difference this time around is that a private group is involved in the project. Earlier, most of the projects were State-funded so they remained on paper,” said Vicky Chandhok, chairman of four-wheel racing, FMSCI. “Now that a business entity has taken up on them to organise a race, they will run it as a business and make it successful,” he added.

The 5.14 km long circuit has been designed by renowned German architect and racetrack designer, Herman Tilke, who has also designed race circuits in Malaysia, Bahrain, China, Turkey, Indonesia, UAE, South Africa, South Korea and USA.

20 races, but no new teams for 2011 season
Paris: FIA has ruled out the possibility of a new team in 2011. FIA invited parties interested in becoming the 13th team to come forward, but it has deemed none of the expressions of interest to be strong enough to warrant inclusion.

The sport was left with a void to fill following the collapse of the fledgling US F1 team. A joint venture involving 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve and Italian constructor Durango, and an application from Epsilon Euskadi had been among the front-running candidates to be awarded the slot.