India Developing, but still a long way to go

[Span]

Well, F1 will return sooner or later!

 

[Abingdonboy]

Well, F1 will return sooner or later!

It has to, BIC has a 5 year (5 GPs) deal with FOM and has only had 3 GPs there to date. IIRC the reason India is not on the grid for 2014 is due to the fact that the FIA wanted the Indian GP to be held in Oct 2014 and again in March 2015 6 months and not 12 months apart, the Jaypee group did not think this would be viable in terms of ticket sales. I am expecting to see the Indian GP back in 2015.

However, I am more interested in the long term for F1 in India. A country of a billion with living standards increasing year on year should be able to fill the capacity of the BIC but after the initial high of 2011 ticket sales in 2012 and 2013 were down. There is no doubt F1 is and needs to expand in to new markets and India has to be one of them but there must be a groundswell of support for F1 in India accompanying this, because of the population in India it's got to be possible.

I'm sure it is only a matter of time before more and more Indians start getting interested into F1 and motorsports in general, I just hope this happens at a time to save the BIC as the Indian GP, 100s of Millions have been spent on the BIC and surrounding sports city by the Jaypee group and it would be tragic for this all to go to waste (I seriously doubt it will though).

There is already quite a bit of Indian involvement in F1- an Indian owned team (Force India), TATA communications is the official communications networker for F1, TATA sponsors Ferrari and we have had 2 Indian F1 drivers to date. I am sure if more and more Indian viewers turn over to F1 then Indian big business will be getting themselves involved in F1 also.

Just looking foreword to seeing more Indian drivers in F1 and especially towards the front of the grid....




(not related to F1 directly but @nair @Span did you know there is an Indian team in Formula-E, Mahindra Racing and I think Karun Chandock is one of their drivers)

 

[Span]

It has to, BIC has a 5 year (5 GPs) deal with FOM and has only had 3 GPs there to date. IIRC the reason India is not on the grid for 2014 is due to the fact that the FIA wanted the Indian GP to be held in Oct 2014 and again in March 2015 6 months and not 12 months apart, the Jaypee group did not think this would be viable in terms of ticket sales. I am expecting to see the Indian GP back in 2015.

Nah, that's what they wanted us to believe. Bernie clearly stated afterwards he wasn't happy with the tax regulations prevailing in India (this being the major issue) and that our visa procedure is very complicated and tiresome. (this being a redundant reason, you don't care about trivial issues like this when you get the money!)

That said, Indian GP is even off the 2015 calendar. Future of the Indian GP in doubt | Formula 1 | Formula 1 news, live F1 | ESPN F1

And yep, I know of Mahindra Racing! But I'm not sure if Chandok is one of their drivers?

Also, Force India has tied up with a GP2 team, Hilmer Motorsport. It uses the same livery as Force India 2014 car.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Nah, that's what they wanted us to believe. Bernie clearly stated afterwards he wasn't happy with the tax regulations prevailing in India (this being the major issue) and that our visa procedure is very complicated and tiresome.

That said, Indian GP is even off the 2015 calendar. Future of the Indian GP in doubt | Formula 1 | Formula 1 news, live F1 | ESPN F1

And yep, I know of Mahindra Racing! But I'm not sure if Chandok is one of their drivers?

Also, Force India has tied up with a GP2 team, Hilmer Motorsport. It uses the same livery as Force India 2014 car.

Yeah, i forget to add the complicated tax structure imposed on F1 because the GoI STILL does not recognise F1 as a sport but as an entertainment event (the only country to have hosted a GP to have such outdated laws) meaning the tax is unduly high for the importing of all the kit and such that goes with the F1 teams and FIA around the world.

The fact remains the BIC has a 5 year deal with the FOM, this is what I have heard from both the Jaypee group and Bernie himself, I would be surprised and horrified if this was the end of the BIC as the Indian GP for now (no way India isn't going to have a permanent F1 circuit at some point).


I remember there was a young Indian coming up the junior ranks who had been found by Force India's "One in a Billion" search for a driver, apparently he was the real deal and had been praised on a certain F1 show when he had been discussed. I forget his name though......

Also, Force India has tied up with a GP2 team, Hilmer Motorsport. It uses the same livery as Force India 2014 car

Oooooo, didn't know that, thanks for the info

 

[Span]

I remember there was a young Indian coming up the junior ranks who had been found by Force India's "One in a Billion" search for a driver, apparently he was the real deal and had been praised on a certain F1 show when he had been discussed. I forget his name though......

Ah yes, Arjun Maini. Heard some good reviews about the kid, let's hope he makes it up there!

 

[Abingdonboy]

Ah yes, Arjun Maini. Heard some good reviews about the kid, let's hope he makes it up there!

The way F1 is increasingly becoming he will need some SERIOUS finical backing to get to GP2 let alone a back-macker F1 team. Let's hope he can seal such sponsorship, why not some Indian firms? They have the $$$ no doubt. And Karthikayan was sponsored by TATA AFAIK.

+ @Span actually it was Jehan Daruvala I was referring to, just located his name!

 

[Span]

The way F1 is increasingly becoming he will need some SERIOUS finical backing to get to GP2 let alone a back-macker F1 team. Let's hope he can seal such sponsorship, why not some Indian firms? They have the $$$ no doubt. And Karthikayan was sponsored by TATA AFAIK.

Yep, TATA is expanding it's operations in F1. It was it's sponsorship deal only that Narain managed to land a HRT seat. Hope they raise the ante this time.

But I hope Hilmer takes him in, once he is eligible and a proven talent. It would secure his future if the guy's performance is in line with the expectations, since Force India has a track record of hiring drivers who do not bring substantial sponsor money on the table.

+ @Span actually it was Jehan Daruvala I was referring to, just located his name!

Never read about him, good that you mentioned. Will keep an eye out for him as well. This could very well play a key role in securing the future of F1 in India once we have a couple of drivers on the grid.

 

[jarves]

Thanks for pics guys i was under impression that no progress is being made on Dedicated freight project corridor project.

 

[Abingdonboy]

But I hope Hilmer takes him in, once he is eligible and a proven talent. It would secure his future if the guy's performance is in line with the expectations, since Force India has a track record of hiring drivers who do not bring substantial sponsor money on the table.

I still don't understand why Mallya didn't sign or even remotely help Chandock in F1- no FP1 sessions or anything. I believe finical considerations did play their part. Chandock, IMHO, was/is a very talented driver who knows his stuff and deserved more than just a drive every now and then in some back marker team like HRT and then Lotus.


But yes, would be epic to have an Indian in GP2 again- might just make me follow it more closely and then to have him in an F1 context. But it's going to need multiple F1 Indian drivers and that too in positions to get some major attention to attract more Indian interest in F1, we've have F1 drivers from India in the past and this has received only lukewarm responses from the Indian public. If an Indian was up there challenging then the whole scenario would be different- there would be vastly more attention and interest. As great as it is to have an Indian driver in F1, Indian fans aren't going to pay to watch him come 22nd/23rtd each race- that gets tedious very fast.

 

[my2cents]

Does any country, anywhere makes at least 10-15 different, 4- wheel drive, SUV ... basically Jeep type vehicles. Why?

1. Tata TL/Xenon, Sumo, Safari
2. Mahindra Thar, Bolero, Scorpio
3. Nissan, Renault
4. Sonalika
5. HM Trekker, Mitsubishi Pajero, Montero
6. Force Motors Judo & Trax
7. Premier Rio ?
8. Skoda something
9. Suzuki Maruti Gypsy
10. Toyota 3-5 models, but no Hi-Lux
11. Ford Endeavour and EcoSport
12. GM Tavera and Captiva
13. Polaris ATV's
14. Any more ? Pls. add ...

Maruti Suzuki XA Alpha,

Hyundai Sante Fe

 

[nair]

It has to, BIC has a 5 year (5 GPs) deal with FOM and has only had 3 GPs there to date. IIRC the reason India is not on the grid for 2014 is due to the fact that the FIA wanted the Indian GP to be held in Oct 2014 and again in March 2015 6 months and not 12 months apart, the Jaypee group did not think this would be viable in terms of ticket sales. I am expecting to see the Indian GP back in 2015.

However, I am more interested in the long term for F1 in India. A country of a billion with living standards increasing year on year should be able to fill the capacity of the BIC but after the initial high of 2011 ticket sales in 2012 and 2013 were down. There is no doubt F1 is and needs to expand in to new markets and India has to be one of them but there must be a groundswell of support for F1 in India accompanying this, because of the population in India it's got to be possible.

I'm sure it is only a matter of time before more and more Indians start getting interested into F1 and motorsports in general, I just hope this happens at a time to save the BIC as the Indian GP, 100s of Millions have been spent on the BIC and surrounding sports city by the Jaypee group and it would be tragic for this all to go to waste (I seriously doubt it will though).

There is already quite a bit of Indian involvement in F1- an Indian owned team (Force India), TATA communications is the official communications networker for F1, TATA sponsors Ferrari and we have had 2 Indian F1 drivers to date. I am sure if more and more Indian viewers turn over to F1 then Indian big business will be getting themselves involved in F1 also.

Just looking foreword to seeing more Indian drivers in F1 and especially towards the front of the grid....




(not related to F1 directly but @nair @Span did you know there is an Indian team in Formula-E, Mahindra Racing and I think Karun Chandock is one of their drivers)

If F1 doesnt come back to india in 2015 season, BIC and japee sports would go bankrupt..... I think bernie got pissed off with the taxes levied on the sport..... and there are new venues and old venues getting added up to the GP..... teams are not ready beyond 20-22 race a year..... Things doesnt look smooth for Indian GP.....

I dono why BIC is not trying for other motor sports like GP2, Moto GP to make it viable.... Right now the track is only been used for some testing and shooting commercials ....

 

[luckych]

chennai airport metro station

 

[patentneer]

British Gurkhas, Check This Find on youtube

Argentina
- Right at the end a Gurkha swears 'Ma Chikna', many on this thread should understand .

Taliban Vs. British Gurkhas, speaking Nepali, live fight.

YouTube

 

[gslv mk3]

Hyderabad Outer Ring Road

Copyright Renu Jayaraj;

Copyright Gowtham Kommisetti;

Copyright Pattabhi Vemulapati;

 

[gslv mk3]

Kolkata Airport