India will stage its first Formula One Grand Prix in 2010

Sep 18: The crazy racing fans of India must get ready for the fast and furious thriller of speeding cars in the country, as India is going to host officially first Formula One Grand Prix, in the early part of 2010 in the National Capital Region of Delhi.

Speaking to media persons on Monday, Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi said that Chief architect for the F1 circuits Hermann Tilke, had inspected various venues during his visit to the Indian capital recently, and short-listed two suburban areas Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh and Sohna in Haryana for the F1 track.

With Vijay Mallya taking over the Team Spyker this month, Karun Chandhok winning the GP 2 series race and Narain Karthikeyan rated, as the fastest Indian in the World, India will surely have a strong presence and great run in F1 circuit.

“FIA has left the final choice to IOA. We are free to choose between the two sites,” said Kalmadi. The site at Sohna is measured between 1200 and 1500 acres while the one at Greater Noida is around 1600 acres in area. While Kalmadi refused to name any venue, it has come to notice that Gurgaon is the front-runner in the race, as DLF has shown interest in the event. It is also learnt that Tilke had also shown interest in the Gurgaon site. “The IOA and the promoter of the event will choose between the short listed venues”, added Kalmadi.

The IOA chief said, “he had detailed discussions in connection with the race with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone in London last week”.

He said, “F1 had handed over two draft contracts, one a race promotion contract and the second, a circuit rights agreement.”

"We have got the draft contract. We will look in to the money part and then sign on it," the IOA chief said. Whether there is any deadline from the Fl Management Group to sign the contract, Kalmadi only said that we have plenty of time. "We are in no particular hurry."

Kalmadi said that the race would now take place in 2010 (around March), the same year as the Commonwealth Games. “We have to negotiate with both the state governments,” he said. “The contract will be for a minimum of 10 years and IOA will finalise the sites very soon.”

When asked why New Delhi has been given preference of the venue in India, Kalmadi said that the city was already scheduled to host the Commonwealth Games in 2010. "So we will have well-prepared an international airport, hotels and other infrastructure by that time, as it is a huge project, 45 aircrafts will land for the race. We will have to provide accommodation to around 5000 people in nearby hotels.”

“We have also to ensure that we earn revenues from the race, besides how to use the circuit not only during the ten days of the race but also in the remaining 355 days of the year,” explained Kalmadi.

Asia has already hosted four F1 races in Malaysia, Bahrain, Japan and China, with Abu Dhabi scheduled to host one from 2009. Tilke, the chief architect would be visiting the capital again to make a master plan for the circuit. The Fl track must not take more than one-and-a-half years to be constructed.

Formula One is a Non-Olympic event; the IOA is still involved in the project as a part of its effort to bring as many major sporting events ahead of the city's staging of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The Year 2010 will certainly be on the highest point in the history of Indian sports as well as for New Delhi so far, as we will be going to host Formula One race, Commonwealth games and World Cup hockey championship in the very same year. In addition we would have already had the honour of organising the World Badminton Championship that would be held in 2009 in India.