Bernie Ecclestone says there are no doubts surrounding India’s preparations for its inaugural grand prix in 2011 ahead of his visit to lay the foundation stone at the country’s new circuit in October.
India is scheduled to make its long-awaited debut on the calendar in the season after next at a new motor racing circuit being built in Greater Noida, which is on the outskirts of New Delhi.
However, it was recently revealed that race promoters encountered exchange control stumbling blocks in January when the Indian sports ministry rejected their request to remit $36.5 million (£22.5m) to Formula One Administration, with the sports ministry quoted as saying that F1 “is not purely sports”. ITV
However, Ecclestone has confirmed he will be in India in October to lay the foundation stone for the Hermann Tilke-designed circuit to be built in Greater Noida, south east of New Delhi.
“We are waiting for the circuit to be constructed, but it’s been on for a long time,” Ecclestone said.
“There’s never been any doubt. The contract was signed a long time back.
“The foundation stone will be laid in late October, and I will be in India to do that.” The Press Association
Interest in F1 has increased massively in India after Force India’s Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella finished second at the Belgian GP to record the Indian team’s first points in 30 starts.
But India’s sports minister Manohar Singh Gill made his stand clear, dismissing F1 as “expensive entertainment”.
“That’s his view. The rest of the world thinks it is a sport,” said Ecclestone.
Cricket-crazy India is trying to shed its tag of being a one-sport nation and interest in F1 grew when Narain Karthikeyan became the first Indian driver in the series in 2005. Yahoo! Eurosport
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