The A1 Grand Prix, in its third year, will have 11 races in 10 countries, involving 23 teams including a refurbished Indian team, but no race yet planned for India. The scenario is a bit confusing, even though it is common knowledge that the Indian franchisee last year was a washout and a new set of managers have taken up position, organising new sponsors.

Yohann J Setna, COO, A1GP India, said today that the money (the budget was around $4 million) is being mostly put up through a Spice Group deal with A Holdings. And a top notch driver in India’s only Formula One star Narain Karthikeyan has committed a good deal of time to the A1 GP. However, there are regions that need attention.

Primarily, the co-sponsors are yet to be identified by the franchisees, and though A1 GP Asian Region CEO David Clare said that this continent was a market he was looking at pursuing, he had yet to talk to any party in this country regarding developing a track with correct specifications.

The discussion here today indicated that the A1 authorities were probably waiting for a move in the Formula One front — and a track being built — before putting their India race programme in motion.

Interestingly, even though the A1 GP cars — incidentally, the India car will now sport a light blue-white combination instead of the usual tricolour — offer lower technology as far as engine and other sections go, the safety requirements and attendant paraphernalia would be no less (than F1). Hence a F1 track would be ideal.

... contd.