When Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes said that the day when tracks in Europe will conduct a night or early morning race to please the Asian audience is not far away, the F1 fraternity did not take his statement seriously. But the Malaysian did really mean business when he said it. Fernandes’ confidence stems from the fact that the investment from Asian business houses is slowly superceding traditional European sponsors.
Ten years ago, F1 was predominantly a European affair. But a ban on tobacco advertisement and recession forced F1 circus ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone to look elsewhere for expansion. In the current calendar, eight out of 20 races are in Asia (including Bahrain which was cancelled owing to unrest in that country). While South Korea was added to the calendar last year, the most expensive sport looks to capture the Indian market when it makes a stop for the first time in Greater Noida on October 30. It is not the venues alone, there is an Asian touch to everything ranging from team owners, such as, Sahara Force India and Malaysia-based Team Lotus to well established drivers.
Given the growth of motorsport and potential investors in Asia, the shift to the East was inevitable, says Fernandes. “Motorsport is booming in the continent. Sponsors are ready to pour millions into the sport. So Asia is where the future is,” said the team principal of Lotus, the best among the three new teams on the grid.
Owing to the motorsport culture and facilities, all the team’s headquarters are based in Europe. The continent also makes up for a sizeable chunk of F1’s 530million TV viewership. But recent statistics reveal that China tops the chart and numbers in India have been shooting up every year since Narain Karthikeyan made his F1 debut in 2005.
Veteran driver Pedro de la Rosa says F1 can’t be focused solely on Europe as it is to develop as a global sport. “It is very hard for all those who, like me, grew up watching F1 races at the Nurburgring, at Brands Hatch, Estoril or at the Paul Ricard circuit. But I should admit that tracks in Asia are unique too. The stunning Singapore streets with its night race can compete with Monaco for the jewel of F1 tag and Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi is known for its twilight race,” added Rosa.
The recently-unveiled Buddh International Circuit possesses the longest straight in F1. Champion Sebastian Vettel has already lauded the efforts of Jaypee Group for dishing out a ‘rollercoaster track’.
Monisha Narang, the CEO of Sauber team, says F1 needs India more than the country needs the sport. “This year’s Formula One schedule comprises 19 races in 18 countries, and it’s right and proper that India is now part of this exclusive group. The decision to add India to the calendar reflects the country’s global and economic standing.
“India also represents a very big market for Formula One and, as such, has huge potential for many companies, some of which are already involved in the sport. Plus, India ranks as a high-tech hub nowadays and boasts of qualified specialists. The grand prix could open doors for more engineers and companies to find their way into Formula One. As I see it, incorporating India into the World Championship is a good move both for the country and for the sport,” said the Indian-born.