After days of speculation over a passing comment from F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone during the Hungarian Grand Prix Weekend, the FMSCI and Jaypee Sports International have confirmed that the race will not feature in the 2014 calendar. It is will make an appearance in early 2015 before the start of the European season.
The official reasons that seem to have emerged for the shifting of the race include logistics and the fact that next year’s calendar will host two new venues and return to an old one. This list includes the Soichi circuit in Russia, the Grand Prix of New Jersey and the Austrian Grand Prix slated to return next year. The Indian Grand Prix features in the second half of the year after a lengthy European tour. The sport’s promoters feel that clubbing it with the first round of Asian races will make it easier for the teams.
While issuing the statement, Eccelstone also hinted that the reasons behind taking such a step were also political. It is likely that he was referring to the high taxes and customs duties that the teams were being forced to pay over the course of their last two appearances at the BIC.
Before we end this story with a rather sad note on why we will miss the pinnacle of motorsport in 2014, let us revisit the last two races held in 2011 and 2012. The first Indian Grand Prix was held in 2011 and won by reigning champion Sebastian Vettel. He dominated most of the weekend to finish ahead of Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso. The event was a great success and saw over 95, 000 attending and JPSI winning promoter of the year.
The 2012 race saw a diminished crowd of 65, 000 attending but was still quite a success. German ‘Wunderkid’ and now two-times world champion Sebastian Vettel dominated the weekend and the race to finish ahead of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and his Red Bull team mate Mark Webber. JPSI won the best race promoter award again.
And now the sad note; we had exclusively interviewed Jean Todt, president of the FIA, who spoke positively on the future of motorsports in India and other developing markets. Considering his point of view, it seems rather puzzling that for reasons that can be worked out, Indian motor sports fans are being deprived of a race.
