Proposed street-race for Indian GP ?

March 28, 2007

As we wrote earlier, the Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya is hell-bent on bringing Formula 1 to India and our good ol’ Bernie is also very much interested in Indian Grand Prix. While earlier there were talks of building of a new circuit [which is not yet abandoned completely], now there are talks of having a street-race in the Indian capital, New Delhi.

As per the reports, the chief minister of Delhi, Mrs Sheila Dixit has shown quiet an interesting in the street-race on her talks with Vijay Mallya. Because if the street-race version becomes a possibility, it will put New Delhi on world map [not that it is not already] and will also bring the tourists and race enthusiasts by the truck-load.

The reports also suggest that the plans of creating a dedicated circuit are not shelved and talks are still going on. But the street-race version is being seen more as an temporary fixture until the circuit is built.

Now having a street-race is all good & exciting, but in a place like Delhi is going to bring forward its own challenges. IT is said that the street-circuit would be built, most probably, on the same route that is followed during Republic Day parade [which we had marked in yellow in the image attached]. But as you see in the image, there is no space for putting put pits for the teams, let alone space for parking their motor homes.

Also given the red-tape procedures in India, it is going to be one very long and interesting fight in having the street-race in the national capital. But we are definitely looking forward to the first Indian Grand Prix.