As Formula One packed up its wares and headed for airport the previous October, the consensus was that India had more than earned the right to sticker its maiden grand prix a qualified success, and it will work better in the world’s second-most populous country than it has so far in its larger neighbour to the north.
But can interest in this event be sustained during the five years of its contract? For when this raucous circus has travelled east, to South Korea and China for example, it has not been an overwhelming success. The future of the South Korea race is in doubt after three events and interest in China, which has been on the schedule since only 2004, is dwindling.
However, the India GP has some perceptible advantages over South Korea or China. It has been financed by private developers, rather than the government, which means its future will hinge on the success of the event in generating the revenue required rather than being at the whim of a change in the ruling party.
India also has a foothold in the sport beyond hosting a grand prix; it has a driver – Narain Karthikeyan, who will drive for HRT on Sunday – an Indian-backed team, Sahara Force India — and an India-born team principal — Monisha Kaltenborn of Sauber.
Unlike in China, a country with practically no auto-racing culture and relatively few racing fans, India, where Formula One races have been broadcast on television for two decades, already has a huge number of fans following the series. According to some estimates, the fan base in India dwarfs that in some countries in Europe, the series’ home continent.
“You are not arriving in a country where there are no fans and you are trying to create a fan base. You are arriving in a country where already you have 25 million viewers who tune in to watch Formula One on television,” feels former F1 racer Karun Chandhok.
The communications company that is the title sponsor of Sunday’s grand prix, recently ended its sponsorship of Champions League Twenty20 cricket, the sport that dominates advertising in India. Formula One is nowhere in the precincts of cricket in terms of popularity and frenzy, and perhaps, it would ever be.
But it has carved out a niche of its own, and major marketing players want to be identified with the Grand Prix (like for example Amul India’s partnership with the Sauber just for the GP last year).
“For Formula One, coming to such a big market like India is a fantastic chance because you can access that for partners you already have, but also for new partner. It is good for existing partners but also other partners who could use now the platform of Formula One to do something in India,” reckoned Monisha Kaltenborn, the India-born team principal of Sauber.
Nonetheless, the Formula One would never spur mass hysteria in the country. It’s not designed to either.