Indian Grand Prix: Where's the buzz?

October 22, 2012
Indian-Grand-Prix-Wheres-the-buzz

Driving down the Greater Noida Expressway, the only indication of the Airtel Indian Grand Prix about to take place in the vicinity is a weather-beaten board that reads: '2011 Formula One Grand Prix'!

The second edition of the Indian GP is all set to be flagged off in less than a week's time, but the build-up to the much-awaited event has been quite quiet, to say the least.

The F1 juggernaut will start rolling in just two-three days' time, but the response among the fans has been rather modest, when compared with last year's inaugural race. When Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel crossed the finish-line to take the chequered flag, there were over 95,000 fans cheering him on at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC).

In 2012, however, the organisers, Jaypee Sports International Limited (JPSI), will be happy even if half of that number turns up on Race Day next Sunday. So why's the buzz missing around the second Indian Grand Prix?

The only Indian driver competing in the Indian GP - HRT's Narain Karthikeyan - has some explanations. "Formula One is a high-profile sporting event. It is probably the biggest international event apart from cricket," Karthikeyan told TOI.

But sources indicate JPSI ticket sales to be in the region of between 55 to 60,000 in a 1,10,000-capacity circuit.

"Last year there was the novelty factor. But after last year, I think a lot of Delhiites are discouraged by the traffic leading up to the track. Also, usually in the second year, and it happens around the world, there is a drop in enthusiasm. I think it should pick up again from next year," the HRT driver, who himself looked pretty exhausted after his long drive back to his city hotel from the track, added. Karthikeyan believes the low ticket sales are not related to lack of interest.

"Unlike China, India is a country where people have plenty of knowledge about motorsports. In China it is only limited to Shanghai. However, in saying that, Brazil is also a developing country like India but they have around 20 different tracks around the country while we have just one F1 track. Even in karting competitions in Brazil, you can see at least 60 karts lining up which you don't get to see in India," the 35-year-old said.

He also believes that attending a F1 GP was more a style statement for a lot of people in India. "Delhiites are brand-conscious people. So in the inaugural season lots of people attended because that was the 'in-thing'.

"From this year onwards you will see only the genuine motorsports fans at the race," he observed. While last year close of 30,000 tickets were sold a week before the race out of the eventual 95,000, this year, till date, JPSI have only managed to sell about 44,000 tickets.

Tickets Anyone?

Rs 2000: Price of lowest priced singleday ticket for 2012 Indian Grand Prix

Rs 12,000: Price of single-day main grandstand ticket (down from Rs 15,000 last year)

Rs 21,000: Price of season ticket of main grandstand (down from Rs 35,000 last year)

95,000: Total ticket sales on Race Day in 2011

44,000: Ticket sales so far

55-60,000: Organiser JPSI's projected ticket sales this year

India Connect

SAHARA FORCE INDIA

It was a while coming but India finally got a team on the Formula One grid with the arrival of Force India in 2007. A consortium led by Vijay Mallya and Michiel Mol bought the Spyker F1 team for £90 million.

From the back of the grid five years back, the team has slowly worked its way up to the middle currently challenging the likes of Sauber and Mercedes for fifth and sixth spot in the Constructor's Championship.

In October last year, Sahara India Pariwar bought 42.5% stake in the team for reportedly $100 million to be rechristened Sahara Force India.

Team Watch

FERRARI

Ferrari's relation to motorsports dates as far back as 1929 but the Italian company first started competing in motorsports in 1948. The motor racing giants have 16 constructors titles to their name and five in a row from 2000-04. Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa brought home two more titles in 2007 and 2008.

President: Luca di Montezemolo

Team principal: Stefano Domenicali


Technical director: Pat Fry

Drivers: Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa

Team Budget: Approximately $259.1 million

2012 Report Card: They have been hit hard by the change in F1 rules especially the banning of the blowndiffusers - one thing in which the team invested on heavily. Alonso has kept them ahead of McLaren in second place.

WILLIAMS

Gone are the days when Williams dominated the world of F1. The British team has nine constructors titles to their credit. But the last title was back in 1997.

Team principal: Frank Williams

CEO: Alex Burns

Technical director: Mike Coughlan

Drivers: Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna


Team Budget: $104.1 million approx.

2012 Report Card: The team had one of their worst seasons in F1 last year with just five points to their credit. Pastor Maldonado produced their first win since 2003, in Spanish GP.




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Agencies
March 3,2020

Mumbai, Mar 3: India on Tuesday retained their number one spot and captain Virat Kohli remained static at second in the ICC rankings despite a dismal Test series against New Zealand.

India have 116 rating points, six more than New Zealand with third-placed Australia accumulating 108 points. The 0-2 result against New Zealand was India's first series loss in the World Test Championship.

Kohli remains in second position in the batting rankings despite a forgettable Test series in which he made 38 runs in four innings, the ICC said in a statement.

New Zealand opener Tom Blundell and his Indian counterpart Prithvi Shaw and debutant paceman Kyle Jamieson were among the biggest movers in the rankings, released on Tuesday.

Blundell had a successful series against India, scoring 117 runs in four innings, with one half-century, which put him among the top two run-scorers in the series.

The performance meant he was rewarded with a jump of 27 places to No. 46. Shaw, who returned for his first series since his Test debut against West Indies in 2018, and made a punchy 54 in the first innings of the Christchurch Test, rose 17 places to No.76.

Australia's Steve Smith retained his top spot, holding a 25-point advantage over Kohli. Smith's apprentice Marnus Labuschagne jumped one spot to round off the top three, taking the place of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes and India opener Mayank Agarwal moved a spot each and swapped places to break into and fall out of the top 10 respectively.

Among bowlers, Tim Southee's Player of the Series winning performance against India took him into the top five, with a jump of two places to No.4, while Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult returned to the top 10, gaining four places each to occupy the seventh and ninth positions respectively.

But the biggest gainer was Jamieson, who rose from No. 80 to 43.

There was only one change in the top ten among all-rounders, with Southee dropping a spot to No.10 and team-mate Neil Wagner falling out of the top 10 with a drop of four spots.

As with the bowling rankings, Jamieson, who frustrated India with handy lower order runs, gained big on the all-rounders' table, rising 26 places to No. 22.

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Agencies
March 13,2020

New Delhi, Mar 13: The remaining ODI series between India and South Africa has been called-off amidst the rising concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

"The second and third ODI between India and South Africa in Lucknow and Kolkata respectively are called off," the BCCI source told media persons.

The first match of the series was abandoned due to rain and wet outfield without a toss at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium on Thursday.

The second and third ODI was scheduled to be played at Lucknow and Kolkata on March 15 and 18 respectively. Earlier on Thursday, the BCCI has decided to play the remaining two ODIs behind closed doors.

"After holding discussions with the MYAS and MOHFW, the BCCI on Thursday announced that the remaining two One-day Internationals (ODIs) of the three-match series of South Africa tour of India, 2020, will be played without any public gathering, including spectators," the BCCI had said in a statement.

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has advised all the federations to avoid large gatherings.

World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday had declared the coronavirus outbreak a 'pandemic' and expressed deep concerns.

The coronavirus disease was first detected in Wuhan in China's Hubei province, in late December, and has since spread worldwide.

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News Network
June 25,2020

New Delhi, Jun 25: India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday called the 1983 World Cup win as the 'landscape' changing moment for the game of cricket in the country.

Today, India is celebrating the completion of the 37 years of the maiden World Cup triumph under the leadership of Kapil Dev.

"Today 37 years ago, changed the cricketing landscape in India. Thank you @therealkapildev and team for making the game a career for many of us today. Deeply indebted," Ashwin tweeted.

In 1983, in the finals between India and West Indies, the latter won the toss and opted to bowl first.

The Kapil Dev-led side managed to score just 183 runs as Andy Roberts took three wickets while Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, and Larry Gomes picked up two wickets each.

Defending 183, India did a good job of keeping a check on the Windies run flow, reducing the side to 57/3.

Soon after, the team from the Caribbean was reduced to 76/6 and India was the favourites from there on to win the title.

Mohinder Amarnath took the final wicket of Michael Holding to give India their first-ever World Cup title win.

In the finals, West Indies was bowled out for 140, and as a result, India won the match by 43 runs.

Kapil Dev lifting the trophy at the balcony of Lord's Cricket Ground still remains an image to savour for all the Indian fans.

In the finals, Mohinder Amarnath was chosen as the Man of the Match as he scored 26 runs with the bat and also picked up three wickets with the ball.

India has been the regular participant in the World Cup from its beginning to the latest edition. The first edition was held in 1975 and from there on, it has taken place after a span of every four years.

West Indies won the first two World Cup titles (1975, 1979) and was the runner-up in 1983. India has won the title two times, in 1983 and in 2011.

MS Dhoni captained the 2011 team to win their second title after 28 years. Australia has won the tournament five times (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015).

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