While the response to the India England ODI series has been lukewarm, the Formula One is certainly hotting up India. With Sourav Ganguly, the Dada of Indian cricket, throwing his weight behind the first India F1 Grand Prix race, will India do the same?
Narain Karthikeyan
The positive aspect about Formula One in India is that it already has a huge fan following in the country. That the race is now coming to a dedicated track in India is an added bonus. And with Indian drivers such as Narain Karthikeyan getting more attention as a result of it, it is no wonder racing teams and fans are changing strategies.
For one, Sourav Ganguly is not talking cricket but Formula One and intends to throw his weight behind Karthikeyan whom the Hispanic Racing Team have wisely chosen to drive in this race given the focus in India. However, Dada is also involved in campaigning for the newly named Sahara Force India team, the team that is now coowned by Vijay Mallya and the Sahara Group, two of the IPL franchisees in cricket, who have joined hands for the Formula One team.
Given India's poor string of results in England and the cricket or viewer fatigue that followed India winning the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, it would seem that Formula One is getting to bask in the sun more than otherwise accorded, even for a first time race in India. With Indian cricket for a change having to maintain a low profile, it has assuaged fears from a year ago when there were serious concerns that the Formula One race weekend could suffer as a result of cricket's popularity. However, it would seem that perhaps even Indian cricket was in a benevolent mood, although not reflected in the current India England series.
Formula One racing is not known only for the fast races and flashy teams but also, for the glamour it attracts and undoubtedly there will be plenty of that from all sections and fields of society as they descend for the action and thrill packed weekend. That cricket would also lend to it would only seem natural.
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