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(CNN) -- Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that the 2011 Formula One world championship will have a record 20 races with the introduction of a grand prix near Delhi, India, in October.
Talking to reporters in Shanghai, ahead of this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, F1 supremo Ecclestone revealed that no races would be dropped from the calendar, despite uncertainty surrounding the Turkish Grand Prix.
"We will definitely be in India next year," said Ecclestone. "We are not dropping anything -- it's 20 races -- getting ready for 25!.
Ecclestone is eager to take the sport to all corners of the globe, with a lot of interest in India surrounding Karun Chandhok, who drives for F1 newcomers Hispania Racing.
However, the 79-year-old also believes local organizers should be doing more to promote races, with attendances at this weekend's Shanghai race expected to be poor.
"It is a shame because the whole venue is super, everything is good. They are not promoting it properly -- it is as simple as that," Ecclestone added.
"The people that run the place ought to do a bit more. If you were in Shanghai you wouldn't even know there is a race here."
Later this month the Formula One circus will roll into China's financial capital for the seventh annual Shanghai Grand Prix. It will be one of six races to be held in the Asian time zone this season. The world's most expensive sport is looking for growth outside its traditional center in Europe, and Asia is the key new market. Whether Asia will live up to the dreams of the F1 bosses is another matter.
F1 has a long history in some parts of Asia. Japan's Suzuka circuit dates to the early 1960s, and the Japanese fan base rivals that of many countries in Europe. Japanese drivers and constructors (F1-speak for carmakers) are well established. Malaysia lacks that tradition, but it still hosted the first F1 race in Asia outside of Japan in 1999. For years Malaysians have been race hosts and team sponsors and there was even a Malaysian driver for a season.
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German river Adrian Sutil of Force India enters turn 2 during second practice session at Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
.Lately, however, Asia has witnessed a new phenomenon: Hosting a Formula One race has become a status symbol to display growing economic clout. Many locations with no history of motorsport have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to build circuits and buy the rights to hold major races.
Consider Singapore, which in 2008 hosted its first F1 event. The city-state spent 150 million Singapore dollars ($107 million) for the right to host one of the 19 "grand prix" events of the racing year for five seasons, with the Singapore Tourist Board contributing 60% of the money and the rest coming from private enterprise. The result has been a popular night race under hundreds of floodlights through the city's business and historic district, bringing in tourist revenue for the city-state and Asian exposure to F1. Abu Dhabi topped that in 2009 with a race starting in daylight and ending in the moonlight.
But these successes haven't arisen from the growth of a local market for F1, so much as from Asia's ability to cater to fans back in Europe. The evening race times fit afternoon European television schedules for the established audience. Sparking greater Asian interest in F1 will be the key to transforming the region into a profit center for the sport rather than merely an exotic locale for the races Europeans watch on television.
In this regard, the race between China and India is the most interesting event. China has taken a "build it (with government money) and they will come" attitude. The state-of-the-art Shanghai circuit, which opened in 2004, cost $240 million and was built in only 18 months, probably a year faster than it would have taken in Europe. The first event there became the most anticipated race of the season. State support was instrumental: The Shanghai government paid all the bills for circuit construction, supporting infrastructure and the $50 million per year to host the race. The main sponsor was none other than the state-owned oil company, Sinopec.
Yet local interest has been limited. The racing circuit is an inconvenient 30-odd kilometers from the city center. The cheapest grandstand tickets cost more than $100 in a city where the average salary in 2008 was less than $500 per month. Race organizers had to bus in spectators from the ranks of employees at local state-owned companies to make sure the stands looked full on television—and what little initial excitement there was has only waned.
India's approach has predictably been more haphazard. The country has yet to host a race, although a Delhi event is expected in 2011. But that hasn't stopped Vijay Mallya, the Indian equivalent of Richard Branson, from jumping in. Mr. Mallya bought a 50% stake in the Spyker team for 88 million euros ($118 million) in late 2007 and immediately rebranded it as Force India. The team struggled in its first season but in August 2009 it took second place in Belgium and fourth place in Italy two weeks later. Force India has become a solid middle-tier team within two years and there's no reason to think it couldn't be a serious top-tier contender down the road.
F1 provides a global advertizing platform for the larger-than-life Mr. Mallya, chairman of the United Breweries Group and Kingfisher Airlines, and owner of the Bangalore Royal Challengers cricket team. His lavish lifestyle is a source of endless press fascination, which in turn reflects onto his F1 team. Although F1 interest in India is in its infancy, his involvement certainly has brought the sport more media attention. It hardly matters that he's probably losing money on the team (as, reportedly, do most owners, although the financial reports are always a closely guarded secret).
Mr. Mallya's F1 effort more closely resembles the successful formula in Europe—the collision of fast cars and big egos that gives fans excitement both on and off the track. China's mistake has been thinking a flashy track alone will do the trick. Because there are no Chinese personalities of Mr. Mallya's type in F1, the Shanghai race ends up being merely one weekend out of 19 in the racing calendar.
India is often thought to play runner-up to China when it comes to economic achievements. But at least in F1, China's trophy event may prove to be no match for India's podium finish.
Mr. Howie is co-author of "Privatizing China" (Wiley, 2003).
^^^^^a little correction
KARAN CHANDOK is not he first india f1 driver
it is naryan karthikeyan
NEW DELHI: In five months from now, Delhiites can bid adieu to unending jams on the way to the airport and harassment by cabbies.
They will reach the airport from Connaught Place (CP) in specially engineered super luxury Metro coaches, which promise a noise-free ride in a plush ambience, in all of 20 minutes.
The first lot of new trains arrived at Mundra port, Gujarat from Spain on Friday and are on their way to the Capital now. The special coaches have specially been designed for the showcase Airport Express Line, which is scheduled to open in September this year.
The new trains are very different from the existing ones running on the Delhi Metro network. These will have seating for all passengers and the seating is transverse commuters will face the direction of movement of the train for added comfort.
The interiors of the trains have been designed keeping commuter comfort in mind. The lighting is diffused, the seats upholstered, and each coach will have LCD screens for entertainment, which will double up as flight information boards for convenience of air travellers.
Even as the trains zip past the city at a speed of about 120 kmph (the designed speed is higher at 135 kmph), one will not feel any discomfort inside the coaches.
The trains are engineered to reach near-zero noise levels and all the components flooring, insulated walls, windows have in-built noise reduction features. The wheels too have added lubrication for less noise and better riding comfort. The train doors are plug-and-shut type, which shut after sliding out a bit and then move back into original position.
Those headed to the airport from town will have the choice of checking in their baggage at Metro stations which will double up as City Airport Terminals (CATs) for this line.
To secure the baggage, half a coach of every six-coach train will be reserved for baggage.
For commuters taking the Airport Express Link to reach the city, luggage racks have been provided in every coach where people can stack their baggage.
"The trains have been procured from City Airport Terminals, Spain, which is one of the leading manufacturers of high-speed Metros in the world. It has also supplied to Hong Kong Airport metro and London's Heathrow Express. The trains are being brought to Delhi by road and will be tested at the Dwarka depot," said KP Maheshwari, Director, Delhi Airport Metro Express (DAME) Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure Limited, which will operate the Airport Line.
The line will operate on Automated Train Operation (ATO) technology which enables trains to accelerate, brake, adjust speed and stop at stations automatically, in accordance with a pre-set schedule.
The trains can operate without a driver. Every coach will be equipped with CCTV cameras for added security and will also have an event recorder, a kind of a black box, which records every movement of the train.
This device, which can withstand high levels of temperature and impact, will help investigations in case of an accident.
The 23-km Airport Express Line is the first Delhi Metro line to come up on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. As per the agreement between Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Reliance Infrastructure Limited, the concessionaire of the project, DMRC will create all the civil structures the viaduct, tunnels and station buildings, and hand it over to the latter.
The airport line will be developed and run by DAME Pvt Ltd for 30 years.
The good news is that the line will be operational before the Commonwealth Games. "The Airport Line will be better than anything that the city has seen till now. We are going to use the best technologies available around the world and are completing work on a warfooting to open the line by September this year," said Lalit Jalan, CEO and Wholetime Director, Reliance Infrastructure.
The construction of the civil structures is reportedly 90% complete and processes like signalling, electrification, track-laying is under way.
The line will provide a fast-link between New Delhi Railway Station and Dwarka via IGI, with a total of six stops on the way.
The fare will be kept at a maximum of Rs 150 to IGI and Rs 180 to Dwarka from New Delhi.