The Indian GP promoter is confident that the race will return to the schedule in a healthy state in 2015 after skipping 2014 – but says that the event would benefit from government support.
Thus far the race has run without any help, and indeed has been held despite the controversy over the government’s attempts to collect tax revenue from the visiting teams.
“We have a very sound contract with the F1 management,” Sameer Gaur of Jaypee Sports told NDTV. “Bernie Ecclestone is a wise man, and he believes in India as a destination. The 2014 Indian Grand Prix is not happening because of logistical problems, but those problems will be sorted out and in 2015, bang on, we will be on target.
“We will continue to have the Grand Prix till our five-year contract runs [out]. But after five years, let us see how the situation is. We don’t want to disappoint the F1 enthusiasts in India, the ones who have gotten used to watching the Grand Prix here. We have that in mind, and god willing we will find a way out.”
Regarding the role of the government, he added: “If F1 has to be in India on a long-term basis, the Government of India should own the event like it is their own event, not only look at it as a Jaypee event. Yes, Jaypee has made the circuit. Yes Jaypee has paid the license fee, but the government can share the licence fee. There are many governments around the world that share the F1 license fee.
“We should see the model of Singapore and Abu Dhabi. When you go to these countries, it looks like a festival in those times. Their government popularises F1 in every step. Whether it is their buses, their metros, their restaurants. Jaypee as a private entity can only do that much to create the buzz, we have our limits. But large levels of interests can only be created by the government.”
Adam Cooper F1 
I would suggest that the Indian government spend its money on the welfare of its people rather than filling Ecclestone’s pockets.
Of all the silly places Bernie thus far has selected for an F1 circuit, India is by far the silliest. Consider the numbers.
India is the size of France and has half again more people than the whole of Europe, yet there are only five dedicated auto motor racing circuits in the entire country (including Buddh). This obvious implication is this that India is a nation with a nonexistent grass roots racing movement. Only one Indian in 50 even owns a car. Further, the average annual income of more than one-fourth of India’s 1.2B people is less than the price of the cheapest ticket for a three-day grand prix weekend. And Uttar Pradesh — where Buddh is located — has more citizens who live below the poverty line than any other province in the country.
So by all means, let’s make sure India contributes to the maintenance of Bernie’s daughters’ $10 crore Beverly Hills mansions instead of feeding and clothing her own poor.
Bernie could not care any less about the size of the on-site audience, as long as the promoter can pay the sanction fee. It’s all about the TV audience and other massive media coverage that comes with an F1 event.
India is the size of france? check maps again please. n please do a study onthe auto mobile market revenue in india.
That’d be just too logical.