FIA, Force India and India

FIA or the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, has had its plans for India disclosed long ago. They desperately wanted to make the sport popular in a country like India. F1 is big money spent and big money earned. Even if the Indian audiences in multi-millions watch the sport on TV, then it amounts to a huge revenue.

Chandrababu Naidu had almost finalised an F1 track in India near Hyderabad before he lost the state elections. Maharashtra government under Sushilkumar Shinde had jumped to the idea of having a F1 track near Mumbai-Pune expressway but that was during the lock-in period FIA had with Andhra Govt. Next it is known that Sushilkumar Shinde had to deal with the impending elections in the state. Finally Delhi also wanted to be the host to it. Narain Karthikeyan was included in F1 amid all these circumstances. This clearly shows the sports body's intentions to make a place in India. They added China also in their calendar during the same time.

Team Force India indeed could have been called Force Kingfisher, but let me be a cynic and I want to believe that having India in the name of the team maximises the reach of the sport. This might be a more driving force in the 'naming' rather than, love of the owner of the team, for his country.

As soon as the Sports Minister of India, talks of not allowing the sports company to have soft loans amounting to some Rs. 550 crs from RBI, the very next race is won by Force India after standing nowhere in earlier 30 races.

Mr. Mallya, how about having all the athletes of Indian Olympic team endorsing your brand of Kingfisher and you spend a fraction of the money on them rather than what you spent to put FORCE INDIA on F1 map? It is a sure shot recipe for more glory for India in Olympics.

F1 needs a huge infrastructure which will not even be used the year round. With airports for huge Cargo planes which carry the teams and the cars, hotels for the teams as well as the spectators visiting, et all.

When our ex-sportsperson are driven to prostitution, a few bucks from a "true sports-loving and patriotic person" like you should better go for them. SAY WOT, Mr. King of 'only(?)' Good Times?