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Come October 2011, five red lights will go off, signalling the start of the first Indian Grand Prix at a state-of-the-art, brand spanking-new race track in Greater Noida near New Delhi. You can safely expect cars from Red Bull Racing and Ferrari to go ballistic towards the right-hand corner number one. Soon the world will get to see television footage from corner number three — that of a helmet rising, of the leading driver. Corner three is magical, with a 14-metre elevation and a blind corner thrown into it, says Mark Hughes, vice president (operations), Jaypee Sports International (JPSI), who seems to have a grip on the sand pit that the JPSI track is now. Like a true Formula One romantic, he is able to picture cars doing 250 kph plus around a track site that is yet to receive even a drop of tarmac. But he has set the most important things in place and that includes the world’s finest Formula One track designer and a private track owner who is dedicated to doing the very best. And of course, the blessings of Bernie Ecclestone and FIA.
Such a briefing should have been enough not to invite comparisons with the Commonwealth Games preparations. Almost half an hour into the interview and a few questions later aimed below the belt, Sameer Gaur, MD and CEO of JPSI decided to stamp his authority on the proceedings. “We were part of the construction of the Sardar Sarovar dam project. As a child, I saw how the massive project was taken to its conclusion and I have no doubt about the Formula One track and its timely completion. We may encounter a few problems but we will have our very own solutions too...” he paused for effect. Sure enough, the Jaypee Group is not unfamiliar to gigantic projects, but Gaur admits F1 is a different ball game altogether and is aware that India does not boast any serious F1 heritage. “That said, this is a project involving immense national pride and we don’t want to falter on any count,” he says.
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