Dreams on full throttle

Land for the racing track has already been identified at Gopanpally, close to the state capital. German track designer Herman Tilke, one of the men behind the Middle-East8217;s first F1 circuit at Bahrain, has seen the spot and approved of it. A consortium of investors has been lined up to step in the moment Ecclestone gives the nod.

In the meantime, Naidu is not holding his breath. Following a meeting with F1 Power Boating Race chief promoter Nicolo di San Germano, he is planning how to host the first such race in the famous Hussainsagar Lake next year. The MoU is to be signed on October 17.

The international competition is similar to the motoracing F1, and similar rules apply: For 45 minutes, the race follows a circuit around a selected stretch of water. Top speeds hover around 220 kmph. The 350 bhp boats go from zero to 100 kmph in 3.5 seconds.

However, while the Hussainsagar provides a readymade venue for acquatechniques, the 8216;real8217; F1 track will call for investments of at least Rs 1000 crore. Supporting infrastructure will be required in the shape of exclusive feeders for the track from the airport as in Sepang, Malaysia, so that the F1 teams do not interfere with normal traffic and separate customs counters for the tonnes of equipment each F1 engine has around 5,000 parts, listing and checking which need special expertise and, according to specifications, have to be completed within two hours.

Heavy duty? There8217;s more. Aficionados say that the two weeks of actual action at a Grand Prix is the climax of a year of spending Rs 90-135 crore.

Indian enthusiasts remember that five years ago, the F1 bug had bitten West Bengal as well. Land was even earmarked for the project, but the huge costs eventually scuppered the plans.

If Naidu can pull this one off, though, the returns could be as spectacular as the Grand Prix. While Monaco is by far the highest earner, averaging 200 million a year, Australia 8212; one of the newer stops of the F1 circus 8212; netted 140 million last year.

According to Nazir Hoosein, one of the four permanent F1 stewards appointed by the Federation Internationale d8217; Automobile, the earnings come from the factors associated with staging a race. For example, on an average, 7,000 hotel rooms are booked for a week of the races, because apart from the participating personnel, each team brings with them loyal followers. 8216;8216;They are in hundreds, and go wherever the team goes,8217;8217; said Hoosein. 8216;8216;With no F1 happening here, Indians travel to Malaysia, the nearest F1 circuit.8217;8217;

Then there is the airport traffic. The cars arrive in three jumbo jets; the equipment flies in separately. 8216;8216;It8217;s phenomenal. The airlines will rake it in. Tourism is another money-making aspect,8217;8217; said Hoosein. So much so that Bahrain has decided to suspend its advance travel visa requirements for all visitors to the inaugural F1 Bahrain GP in April 2004.

The F1 year currently features 16 races. If Bahrain is the newest destination in Asia, China is almost ready and Turkey and Dubai are next in line. In the race of the fastest, will Hyderabad make the grade?