F1: Mercedes-Benz joins Indian GP bandwagon

The carmaker also rolled-out aggressive plans to popularise motorsports through promotional activities,road shows and dealership activations across India.

The two companies have announced that a Performance Driving Academy will be launched in 2012 to foster talent and popularize performance driving. Selected drivers will be able to get a chance to train in Germany.

India will only be the fourth country to have such an academy in association with Mercedes after Germany,US and China.

JPSI CEO and MD Sameer Gaur said their agreement with Mercedes does not mean that safety cars will not come from Europe for the Indian GP.

“Safety car would come from Europe and the Mercedes SLS AMG car will be on stand-by. But it will be a permanent feature at the track,” Gaur said at a press conference.

“It (F1 in India) is a long cherished dream coming true. There is excitement and we have already sold 10,000 tickets.

It’s a cricket-crazy country and the need is to have infrastructure. We will start a driving academy next year,” Gaur added.

Peter Honegg,CEO and MD of Mercedes-Benz,was delighted to announce their partnership with JPSI.

“It’s a red letter day for us. I did not expect F1 coming to India this early. They (JPSI) have kept their promise to bring F1 to India,” Honegg said after alighting from a Mercedes car along with Gaur.

It was also announced that Mercedes buyers can purchase tickets for the Indian GP,along with Mercedes team merchandises,at the company showrooms for the next one and a half months and some of them will get a chance to drive on the BIC track on weekends,but after the race.

Mercedes already provides engines to Force India and McLaren F1 cars apart from having its own team Mercedes GP Petronas team with seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg as its drivers.