Opinion Bend in the road

That was then. It was the early 1990s when it was more about sportsmanship than pomp. Then came the emerging countries and their aspirations,their desire to be part of the F1spectacle. More circuits have meant more visibility and opportunity for countries like Singapore,Bahrain and South Korea to show that they too have arrived. Later in the month,Delhi will host its first ever F1 race,like Abu Dhabi did two years ago.

In 2009,a girl in red Louboutin stilettos swayed like a branch as cars whizzed by at Abu Dhabi’s first F1. Her red shoes — purchased from Ferrari World,the largest indoor amusement park and the first Ferrari theme park — matched the Ferrari red. She was making a statement,she belonged there. But she kept looking up to see who else had arrived. From one of the fish bowl-type hospitality boxes,valued at thousands of dirhams,Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls looked on. In Monte Carlo,Calvin Klein model Natalia Vodianova was upset because she had been trumped by the arrival of Monaco’s royalty and hadn’t been photographed enough.

We all like parties we can’t get into — and that’s part of the F1 allure. From watching the bling on racing driver Jensen Button’s diamond-studded helmet to being asked by James Stunt,“How high is your bank balance?”,exactly as Michael Schumacher drove by. This year,Stunt married F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone’s daughter Petra

It’s not surprising that many discredit the sport as a rich man’s hobby. Some call it a mere circus,but when you see a fast car approaching a sharp bend and the driver behind the wheel waits for the very last moment to hit the break and swoop ahead of his opponent,the skill is evident.

But there are pitfalls. So many circuits have been built and so many stadiums stay empty,like the Istanbul Park. Not many saw the Turkish Grand Prix because the circuit was along the unglamorous side of the Bosphorus. The mania of wealth has led some to rent boats along the harbour in Monaco to see the race from a unique angle. Others are shocked at the wild amount spent on hospitality boxes. In Delhi,one box can cost up to Rs 1 crore.

You would not see F1 sportsmen at soirees and galas,nor are they presented in forced designer suits. But many deals are struck at such events,as these are spaces for the uber-rich. Tobacco,engineering and communications giants come up with team sponsorships that fuel the game.

At the F1 hoopla in many cities,there is a division between the haves and have-nots. Delhi,perhaps,can be different. The minimum price for a ticket here is Rs 2,500. That means the doors are open wider than in most countries. Yes,champagne may still be showered in an over-the-top display of opulence,but India presents a unique opportunity to make this game more inclusive,to shatter the exclusivity bubble.

“F1 is political — it’s about money,” said Senna once. India has a real chance to prove Senna wrong and return the game to a sport that everyone loves. Delhi has shown its drive in the spectrum of ticket prices: from Rs 2,500 to Rs 1 crore. Here the game may find its redemption.