GREATER NOIDA, India: Indian Grand Prix organisers were bullish about the troubled race’s future yesterday despite a drop in the estimated crowd figures and its disappearance from the schedule next year.
Organisers did not reveal how many people came to watch Sebastian Vettel’s coronation as world champion for the fourth time, but estimates varied from 50,000 to 60,000.
While not confirmed, the figures for Sunday are lower than the 95,000 who attended the inaugural race day in 2011 and the 65,000 who watched it last year.
Officials had been hoping for a strong turn-out to help ensure the Indian race returns, as promised, on the 2015 calendar after surprisingly being dropped for 2014.
However, promoters Jaypee Sports International (JPSI) said the crowd figures were similar to attendances at other grands prix around the world.
“We were always confident of good crowd numbers,” a JPSI media officer said.
“Formula One is new to the country and it will take time for fans to warm up to it.”
“We are close to the average attendances worldwide on race days, except perhaps in Silverstone which attracts a bigger crowd,” he added. “We will definitely host the race again in 2015.”
The Indian GP has been hit by a troubled economy and sliding rupee, government apathy, a lop-sided financial arrangement and the lack of a home-grown driver to create local buzz.
Sunday’s race even came under threat from a court petition seeking its cancellation over alleged unpaid entertainment taxes, but the hearing was postponed.
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone did not attend this weekend, despite Vettel entering the race as a near-certainty to seal a fourth straight world title.
AFP
