Yet more dis-organisation by the Indian government...

[GravyMonster]

First of all it was the tax row which meant some teams threatened to boycott the race. This is now solved thanks to the organisers agreeing to pay the tax liability of the teams to the government instead.

Now comes the news that the Indian government/officials are rejecting visa applications of teams and drivers 'due to lack of information'.

So far it's claimed that the majority of the HRT team and Nico Rosberg have had their applications denied.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...for-Indian-Grand-Prix/articleshow/9986606.cms

You'd think they'd use an opportunity like this to show the world that they're an up and coming country with the ability to handle events like this. Muppetry of the highest order.

 

[deuse]

You could not make this stuff up. Oh well no India this year and may as well leave them out from now on.

 

[Skeeter]

Oh, don't worry, they will drive around a muddy field with whoever turns up so long as Bernie gets his money.

All we need now is for a number of drivers to not be able to race due to Dehli Belly and the whole farcical experiment will be complete.

 

[El_Watcher]

Oh, don't worry, they will drive around a muddy field

At least it will make the people who favour gravel traps happy

So far it's claimed that the majority of the HRT team .... have had their applications denied.

Maybe they were unhappy Karthikeyan was dropped

[RACIST] I bet if every team hired an Indian as one of their drivers for this race, these issues would disappear [/RACIST]

 

[alchemistkevin]

I reckon the race would go ahead as planned, they just need to know what palms to grease. Visas, no problem

 

[Skeeter]

Are they having to give away free tickets like they did in Korea to get anyone to actually turn up to spectate?

 

[GravyMonster]

Very likely. It looks like there's only 2 'stands' sold out - one of which is the cheapest available as it's just a hill with no seating.

 

[alchemistkevin]

Are they having to give away free tickets like they did in Korea to get anyone to actually turn up to spectate?

That wouldn't be the case, remember there's a billion+ bums in the country and only a few thousand tickets.

I was initially surprised with the ticket pricing - I thought they were asking for a lot of money but then they have a billion+ people and they'd reckon to get these many seats filled at the current prices easy.

I wouldn't - for a moment - think they'll be giving any tickets away.

 

[GravyMonster]

30,000 tickets have been sold for the Indian Grand Prix, which is fine but it's a 110,000 seat venue. A lot more to shift in only six weeks.

 

[gobbo]

I remember seeing a tweet from Rubens after Monza saying how hard it was to actually get a visa approved.

Granted F1 is new to India, but surely the visa required would be similar to that needed by other sports people such as cricket etc?

 

[Alpherah]

I remember seeing a tweet from Rubens after Monza saying how hard it was to actually get a visa approved.

Granted F1 is new to India, but surely the visa required would be similar to that needed by other sports people such as cricket etc?

Cricket being the national sport, I'm sure the Indian govt bend over backwards to sort it out for them.

 

[Skeeter]

30,000 tickets? Thats shocking.

Even worse if that's counted by day (i.e. 110,000 people over 3 days gives a total spectator limit of 330,000 tickets). If thats the case, they have sold less than 10% of the tickets!

 

[alchemistkevin]

30,000 tickets? Thats shocking.

Even worse if that's counted by day (i.e. 110,000 people over 3 days gives a total spectator limit of 330,000 tickets). If thats the case, they have sold less than 10% of the tickets!

30,000 does sound like a very low number to me, I expected it to be sold out by now... interesting...

 

[GravyMonster]

Latest track pictures, taken this week:

http://yfrog.com/nu9ktcj
http://yfrog.com/nxdnlcj
http://yfrog.com/nygksoaj
http://yfrog.com/mgrvdij
http://yfrog.com/nt8x8oij
http://yfrog.com/h894ithj
http://yfrog.com/g0drwcfj <-- Paddock
http://yfrog.com/nv1fnpj
http://yfrog.com/h8uxxlnj
http://yfrog.com/gzhbafppj

Still seems a fair amount to do. Shall we have a game of spot the grandstand?

 

[Random Guy]

Sorting out the visas should take approx. one phone call to the appropriate ministry by the appropriate MP. Not sure how much more "efficient" it can be.

 

[Muffin`]

Latest track pictures, taken this week:

http://yfrog.com/nu9ktcj
http://yfrog.com/nxdnlcj
http://yfrog.com/nygksoaj
http://yfrog.com/mgrvdij
http://yfrog.com/nt8x8oij
http://yfrog.com/h894ithj
http://yfrog.com/g0drwcfj <-- Paddock
http://yfrog.com/nv1fnpj
http://yfrog.com/h8uxxlnj
http://yfrog.com/gzhbafppj

Still seems a fair amount to do. Shall we have a game of spot the grandstand?

looks like silverstone last year

 

[Skeeter]

I wonder if they will be spraying the dirt green like Korea?

It will be interesting to see if the US GP goes ahead next year. If it struggles to be ready in time, maybe Bernie needs to look at the feasibility of the time frames in which people say they can build GP tracks?

 

[alchemistkevin]

What does that comment have to do with this thread? India was ready in time. US should be OK as well. Korea had problems but that's down to poor project management and not with FIA or Bernie's unreasonable expectations.

 

[Skeeter]

What does that comment have to do with this thread? India was ready in time. US should be OK as well. Korea had problems but that's down to poor project management and not with FIA or Bernie's unreasonable expectations.

We have a psychic in our midst...

 

[elmuzzy66.]

Its not all bad, they got metallica to play during the weekend.