By IANS
New Delhi : India will hold its first Formula One Grand Prix race in 2010, either in Greater Noida or Sohna near Delhi, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi announced here Monday.
Addressing a press conference, Kalmadi said that Grater Noida in Uttar Pradesh and Sohna in Haryana, both suburbs of Delhi, have been shortlisted following a survey by architect Hermann Tilke of the world Formula One body.
“I’m happy to say the first race has been finalised for the year 2010,” Kalmadi announced.
“We will be signing the contract for 2010. The month is not finalised, but it could be March, or after the Bahrain Grand Prix,” he said.
The Formula One race will be the first of the two big sports events to be held in India in 2010, the other being the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October.
Kalmadi said he met Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone in London last week.
“I’m happy to say he told me it is a good report (prepared on Delhi) and that they have selected two sites for the Formula One track,” he said.
“He also handed over to me the two draft contracts, for race promotion of the Grand Prix of India in the Formula One World Championship and the circuit rights agreement.”
The world body has asked IOA to choose between Greater Noida, which offers an area of 1,600 acres, and Sohna, which has an area between 1,200 and 1,500 acres available, for the race.
Earlier, the world Formula One body had allotted the 2009 race to Delhi.
But the deadline of Sep 30 set by the world Formula One body to finalise the initial formalities has been extended.
Kalmadi, however, declined to disclose the new deadline.
One reason for the one-year delay could be the unavailability of as big a plot of land as needed for the racetrack within the national capital.
Kalmadi said that the Formula One contract would be for 10 years.
“The contract will be for a minimum 10 years. We have to work out how to utilise the track round the year,” he said.