Image via indiatoday.com
Formula 1 racing is popular in India. A lot of Indians were clued to the season ending race in Abu Dhabi. India had a Grand Prix as well in Delhi. However, Indians are not racing and when they do, not able to ascend the podium.
Bernie Ecclestone, the F1 boss, is supposed to have reviewed the absence of Indian and Chinese drivers in the race. He is concerned that other leagues active in India might take away following from F1. To encourage Indian success in F1, he is considering the following changes.
In his words: “It is very important for any racer to be able to get pole position in a race. Otherwise it becomes difficult. However, my entire perspective changed in India. I was caught in a traffic jam in a Bentley in Bengaluru. Traffic was backed up 8 levels, deeper than F1 grid. To my amazement, I saw a driver in a Tata Indica car pull ahead of my car. Where was the space? Then I realized he had been honking nonstop all the way. He had just honked and irritated the drivers and now, arrived all ready to accelerate! I then realized that for most Indian drivers, the horn is more important than the engine. By not allowing honking, we are not being fair to them.
I had to travel in the direction opposite to my hotel. We needed to drive for a short distance in the opposite direction and then take a U turn. But from the second day, my driver just drove in the wrong side of the lane and then joined the opposite site. He could save 2.5 minutes by this!!
A second bell rang in my head. In F1, the drivers need to follow the track. What if we allow a little bit of driving through as well as driving in the opposite direction? If a driver is being lapped, he needs to take a U turn, drive in the opposite direction, take another U and regain the lead! Amazingly simple!
Another thing I like about Indian driving is that you can stop the car where you feel like it! It must have been hard on Indians to drive their way to the fixed paddock for refueling, tire changes etc! Why can’t we have petrol bunks around the circuit and allow drivers to stop wherever they feel like it?
Next year, we plan to introduce all the three changes in F1. Allow honking, driving in the wrong side once in a while and then allow for impromptu stops! All along, Indian drivers had been disadvantaged by having to follow the boring disciplined driving of Europe. These steps would not only spice it up, but also provide a level driving ground for Indians. Anyway, F1 allows overtaking and lane cutting that Indians relish. Add these three and then we can overtake other leagues happening in India.
Imagine! I learnt these lessons from the cab drivers in India. Imagine what can be achieved by 125 crore Indians when they apply their mind to F1!”