FORCE INDIA……OR JUST…….SOURCE INDIA

Well finally, the dust has settled and after all the hype of the maiden Indian venture into the glossy world of Formula 1, the team has officially presented its drivers for the season. And as we all know, there are no Indian drivers. So, did the enigmatic Dr. Mallya, who promised so much, deliver little? On one hand he gave birth to a thousand dreams, fulfilled even more after buying a team, and then………………….broke many of them with his choice of drivers. But is that such a bad thing?

Yes certainly if we consider the present form of both Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandok, many would say that they certainly deserved to be included as the team’s drivers, and maybe it is right. But these people forget to consider that Dr. Mallya is not the sole owner of the team. Instead he has to satisfy his Dutch partner (who has already been pretty accommodating in the naming of the team) and his many sponsors. It many also be noted here that without these crucial people, there would have been no Force India. And a team which has to pump in about $123 million per year has to give business its due respect too, else we have seen far too often what happens to half hearted ventures.

Before you start sulking I don’t intend to say that business is all and what is happening is right. No, I just want to say that maybe it is logical. Now if the team performs decent this season and assure a strong participation for the next, then Dr. Mallya will have more authority to persuade the sponsors for an Indian driver. And also by then if the present form of the Indian drivers continue (and I’m pretty confident about that), it will remove any element of doubt from people’s minds that the present state is just a flash in the pan.

Finally it’s all speculation now. All that matters is that even if Force India does well with its present drivers it will still be a great achievement for India. Not many countries have even reached till here. And I for one have no doubt that Dr. Mallya has given us a good start, something to hold on to. Then a day may also come when an Indian driver, in and Indian team, may drive, and drive competitively at that. Amen!!!