19/10/2011
NEWS STORY
A leading executive with the organisers of the forthcoming Indian Grand Prix says a successful event will erase "shameful" memories of last year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
Last year's games remain shrouded in controversy, in terms of the lack of organisation, the seeming unpreparedness for the event and widespread talk of corruption.
Speaking ahead of next week's inaugural Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit, Jaiprakash Gaur, founding chairman of the Jaypee Group, the organisers of the event, said that a successful weekend will obliterate any lingering memories of the games fiasco.
"We will make up for the shameful memories of the Commonwealth Games," the Associated Press reports him as saying. "The world's perception of India is going to change after the Grand Prix and people will forget what happened because of the Commonwealth Games.
"This is a great chance for India to promote tourism, as many people from different countries will be here. India has seen incredible growth in the past 15 years and this will push it up a few notches.
"We're giving the venue final touches and the next seven days are enough to take care of that," he added. "Tickets sales have been fantastic with 70% of all tickets and 90% of the corporate blocks sold."
The Jaypee Group claim that they are confident of breaking even on the New Delhi event within the next two to three years, a claim that many other organisers have made before. However, with a growing interest in F1 and a burgeoning middle-class with the necessary cash, few, at the time, would bet against the event being a success.