An Indian Perspecitive (on F1)...

Closer followers of my journalistic career may be aware that over the last year I've been moonlighting as a guest contributor for The Times'* (award-winning) F1 blog. Having watched the first race I've seen in a month yesterday, and in the spirit of being in India, I've just written something for the first time in a while. Those interested can read the transcript here. As a mouth-watering taster of the fascinating insights that follow, here are the first three paragraphs:

I've been in India for the last month as the first stage of a "gap year" tour around the world (which coincidentally explains my total disappearance from this blog since September), and as this season ends I feel obliged to provide some sort of voice for what could well be F1's largest worldwide following.

Due to various travels, I ended up missing the live telecasts of pretty much the entire climax to the season, with the exception of yesterday's Abu Dhabi bonanza. However, that is in no way reflective of the coverage of F1 over here - whether or not you watch the race, you'll be sure to find out the result whether you want to or not. I think this is the 15th time I've been India (my "other" home), and this has always been the case. Every qualifying and race is broadcast, but more pertinently the practice sessions are covered as well - something we lacked in the UK for years until BBC took over again this season. Coverage in the print media is also excellent, and for good reason too - after cricket (which you are better considering as a religion than a sport here), F1 probably garners the second greatest interest across the board.

As I say, this has been the case for years. My love of F1 almost certainly developed here in India as a 6-year old tyke, when my uncle would sit me down every Sunday to bear witness to the ministry of Michael Schumacher back in his Bennetton days. "Man over machine", as he would describe it - and too right he was. And certainly, I have met no one anywhere else in the world more passionate and knowledgeable about the sport than him. And while he is an individual, he's a representation of F1's following in India - it is everywhere. Drive around the roads here (at your peril), and you'll be passed by many a 2-wheeler, wriggling between cars like a rat on wheels. What you'll quickly spot is the remarkable number of moving adverts for Marlboro cigarettes... and indeed for various other brands that happened to adorn Michael Schumacher's helmet back in the day. Since helmets became compulsory a few years back, replica's of MS's design have sold like hot cakes - though the odd replica Alonso and Hamilton wouldn't be a total surprise on the streets of Mumbai. What strikes home is that the appreciation of the sport in the country - the passionate following of a team or a driver that has been present in India for years on end (certainly throughout my lifetime) - is totally independent of national interest. (continue reading)

For those really interested, some of my previous F1 articles for The Times' blog can be found here, here or here.


* I keep seeing and keep getting annoyed by the same repeated mistake - particularly in the US media. "The Times" is the original Times newspaper, and is called The Times. Not "The London Times" or "The Times of London". And yes, it also invented "Times New Roman".