Formula One Bug

Recently there was some talk about F1 racing coming to Delhi.
Not rightaway of course,but in due course.The CM was interested,Vijay Mallya was intrested and figures like 500 crores were being bandied about like petty cash.It's all up in the air at the moment but well who knows? If the Metro can happen and work,anything can.
Ah, and where in Delhi would this futuristic F1 race be held? Alas, this is where it all comes apart.but of course,they said, just look at Rajpath and the roads around India Gate..... Alas, some people have zero imagination and they couldn't think or see beyond Rajpath and Janpath and Parliament Street ( oops Sansad Marg ) and Lutyens Delhi (perhaps because they don't go anywhere else in Delhi).
The last thing that Lutyens Delhi needs is F1 racing. Why?
The rationale behind the building of Lutyens Delhi and Rajpath - which incidentally was called Kings Road or something like that? It was to reiterate the difference between Imperial Order and Native Chaos,It was to reinforce Imperial Power, the superiorty of the gora sahib over the native.And now, by having F1 racing here, all we'll be doing is further reinforcing that. Only that part of the city built by the British can be found fit for something as sophisticated as F1 racing.
Firstly , if you want history, it really all happened here. Shahjehanabad is where Delhi and Delhizens really are and live. Want F1 racing in Delhi, hold it here. Now hang on, don't blow a gasket. just yet.
Agreed , at the moment the roads and streets in the Walled City, would be better suited to special sections of the Paris-Dakar rally, but , that's the point.If F1 racing were to be held here , those roads will be given a complete makeover , perhaps for the first time since Sher Shah Suri built the Grand Trunk road.Secondly, the present fabulous challenges for drivers. We have chicanes, we have sections that narrow suddenly, we have short straights, we have gloriously humped bridges and if we include parts of the ridge, you have picturesque hilly sections too, complete with hairpin bends and fabulous overtaking opportunities.

What more challenging track could Hamilton and Iceman ask for?
And imagine at the number of people that'll be watching and screaming! From windows, rooftops, treetops, the tops of lamposts, traffic lights, everywhere!

Ah and what about the start and finish lines, and pit lanes.... Well obviously, the start and finish will be in front of the Red Fort-now think of what a backdrop that would make.
As for the pit lanes - along one lane of Chandini Chowk of course! i'm imagining there'll be no such racing track anywhere in the world.Monaco would wilt and pale in comparison.
There'll be spin-off benefits too. For instance i'm sure the (tyrewallas) on Rani Jhansi road will be only too glad contribute their wares for the tyre walls.Think of the business and publicity they'll get.And to the fake spare parts dealers in Kashmere Gate, who i assure you,will immediately churn out F1 nose cones and wings at a millionth the orignal cost, all of which , you'll be able to put on your Swift or Honda City or 800 whatever!

But yes. we'll have to be careful they don't sneak them into the F1 garages; we don't want parts for an F1 engine to be magically replaced by those from an 800 do we?

It truly will make for a wonderful spectacle. F1 cars zooming down roads where in the past emperors like Bahadur Shah Zafar took to the air in regal splendour on caparisoned elephants. And imagine the victory podium on the ramparts of the Red Fort, with the trio of victorious drivers waving to the whole Delhi.

So let's see those five lights go out - and gentlemen please don't jump them, even
though this is Delhi.......