Anyone who has driven in Mumbai has gotten a speeding ticket on the Sea Link at least once. (If you’re like me, you’ve gotten six.) Fear not, you’re not alone. One of the greatest drivers in the world is right there with you on the challan Hall of Fame. In 2009, Mumbai handed over its newest piece of infrastructure to a Formula One car. Red Bull Racing flew in legend David Coulthard to tear across the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. He pushed his car to blistering speeds of up to 265 kmph, pulling doughnuts, waving the Indian flag, and captivating the awe of thousands.
Along with tyre marks, he left behind a Rs 14-lakh speeding fine. Organisers paid Rs 35 lakh to shut down the bridge for the day. They didn’t get Rs 14 lakh of it back — David didn’t adhere to the 100 kmph speed limit — an act unacceptable to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. Happens to the best of us, David, fret not. On that day, an F1 driver became one of Mumbai’s most expensive overspeeding violators; the city halted momentarily to soak in the spectacle; and India began its tryst with speed.
The buzz around Coulthard’s daring drive set the stage for India’s formal entry into Formula One. But the roots of this journey stretched back to the late 1990s. Several cities entered the race to host. Kolkata was one of the first, although racing wasn’t exactly booming in India yet. Tracks in Chennai and Coimbatore were modest, and motorsport barely existed in public consciousness.
Hyderabad made early moves, with its tech-focused Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu proposing a state-of-the-art track. Mumbai briefly flirted with the idea, but reality quickly set in. Local authorities decided Formula One was too luxurious an indulgence when basic needs remained unmet.
In 2007, Greater Noida won the bid to host India’s first Grand Prix. Designed by Hermann Tilke, the Buddh International Circuit opened in October 2011 to enormous anticipation. It cost Rs 2,000 crore to build. Sebastian Vettel stormed to victory in front of thousands of excited fans. It cemented the circuit’s status in global motorsport. For three unforgettable seasons, Formula One cars roared to life, attracting global attention and igniting local passion.
Yet even as crowds filled stands, bureaucratic hurdles arose. Tax issues emerged swiftly. The Uttar Pradesh government, led by then-Cheif Minister Akhilesh Yadav, viewed Formula One as entertainment rather than a sport, leading to heavy taxation. These financial pressures ultimately halted the Grand Prix after just three editions, leaving a void where once there was promise.
Today, years after the engines fell silent at the Buddh, India’s passion for Formula One thrives more than ever. Young people across the country have embraced the sport, captivated by its blend of technology, drama, and human resilience. Fuelled by Netflix’s Drive to Survive, social media, and the larger-than-life personalities of drivers, F1 resonates deeply. For many, it represents a blend of global identity and individual excellence. No sport strives for singular excellence the way F1 does.
Formula One has become a cultural movement, mirroring the dreams, aspirations, and ideals of an ambitious new generation. Hopefully one day, Formula One will return to Indian soil. Until then, the echoes of engines remain reminders of possibilities realised and dreams still waiting to be fulfilled.
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