NEW DELHI (AP) _ India will hold its first Formula One race in
2010, the head of the Indian Olympic Association said Monday.
``Formula One's architects visited New Delhi and saw several
sites in the National Capital Region. They did an aerial survey and
selected two sites _ in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh and Sohna in
Haryana,'' IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi told reporters.
Both areas are suburbs of New Delhi and it's been left to India
to choose between the two shortlisted venues, he said.
Kalmadi said he met with Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone in
London last week to discuss the matter in detail.
``We're happy to say that the first race has been finalized for
2010,'' Kalmadi said.
Formula One handed India two contracts _ one a race promotion
contract and the second a circuit rights agreement, Kalmadi said.
Earlier this year Kalmadi said F1 may come to the country by
2009.
The New Delhi area does not currently have a motor racing track,
but Kalmadi said the IOA, together with the government, would build
one. In the past he ruled out a street race.
While F1 is not an Olympic event, the IOA is involved as part of
its attempt to bring as many major sporting events as possible to
New Delhi ahead of the city's staging of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
