At the end of the Formula-E race in Hyderabad last Saturday, many of those who managed to beat human traffic jams on the overbridges made their way to the podium at Indira Gandhi roundabout. But the statue of India’s former prime minister was hidden by the massive stage where K.T Rama Rao, Telangana’s IT Minister and son of Chief Minister K.C Rama Rao, stood proudly. After all, organising the race in Hyderabad was his idea. But it appeared that many of the one-lakh-plus attendees were unhappy. Why is that?
I attended as a regular spectator (not an accredited journalist) and found the race’s organisation and layout weak. Despite its flaws, some manufacturers used this opportunity to promote their electric vehicle credentials, not least of which was my host, Mahindra. Besides showcasing EVs it had launched in the UK last year, Mahindra also unveiled its Pininfarina Battista, which Sachin Tendulkar took for a spin. Priced at Rs 20 crore, Pinnafarina Battista is an electric supercar designed by Mahindra-owned Italian car designer Pininfarina.
But while Tendulkar and several other celebrities, particularly from the Telugu film fraternity, got front-row seats and a ride around the circuit—in the XUV400 electric SUV, not the Pininfarina supercar—fans seated in general stands cribbed about difficulties in getting food and water. Worse still, most stands were packed, and finding seats with a clear view was almost impossible for late-comers. And this is after hundreds of trees had been pruned to improve the view.
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An underwhelming experience
Motorsports is not always the most spectator-friendly event; circuit racing is even less so. And then there is the Hyderabad Formula-E. While sitting in the stands and hearing the viewers around me, I realised that many Ferrari-clad fans were unaware of the teams and drivers, even though Mahindra had managed to get some brand recognition going. The odd fan understood quixotic elements of the racing series, such as ‘attack mode’, where drivers can get a small energy boost by going wide on a particular corner before rejoining the field. (it is a bit more complicated than that). Still, the excited announcers did little to explain racing rules to viewers.
And then there were the views, woefully limited on the grandstands. While Mahindra Automotive were kind enough to host me, if I had paid Rs 10,000—the retail price for tickets on the ‘Ace Grandstand’— I would have been irritated as well. A few peers with media accreditation found their way to the attack mode corner after a two-kilometre walk across construction debris and electricity poles. Here, they were treated to the juicy view of expensive cars getting into even more expensive accidents. But regular viewers—despite craning their necks to the maximum—could only catch some of the action, and that too on screens.
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No value for money
It was not just about the race. Organisers could have worked to improve the overall experience. Everything about the race felt rushed.
For example, attendees were barred from using UPI in the fan village and had to use cash cards to buy food. The fan village itself was a long walk from the main race stands. But unlike the stands that offered little respite from the scorching sun, the fan village had a covered area and, most importantly, easy access to water.
Sure, in the end, when Jean-Eric Vergne of Penske-DS Racing won, crowds were ecstatic for him and the team. There was also drama with a safety-car period, thanks to an accident (safety cars limit the speed of competing cars in case of an untoward incident on track). You can’t help but think that the race would have been far better to watch on a screen or follow on a mobile phone. But as usual, in India, mobile networks, even 5G ones, utterly collapse whenever there is a large crowd. So that was that.
At the celebrations, KTR sat on the opposite side of where BJP leader and Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur was seated. After all, the state is going into election mode soon enough. But regardless of who wins, there will likely be a couple more races per the contract. But much needs to be improved before next year, and the organisers would do well if they paid heed to what happened to Formula 1 racing in India. After the first year, spectator interest fell off a cliff because of limited engagement. It is great to see a top-flight racing series back in India, but if things are not improved, I do not believe the Hyderabad ePrix will last too many years.
@kushanmitra is an automotive journalist based in New Delhi. Views are personal.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)