AAt the end of the Formula-E race in Hyderabad last Saturday, several people made their way to the stage at the Indira Gandhi roundabout, braving a human traffic jam on the overbridge. But the statue of the former Prime Minister of India was hidden by the massive dais, where KT Rama Rao, Telangana’s IT Minister and son of Chief Minister KC Rama Rao, stood proudly. After all, it was his idea to organize the race in Hyderabad. But it appeared that many of the more than a million attendees were unhappy. Why so?
I attended as a regular spectator (not an accredited journalist) and found the organization and layout of the race to be lackluster. Despite its flaws, some manufacturers used the occasion to boost their electric vehicle credentials, not the least of which was my host, Mahindra. Apart from showcasing the EV that was launched in the UK last year, Mahindra also unveiled its Pininfarina Battista, which was taken for a ride by Sachin Tendulkar. Priced at Rs 20 crore, the Pinnafarina Battista is an electric supercar designed by Italian car designer Pininfarina owned by Mahindra.
But when Tendulkar and several other celebrities, especially from the Telugu film fraternity, got front row seats and a ride around the circuit—in the XUV400 electric SUV, not the Pininfarina supercar—the usually seated fans complained of difficulties in getting food. Complain about and water. Worse, most of the stands were packed, and it was nearly impossible for latecomers to find seats with a clear view. and this is after having hundreds of trees have reduced to improve the scene.
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an overwhelming experience
Motorsports isn’t always the most spectator-friendly event; Circuit racing is even less so. And then there is Hyderabad Formula-E. Sitting in the stands and listening to the spectators around me, I realized that many Ferrari-clad fans were unaware of the teams and drivers, even though Mahindra managed to garner some brand recognition. Weird fans understand the racing series’ quirky elements, such as ‘Attack Mode’, where drivers can get a small energy boost by going wide at a particular corner before rejoining the field. (It’s a bit more complicated than that). Still, the excited announcers did little to explain the racing rules to the spectators.
And then there were the visuals, which bordered on grandeur. While Mahindra Automotive hosted me, if I had paid Rs 10,000 – the retail price for tickets at the ‘Ace Grandstand’ – I would have been pissed too. Some of the comrades with media recognition found their way to Attack Mode Corner after a two kilometer walk amid construction debris and electric poles. Here, he was treated to a juicy view of expensive cars crashing into even more expensive cars. But regular viewers—despite craning their necks to the max—could only catch some of the action, and that too on screen.
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no value for money
It wasn’t just about the race. The organizers could have worked to improve the overall experience. Everything about the race felt rushed.
For example, attendees at Fan Village were barred from using UPI and had to use cash cards to buy food. The Fan Village was quite far from the main race stand. But unlike the stands which offered little respite from the scorching sun, the fans’ village had a covered area and most importantly, easy access to water.
Sure, in the end, when Penske-DS Racing’s Jean-Eric Vergne won, the crowd was cheering for him and the team. There was also drama with a safety-car period, thanks to a crash (safety cars limit the speed of competing cars in case of an untoward incident on track). You can’t help thinking that watching the race on a screen or following it on a mobile phone would have been much better. But as always, in India, mobile networks, even the 5G ones, get completely bogged down whenever there is a huge rush. So he was.
KTR was seated on the opposite side of BJP leader and Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at the function. After all, the state is soon going into election mode. But regardless of who wins, there are likely to be a few more races by contract. But a lot needs to be improved before next year, and the organizers would do well to take note of what happened with Formula 1 racing in India. After the first year, audience interest fell off a cliff due to limited engagement. It’s great to see a top-flight racing series back in India, but if things don’t improve, I don’t think the Hyderabad ePrix will last for too many years.
@kushanmitra is an automotive journalist based in New Delhi. Thoughts are personal.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)