Post F1, Sachin's racing venture revs up

Zeenews Sports Bureau

New Delhi: What do Mohit Burman, Shah Rukh Khan, Yuvraj Singh, Akkineni Nagarjuna and Sourav Ganguly have in common? All the above said stars have shown keen interest to be a part of the Indian Racing League, partly owned by Sachin Tendulkar. The i1 Super Series, launched a few months back, is the culmination of the idea by Machdar Motor Sports Company and has eyed the fancy of investors after the inaugural Formula One Indian GP’s success despite the huge costs required to stage the event. If all goes right, sources told a leading newspaper that the first edition of the racing series will hit the tracks on January 8 and conclude on February 26 next year. According to the newspaper, i1 Super Series will have eight teams (city-based) with two cars each, forming a 16-member line-up. Tendulkar and Sanjana Reddy have together bought 26% share in the league. The races will feature F1 and upcoming Indian drivers and will be held in Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur, Doha and Bahrain. Potential Investors* Mumbai: Shah Rukh Khan, Jai Mehta, Juhi Chawla Delhi: Mohit Burman and another investor Hyderabad: N Prasad, Akkineni Nagarjuna Chennai: Tony Fernandes, SG Srinivas Chandigarh: Yuvraj Singh and a local businessman Kolkata: Consortium involving ex-cricketer Sourav Ganguly Pune: A businessman related to a top Bollywood family Bangalore: A consortium of investors (* according to TOI)