The inaugural Indian Grand Prix has been hit with yet another government controlled issue, with team members, drivers, officials and journalists unable to secure visas for the event.
This follows on from the customs issue which means the teams have to pay tax on their equipment, a fee which is usually waived for sporting events – though the Indian government admitted it didn’t class Formula 1 a sport, and therefore it isn’t exempt.
That issue was solved with race promoter, JPSI, agreeing to pay the customs fee, upwards of £1.2m.
The latest issue has reportedly seen many in the paddock have their visa applications rejected or severely delayed, something Karun Chandhok alluded to, along with the FIA’s head of communications, Matteo Bonciani.
“I just came back from Monza where people have been complaining about how difficult it is to get visas for the trip to India,” Chandhok told the Times of India.
Bonciani added: “If the government takes three weeks to process a visa application, almost 90% of F1 people, me included, won’t attend the race.”
The first F1 race to be held in India takes place in just six weeks time.
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