May 13 (GMM) It is not all plain sailing for hopeful formula one hosts in India, Greece and the United States.
Even though the Buddh circuit near New Delhi, scheduled to host its inaugural grand prix in October, is reportedly almost completed, there has been violence in the surrounding area resulting in some deaths.Farmers in the villages around the circuit are angry about the land acquisition compensation offered to them by the government and have threatened to disrupt the race and its preparations.The state government has therefore increased the security and police presence at the track, which must be completed for homologation by the FIA in July.Villagers are also angry about access to a temple being blocked. "When all our pleas fell on deaf ears, we had no option but to seek court intervention," said one village official."Hurting the religious sentiments can turn things ugly," added village resident Sunder Singh, according to the Hindustan Times.Responded track boss Sameer Gaur: "We are talking to the people concerned and are confident a solution would be found."There is also anger in Texas, where the state government is committing $25 million per year for a decade to support the scene of Austin's 2012 US grand prix."The developers should find the money through private sources," insisted republican senator Dan Patrick, according to Bloomberg.And the Independence Party in Britain has condemned news that Greece is pushing ahead with a partly government-subsidised project for a F1 circuit.Greece's embattled economy received a EUR 110 billion European bailout, contributed to by British taxpayers.Referring to the F1 plans, UKIP spokesman Winston McKenzie said: "We should not pay a brass penny to the bailout while this sort of irresponsible spending continues."
