After a couple of false starts, India may be third time lucky in hosting a Formula One (F1) Grand Prix race. In 1998, the West Bengal government and in 2003, the Andhra Pradesh government failed to get the world’s premier motorsport event to India. Now, Member of Parliament and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Suresh Kalmadi is on the cusp of signing a deal with Formula One Management(FoM) boss Bernie Ecclestone for an F1 race near Delhi in 2010.

Last weekend, Ecclestone handed over draft contracts for organising and commercial rights to Kalmadi, signalling his willingness to add India to the rarefied F1 map. Still, Kalmadi, who zipped past industrialist and racing sponsor Vijay Mallya to get into the project’s driving seat, has a race on his hands before lights can come on at an Indian F1 GP.