This morning’s TNIE has an article titled “Force India on the right track” is lazy, lame and appears to be the work of a journalist smitten by Vijay Mallya that the tone is flattering. Shouldn’t journalists spend a moment to ingest what the PR machinery of teams feed them and sift the fact from fiction and balance things out instead of appearing like extensions of a team’s PR machinery?
This piece contains wonderfully spun gems like: “Sahara Force India carries with it the weight of a nation, whose potential in sports is largely unfulfilled”. “Sahara Force India’s reason for existence is the promotion of auto racing in it’s home country”. “It is a very intense team, and not a whimsical off-shoot of a show-pony millionaire”.
Sahara doesn’t have lofty ambitions of educating the indian viewer on the intricacies of the sport, its probably more interested in furthering the reach of it’s brand. With the recent ruling from the Supreme Court of India to return money to it’s depositors, Sahara is going to be facing a financial crunch which will most certainly test it’s commitment to Formula 1, something this article fails to mention even in the passing.
Vijay Mallya’s expensive indulgence in the sport is also going to face a test of his grit and mettle, his own problems in Kingfisher Airlines worsening by the day and the pressing need to infuse his businesses with fresh capital. Sahara Force India has has done reasonably well in the sport this year, but will they be around next year? The last work is still in.
