Karun’s win couldn’t have come at a better time, since Dr. Mallaya’s buyout of the Spyker Formula 1 team has also just been confirmed. It’ll be very nice to have “Team India” on the F1 grid next year. It’ll be interesting to see if there’s an Indian driver in the car as well, and if the fortunes of the team improve with the good wishes of millions of Indians all over the world.

Things are looking good on other fronts as well. Narain Karthikeyan was quickest at the first A1 GP test of the season at Silverstone – so expect consistent and good results from India in the World Cup of Motorsports this year. 18-year-old Armaan Ebrahim is only two points behind the championship leader in the Formula V6 Asia series.

If he’s able to put in some more good performances, he could be the second Indian in as many years to win the championship – as Karun won it last year in its first ever season.

And lastly, things are still on track on the home front – in terms of hosting an F1 race that is. Formula 1 circuit designer, Herman Tilke, visited Delhi recently to survey possible sights for an F1 track in the National Capital Region (NCR). His report to F1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone, couldn’t have been too bad, as Suresh Kalmadi, Chairman of the Indian Olympic Committee, has received two draft contracts from Bernie – the race promotion contract and the circuit rights agreement. They’ve short listed two sights, in Greater Noida (U.P.) and Sohna (Haryana) – one of which is expected to be confirmed soon, so that work can begin in earnest to prepare for a race in 2010.