Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's is leaving for Italy on a three-day visit with the hope of bringing Formula One racing to India.
"If everything goes right, then a Formula One Grand Prix race will be here [in Hyderabad] in 2006. The city will then find a place in international sporting map," a beaming Naidu told reporters on the eve of his much-hyped trip to Italy, where he will witness the Monza Grand Prix and hold negotiations with the Formula One's top brass.
Over the last few months Naidu has been making serious efforts to bring F1 to Hyderabad, even offering a series of incentives to set up a track near Gachibowli on the city's outskirts.
Heading a 19-member delegation, Naidu, who is leaving for Milan on Friday night, will have a one-on-one meeting with Formula One ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone on Saturday and make a hardsell to locate the project in Hyderabad.
The project, if it materialises, will give a tremendous boost to infrastructure, tourism, hotel industry and other related sectors with a potential to provide one lakh jobs, Naidu said.
Several private developers are prepared to make investments required to develop the track, he added.
"If our efforts succeed, Hyderabad will be the 18th place in the world to host Formula One racing, a prestigious international sporting event," Naidu said.
