Officials play down second India GP project

Officials have played down reports that a second Indian state has begun a formula one project.

As the finishing-touches are being applied to the newly-named Buddh circuit in New Delhi, it emerged this week that an entirely separate project in the southwestern Goa state has been given the green light.

"We have decided to go ahead with it," the Times of India quoted tourism director Swapnil Naik as confirming, adding that a coastal site for the venue is likely.

But another publication, the Abu Dhabi-based daily Sport360, has quoted Naik as subsequently playing down the project’s prospects.

He said a consortium was shown some potential sites but has not since been heard from.

And tourism minister Nilkanth Halarnkar said the group wanted the government to part-finance the venue, but according to Sport360 he told them "they would have to fund their own project".