Formula One supreme Bernie Ecclestone speaks to Vivek Phadnis about the importance of the country to the sport and the preparations for the inaugural Indian GP. Excerpts:

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What do Formula One and India mean to each other?It means that we should have been in India a long time ago. India is an important country and it’s getting more important as time passes. It was missing from the calendar for so long and, now that it is there, we are more than happy. We are really looking forward to coming to India.What are your thoughts on the progress of the track and other facilities?Some good reports have been coming. The people are all there and they are doing a fabulous job. I think the drivers will be very, very happy with the track. It is a really nice circuit.

A lot of people are facing visa issues. And there were security concerns after the blast in Delhi recently…No, not at all. There have been some issues with the tax. But people have not understood the tax structure in India and the right way to follow this. There is no real problem. As far as security is concerned, I don’t think there is any place in the world where there isn’t a bit of uncertainty these days. I don’t think there is the slightest bit of concern.

Do you think anything could have been done differently at the Buddh International Circuit?No, not at all. New events are a learning curve, really. When people make cars or anything, they will have a look see and go on. The same applies to tracks. But we are making good progress on the track. Even if we had come in 2012, we would have been in the same position.

F1 is popular in India, but local drivers find it so difficult to raise money to take the big plunge...There are two things here. Firstly, nobody is going to pick a driver unless he’s talented. Secondly, drivers have to bring in enough sponsors and money to get into the team. Teams also expect drivers to come in with financial support. I am really surprised that Indian drivers are having trouble finding sponsors. But I am sure that once the race comes to India, people there will back the local drivers. But even after the event, we want Indians to drive in the championship. And not just in India, but the world over.

What’s the future of the Bahrain GP?It’s surely in the racing schedule. It will not be different from previous years. We had one little hitch. I do not know if it is right or wrong, but we have it on the calendar for 2012.

F1 is returning to the United States of America. You must be a happy man...It is really good. The difference is that we are used to getting support from governments. However, in America, it is all about private enterprises. But we are getting it on and it is happening.

Earlier, the sport was dominated by Michael Schumacher and Ferrari. Now, it is Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull. Are one-man shows bad for F1?It does not make a difference, really. People want to see a race and, in any case, you will know who the champion is at the end of the season. It gets better if the title is decided in the final race and at the final corner. But now, it is all about who’s going to beat Vettel. It was the same with Schumi.

There will be an in-season testing (at Mugello, Italy) from next year. Won’t it set a precedent with teams demanding more sessions?We will have a look at that. It was stopped because it was unnecessary and teams wanted it to be stopped more than anything else.