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Dinara Safina - US Open 28. August Interview

Friday, September 26, 2008


Q. Are you quite pleased? Straight set victory again second round? Feel pretty good about the way you played?
DINARA SAFINA: Well, I think it still could be better, especially I was 4-1 up in the first set and then I let it go to 4-All.
I was lucky that I hold my serve, because it was 15-30 on second set and I served well there. But still, I think there is much more room that I can play better.
So hopefully, next match I can do better.

Q. You've talked a lot about how hard you worked the last few years. What do you think is better about yourself? What do you feel is the most obvious thing that's improved recently for you?
DINARA SAFINA: Well, I guess a little bit of everything, but I think also on the court, I'm much more aggressive than I used to be. I've been working a lot on every shot.
Then also physically, I think I also spend lots of attention on this, because for me I think this is the key of my game. If I'm faster, it helps me to play my game, to be aggressive on the court, to come and get better for the shots.
Now I have tennis coach and fitness coach. They are working together to get me better, so now I guess I have team that works for me.

Q. You talked a little bit about that few days ago the team around you, about your coach in particular, and that you feel you're on the same page. What has that relationship been like?
DINARA SAFINA: He was also a player, so he knows exactly how I feel. For me it's easier to communicate. I found a person I can trust, and I can say, Okay, I'm getting nervous. At least he knows what is these feelings nervous.
It's not somebody who never played. He cannot get exactly these feelings what you can feel on the court. So with these kinds of things he helps me also to control my emotions.
Okay, I never seen him play. Actually we played one year the same year, but I never seen him play. But he said that I'm on the court exactly like him. So I guess he knows what I was going through or what I'm going through some moments on the court.
He tries to help me, so I think this is the good thing that he understands me.
Q. How did you guys find each other, or you how did that work out?
DINARA SAFINA: Whew. It's a funny story. Last year I knew that after US Open I'm going to stop with my ex-coach that I had. Then I wanted to work with Heinz Guenthardt, and he could not travel a lot.
So we needed to find a guy who could, like, they could both work with me. And I need to thank Ivan Ljubicic, because he advise me him.
We started to work after US Open. After Australia, I felt like with Heinz it was a little bit difficult to work, because he could not spend so much time with me, like basically full time I needed coach.
Then I decided, okay, I'm going to work with him. First we give a try until French Open. Oh, well, it turned out really good, and now we working together.
So I think even Ljubicic I need to thank or invite for a dinner.

Q. You talked the other day about Marat, one of the things he worked with you when you were younger, was that you would cry and get very, very emotional. I think he said, as an example, don't act like me. He talked about that, also in his press conference shortly thereafter. Is that a bit of a family trait, to sort of wear your emotions on your sleeve? And if so, is that something that you really work really hard on keeping in control, so that when things don't go so well you can regroup?
DINARA SAFINA: Yeah. Because this thing I can say that the tennis coach he help me to kind of to keep more quiet, because sometimes I would get very disappointing on myself or be very hard on myself.
It was kind of like I would play the match and I would show to everybody like, You see. I'm trying hard and it's just not going my way. Then I would kind of show it to everybody.
He would say, You don't need to show me that you are not feeling. I can see it. And try just to don't show to your opponent. So these kind of things he said, like, I know how you feel.
So to me you don't have to impress or whatever, or start to cry that you are tired. I know that you're tired. Just go out there, do what you can. And somehow with the talking, communicating with each other, I think this is the main thing we communicate with each other and he's understanding me.
That's why I start, like, kind of, okay, you know, he knows that, I guess, I don't feel maybe one of the shots. He sees this. I'm trying to be positive on the shot, and then of course the match finish.
Okay, we discuss about the match and we go straight on the court and work on the shot what was missing.

Q. Your summer really took off after Roland Garros. I mean, obviously you're playing extremely well. What was the turning point this season for you? Do you think it's learning to control your emotions? Is it something you've learned in your coaching? What happened midsummer when you really started playing so well?
DINARA SAFINA: Well, I guess just knowing what to do on the court. I found my weapons on the court, and I know when to use them. And I think this is -- and also by controlling my emotions.
So I guess like found when to use which shot and how to play, and that if something is not going well maybe this day that, okay, I'm still there. If this shot is not working, I will try to play it with other shot. That is also my good shot.
So somehow with emotions I start like to be more positive on the court.

Q. Did Marat have a lot to do with that?
DINARA SAFINA: It's not -- I would say more my tennis coach had to spend time with me, because I think my brother would not have so much patience (laughter.)
Because, I mean, I would never imagine that one tennis coach would have so much patience for me that I would scream, cry, whatever, and he would say, Okay, let's go. Keep on going.
So I think that he has patience for me.

Q. How long has he been your coach?
DINARA SAFINA: Just one-on-one that we work since February, but we started after US Open. So I think in this kind of way it's better, because before he was not the main coach.
Before it was main coach like Heinz, so he got to know me already through that period. It was three months we had been working together with Heinz.
So in this period he could see who I am. I think it was easier afterwards to start working with me.
Q. And you made that decision on your own to change coaches?
DINARA SAFINA: Mostly, yeah.

Q. Was it a question that you just had heard what your other coach had to say for so long and it wasn't quite working so you needed to try something else? Had you known your present coach for a while or several years or just...
DINARA SAFINA: What do you mean?
Q. In other words, your old coach, you had heard what he had to say for several years.
DINARA SAFINA: Yeah.
Q. Did you think that you had heard everything from him that you could hear, so you needed to have someone else tell you something different?
DINARA SAFINA: Well, I mean, I was working with the Dutch guy almost two years. Just at the end we just stop listening to each other. He would not accept what I would say. He didn't want to hear my opinions. So.
This was tough, you know, when a coach doesn't want to hear a player opinion, even if I'm wrong, but at least he can talk -- he can listen and then we can discuss and not always say his opinion.
So I think this is the reason, like, why we started to fight a lot on the court. And then it was not -- I mean, I have enough stress on the court playing a match and if I go on practice and I'm still fighting with my coach, I don't need this.
So I decided, like, okay, right or wrong decision. I mean, we had with the Dutch coach some success, but after it was going ups and downs.
So I took a decision, like, okay, I better try with somebody else maybe who would listen a little bit more to me.
Q. Would it be the same with your at this fitness coach?
DINARA SAFINA: Of course. I mean, same with the fitness coach. He needs to know how I feel. It's not possible that I come to practice and I'm really tired and he would get me suddenly to run like some crazy things.
Or one day he can say, Okay, today I don't care that you are tired. We have to do this, because tomorrow you have day off. So he also needs to feel me, to know how I feel.

Q. The fact that Henin is not there anymore and there's not one clear player, does it make a difference for you and the other players if there's not one clear person who maybe seems to be above everyone else?
DINARA SAFINA: Well, now it's so much wide open to get to this No. 1 spot in the world. But we still have Williams sisters, you know. They're still dangerous.
I mean, I think now it's kind of changing a little bit. So many more young and young players coming through, so I think it's just changing there, the youngers coming now.

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1970 - Rindt: Victory or nothing.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

THE 70�s: TIME TO BREAK RECORDS! EMERSON FITTIPHistory and statistics in Formula 1


Jochen Rindt became champion after his death when his team-mate, the young brasilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi, won the USA GP. Chapman and all team Lotus could at least give Rindt a well deserved tribute. 
Until the Belgium GP there were four different winners: Brabham (his own BT33) - South Africa, Stewart (rookie March 701) - Spain, Rindt (Lotus 49) - Monaco and Rodriguez (BRM P153) - Belgium. Then, once more Chapman�s creations appeared: Lotus 72 with a revolutionary body aerodynamic with coined nose, on- board brakes, torsion bars suspension and lateral radiators. Immediately Rindt took four straight victories. Failed only in his home town. Then, the fatal accident ended his career at Monza in the practices. Many drivers could get away the hopes of Rindt�s posthumous title, but only Jack Ickx and Clay Regazzoni, with Ferrari, seemed to have equipament to do it, but ... 
Other worst fact 
* P.Courage killed at Holland. 
Curious facts 
* Rindt did not finished any other race besides those whose he won where group by two of those came when J.Brabham had problems in the very last lap: Monaco (touched the barriers) and Brands Hatch (no gas) where group by 
* The amazing sound of Matra�s V12 engine. 
* Fittipaldi won his first GP in his fourth race and Regazzoni in fifth. 
* March (South Africa) and Tyrrell (Canada) took pole in their first race, both driven by J.Stewart. 
First appearance 
* Drivers: E.Fittipaldi, C.Regazzoni, F.Cevert, R.Peterson, P.Gethin, I.Giunti, T.Schenken , R.Stommelen, R.Wisell, N.Galli. 
* Constructors/Teams: March, Surtees and Tyrrell. 

1971 - No adversary for Jackie Stewart. 
This season was completely dominated by Stewart and his Tyrrell. He managed to win six times, one second and one fifth, getting no points only three times. Peterson got 2nd place four times, with a interesting March 711 with its high front wing car. The race of the year happened at Monza with an amazing final with Gethin (BRM), Peterson, Cevert (Tyrrell), Hailwood (Surtees) and Ganley (BRM) separated only by 0�61" seconds...and Gethin initiated the last lap in four place, but someway he managed to pass by all of them, cruising the line 0�1" ahead of Peterson! 
Curious facts 
* The first F1 turbined engine car, Lotus 56B, raced three times, the last one driven by Fittipaldi at Monza. The brasilian arrived in 8th place, but suffered with its overweight chassis and colossal brake consume. 
* Jackie Stewart took six poles in a season, the same as the record of Clark (62,63,65,67). 
* Also Stewart won the race number 200 � Mocano GP. 
First appearance 
* Drivers: M.Donohue, N.Lauda, H.Ganley, J.P.Jarier, G.Van Lennep. 

1972 - Fittipaldi in a class of his own! 
Fittipaldi became the youngest ever world champion with only 25 years old in a very special style: five victories, two seconds and one third. His victory at Austria GP is still remembered as one of the most beatiful of his career, but of course, the following victory at Monza became unforgettable. That one gave him the title, after struggling in qualifying with T-car set-up, used because his race car was damaged by a truck road accident. Stewart was a hard opponent, winning four times, but one phrase explain his opinion about Fittipaldi: "Well, I think he�s a good guy, a very good ping-pong player and...unfortunately also a very good driver!". This year also marked last BRM victory: Beltoise sliding between Monaco streets under awefull wet conditions. 
Curious facts 
* C.Reutemann became the third driver to take pole in his first race, exactly in his home town, Buenos Aires (Argentina). 
* Stewart had a ulcera and withdraw one race. Some people named his ulcera "Fittipaldi threaten"... 
* Incredible way Beltoise went through La Rascasse curve at Monaco in a fantastic power-sliding all the race. 
First appearance 
* Drivers: W.Fittipaldi, C.Pace, C.Reutemann, P.Depailler, A.Merzario and J.Scheckter. 

1973 - Stewart: the new king! 
In the beginning of this championship it looked that Fittipaldi would be unbeatable, but after a bad result in France, caused by Scheckter�s wrong move that put him out of the race, it seemed that more than lost that race, Emerson lost also his lucky. The worst moment came in Zandvoort, when a 
rarely accident in his career happened. He had a foot injury and no conditions to ran more than three laps in the race. In the 13th round at Monza, the standings were: Stewart with 66 points, Fittipaldi with 42, Cevert with 39 and Peterson with 34. But Peterson won the race with Fittipaldi only 0�8 seconds behind. The momentum of the race was the ordered that Ken Tyrrell gave to Cevert, that was in fourth position, to let Stewart overtake him. If Colin Chapman would have ordered Peterson to do the same with Fittipaldi, Stewart would not take the championship there, but the order has never been given, so... 
Talking about accidents, this year would be marked by a big confusion caused by Scheckter (again...). This time at Woodcote curve at Silverstone. He lost control of his McLaren and almost everyone had been envolved, with the italian Andrea de Adamich suffering serious injuries that ended his career prematurely. In South Africa, Regazzoni has been saved by Hailwood from his burning Ferrari. But two other accidents were much more serious: Cevert death at USA in the practices and Roger Williamson at Holland�s race. This one, wiht live TV coverage, were absolutely unacceptable: Williamson burned to death with no rescue service and a desperate David Purley trying alone to get him out of the car, with no success. 
As a result of Cevert�s accident Stewart decided to retire, but he had broken Clark�s record of 25 victories, achieving his 27th at Germany GP in August. 
Curious facts 
* M.Hailwood and D.Purley received medals for their bravure. 
* J.C.Pace (Surtees) took two consecutives fastests laps in Germany and Austria. 
* In Germany the three brasilian were in the top six: Pace 4th, W.Fittipaldi 5th and E.Fittipaldi 6th. 
* Ronnie Peterson stabilished a new saeson�s pole record: 9. 
First appearance 
* Drivers: J.Hunt, J.Mass, J.Watson, G.Follmer, L.P.Bueno 
* Constructors/Teams: Ensign, Shadow, Iso (future Williams). 

1974 - Fittipaldi twice! 
Unhappy with Chapman�s treatment, Emerson accept the challenge to drive for McLaren. And it took just two races to win, this time in his home town. The championship were tremendously disputed between the renewed Ferrari team, now supported by Fiat, and McLaren team. The new italian 312T with transversal gearbox and V12 flat engine, driven by Regazzoni, was very quick and reliable. Fittipaldi, with M23 renewed, won three times, Regazzoni one. But with only three races out of points, the swiss man went to the final round, in Watkins Glen, with same points as the brasilian: 52 each. In the race, Fittipaldi demonstrated all his control to avoid Regazzoni�s attack in the very beginning and arrived in fourth place. This position gave him the title as Regazzoni failed to finish. The south american party was complete: argentinian Reutemann and brasilian Pace made one-two for Brabham team. 
Curious facts 
* Fittipaldi became the only driver to win at Nivelles track: 72 and 74. 
* In 74, Fittipaldi survived a implacable Lauda�s threaten and cruised the finish line only 0�35 seconds ahead, after sustained a difference not more than 1�00 second all race. Asked about the short gap in the very last lap, he explained: "Well, I had to be carufully in the brakes last curve, because I knew I couldn�t make any error, even been slower, there will be no time for him to overtake me before the line..." 
* Fittipaldi became famous by his extremely ability to set-up the car, to choose the right race tatic and always find a manner to overtake his opponents. 
* Niki Lauda took nine poles in the season, same as the record of Peterson (73). 
Worst fact: 
* H.Koinigg killed at USA. 
First appearance 
* Drivers: H.Koinigg, H.Stuck, V.Brambilla, T.Pryce, J.Laffite, J.P.Jabouille, M.Wilds. 
* Constructors/Teams: Hesketh, Parnelli, Penske. 

1975 - First time for Lauda! 
As in 73, Fittipaldi started the year winning, but ended as vice-champion. Lauda, driving a very reliable Ferrari 312T, took five victories adn gave to the italian team the taste of champion missed since 64. McLaren had anormally failed, six times, that impedited Fittipaldi�s fight for championship. His 14th and last career victory came at Silverstone, with his close friend Pace in second, in a race interrupted by bad weather conditions that caused a big mess: eleven cars out in the same curve! 
Besides Lauda�s perfect driving and well deserved title, the name of this year must be given to Emerson Fittipaldi. At Montjuich circuit, Spain, he led drivers unwilling to race as an examination on the armco barriers demonstrated that they were uncorrectly fixed. As the organizers did not attend their exigency, Fittipaldi decided to slow in the qualifying and did not achieve time to start. He also let the country in the morning, meanwhile race starts. And it was a big disaster. Many accidents happened, but a tragedy will marke the grand prix: Stommelen, that was the moment leader with Pace on his tail, lost the rear wing causing a immediate accident. His car hit the left armco barriers, jumping over Pace�s car, transpassing the other side barriers and caused the death of four people. The race was sttoped, with Mass declared winner. Fittipaldi�s atitude contributed definitely to improve safety rules. 
Worst fact 
* Mark Donohue death in Austria GP. 
Curious facts 
* Niki Lauda took nine poles in the season again. 
* The italian Lella Lombardi became the first woman to take championship points in the history at Spain GP. 
* Double brasilian one-two, Pace-Fittipaldi in their home town and Fittipaldi-Pace in England. 
* The new aerodynamic of Fittipaldi FD-01, absolutely covered chassis and with lateral exausts. 
* First ever championship for V-12 engine. 
* James Hunt declared after lost 1st place to Fittipaldi in Argentina: "The only matter of having Emerson in your mirror is, when you look at there and you can�t see him, it�s because he is already in front of you..." 
* The remarkable and unique victory career for V.Brambilla at Austria. As the race was stopped for bad weather conditions. Soon as received the flag, he lost control of his March and hit the barriers... 
First appearance 
* Drivers: T.Brise, H.Ertl, B.Lunger, B.Henton, A.Jones, L.Lombardi, R.Zorzi 
* Constructors/Teams: Fittipaldi, Williams. 

1976 - Hunt, but Lauda... 
With new regulations for deformable front structure and roll-bar, the austrian Lauda demolished all the hopes of others drivers to win the 76�s championship after nine rounds: seven consecutives podiums - five victories, two seconds and one third. No one could figure that he could lose this championship. Then, at N�rburgring GP, he lost control of his Ferrari, crashed the armco barriers and his car was envolved in flames. He survived because three honorable men put their own lifes in danger to save him. Their names must be remebered, not only for bravure, but as a spirit of what sport is about: Arturo Merzaro, Harald Ertl and Brett Lunger. Hunt took advantage of Lauda�s absent and reduced the difference in twenty-two points. Lauda recovered in unbeliavable forty days, returning to cockpit at Monza and arriving in fourth place! Hunt would win two more times with Lauda making only one third place. In the final round at Monte Fuji - Japan, Lauda�s advantage was only three points. Then in the race, under very slippery and dangerous wet conditions Lauda abandoned the race and let the way free for Hunt. Also Fittipaldi and Pace pulled out for the same reason: there were no track conditions. Ferrari team informed that his retirement was caused by mechanical failure, but Lauda words let no doubt: "My life is my own and it�s more important than the championship". 
Curious facts 
* Tyrrell six-front-wheels. 
* Fittipaldi moves to his own team, managed by his old brother Wilson and named Copersucar Fittipaldi. 
* Fittipaldi negative response to Ferrari�s invitation when Lauda was recovering in the hospital, so Reutemann signed with them. 
First appearance 
* Drivers: G. Nilsson 
* Constructors/Teams: Ligier. 

1977 - Lauda reigning again! 
Lauda was unstoppable at all the championship with his 312T2 car. Even leading the championship, his relationship with the team was getting worst. But he failed to score points only three times until guarantee his second championship. Then he deserted the team as a response to Ferrari�s decision to not renewal his contract for 78. Otherwise, Lotus showed that they were recovering their criativity as model 78, with its ground effect and new differential, won five times. Four with Andretti and one with Nilsson. Tragically Pryce was killed when a track marshall carring a fire extinguisher crossed the straight exactly in front of his Shadow. Both have instantly death. Also J. Carlos Pace died, but in a plane accident. This year, everyone in F1 believed that Pace would be the champion, as a result of the excelent development work done with his Brabham-Alfa in previous year... 
Curious facts 
* Wolf, driven by Scheckter, won their first entrance in F1 as the leader Pace suffered with his cold and slowed until stop after the finish line. 
* Reintrance of turbo-charged engine: Renault V6, driven by Jabouille - British GP. 
* 100th victory for Ford Cosworth engine, Scheckter (Wolf) - Monaco. 
First appearance 
* Drivers: P.Tambay, G.Villeneuve, B.Giacomelli, R.Patrese, H. Rebaque 
* Constructors/Teams: ATS, Wolf, Renault. 


1978 - Andretti and Lotus! 
After five rounds, a surprising Patrick Depailler (Tyrrell) was in the leader board. He had 23 points, with Reutemann (Ferrari) and Andretti (Lotus) with 18, Lauda (Brabham-Alfa Romeo) 15 and Peterson (Lotus) 14. The, once more Colin Chapman geniality devasted the others teams: Lotus 79 appears at Belgium and the team made its first one-two of the year. This car was the first "wing car", with side-skirts and dominated the rest of the season. Andretti took six victories, with his team mate, Peterson, in second four times. The swedish took only one victory and another podium, third at his home town. At this race, Brabham presented a new BT46 with a large fan in its tail, producing the same ground effect of Lotus aerodynamic. The ideia was based in a project developed by american Jim Hall - the famous Chaparral�s creator. Besides Lauda�s victory in the race, the team was prohibited to use the system (classified as aerodynamic moveable part) and had to abandon the idea. But since model 79 went to the track, Lotus only didn�t win at England and Sweden. Unfortunatelly, Peterson crashed his one at Monza in the practices, and had to run with the 78 model. In the race start a big accident envolved many cars. Peterson had many injuries and died later in the hospital. Championship was over as no one could beat the american anymore. Even Peterson susteined his second position at the championship. 
Curious facts 
* Italian Riccardo Patrese was blamed for Monza�s accident and was suspended for one race. Almost one year after he was exonerated... 
* Emerson Fittipaldi 2nd place in Rio was the best ever result with his own team. The crowd almost impedited him to complete the race as they went into the track to see him got the chequered flag! 
* Ronnie Peterson won the race number 300 � South Africa GP. 
* If Peterson were driving 79 model at the moment of the accident, maybe he would have the chance to scape with less injuries. Mainly because the new model had its tanks not lateraly installed as 78, but between the driver and the engine. 
* Brabham Alfa Romeo tested a new panel using lights instead of pointers, but the drivers did not aproved, as they felt that lights were not so exactly as pointers. 
First appearance 
* Drivers: R.Arnoux, E.Cheever, D.Daly, N.Piquet, D.Pironi, K. Rosberg 
* Constructors/Teams: Arrows, Theodore. 


1979 - Scheckter, in a dominant Ferrari season. 
J.Laffite stated this season, with Ligier JS11, scoring two wins and dreaming with the title. But Ferrari team just failed at the first race of the season to be in points, meanwhile the french team did not susteined their competitiveness. In all following fourteen races, Ferrari won six times (three one-two) and scored points. Gilles Villeneuve driving style made crowd�s happiness. The master point was his fight against Arnoux (Renault) in Dijon for second place. They overtake each other more than once, touching wheels during the last lap and when it seemed Arnoux would be in advantage, Gilles emerged, diving through, stoling the position. But Jody Scheckter took advantage of Gilles aggressively driving, been much more consistent and getting the points to guarantee his title. Great championship for Williams team, with Regazzoni and Jones scoring five wins and achieving constructors vice-championship. Another good surprise was newcomer Piquet, that outpaced his team-mate, Lauda sometimes in practices, but both suffered with many failures in their BT48 Brabham Alfa Romeo. The team launched new car, BT49, at Canada with Ford engine, as Alfa Romeo returned with their own team. Team Lotus had a year to forget, as the new model has never achieved what they expect. 
Curious facts 
* Tyrrell has experimented the first eletronic suspension, at Le Castellet - France. The test ended with a big accident in the end of Mistral straight, with a scared, but unhurted, J.P.Jarier driving. The team decided to temporarily abandon the project. 
First appearance 
* Drivers: E.de Angelis, M.Surer, R.Zunino, J.Lammers. 
* Constructors/Teams: Alfa Romeo. 


THE MOST OF THE DECADE: 
winner: Niki Lauda - 17 
pole-sitter: Niki Lauda - 24 
fastest laps: Niki Lauda - 16 
points: Niki Lauda - 291,5 

ALL TIME: 
* winner: Jackie Stewart - 27 
* pole-sitter: Jim Clark - 32 
* fastest laps: Jim Clark - 28 
* points: Jackie Stewart - 343

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Formula 1 history and statistics since 1950

Formula 1 history and statistics since 1950

Formula 1 drivers teams circuits. Preview for next formula1 race

Last race in formula 1 was on 14 September at Monza


Formula 1 2008 statistics

Next formula 1 race will be on 
28 September Singapore
12 October Fuji
19 October Shanghai
2 November Interlagos

Formula 1 driver standing

78Lewis Hamilton
77Felipe Massa
64Robert Kubica
57Kimi Raikkonen
53Nick Heidfeld
51Heikki Kovalainen
28Fernando Alonso
26Jarno Trulli
23Sebastian Vettel
20Mark Webber
15Timo Glock
13Nelsinho Piquet
11Rubens Barrichello
9Nico Rosberg
8Kazuki Nakajima
6David Coulthard
4Sebastian Bourdais
3Jenson Button

Formula 1 team standing

134Ferrari
129McLaren
117BMW
41Toyota
41Renault
27Toro Rosso
26Red Bull
17Williams
14Honda
Spa Francorchamps F1 top drivers

Most victories on Spa Francorchamps statistics is lead by Michael Schumacher with 6 victories from 13 races and he is in the top of most podiums 9 and most points on this track. Ayrton Senna have top pole positions 4 from 9 races while Alain Prost have 6 fastes laps in 9 races.


F1 pole positions in Spain

Top 10 pole position on all tracks in Spain is lead by Michael Schumacher with 8 pole positions 1 at Jerez and 7 at Catalunya. He is followed by Ayrton Senna with 4 pole positions all of them at Jerez.


Valencia F1 track

This week will be the first F1 street race in Valencia. Until now we had F1 races in Spain on tracks like : Catalunya, Montjuich Park, Jerez, Jarama and Pedralbes.


Lewis Hamilton - 10 F1 pole positions

At Hungaroring, the british driver Lewis Hamilton got the pole position number 10 in his F1 career. In 2007 on Lewis first race at Hungaroring obtain the pole and the victory, in 2007 he obtain just the pole position, he finish on position 5 because a tire problem.


Hungaroring 2008 F1 race

The Hungaroring 2008 F1 race brings a new driver to the first position on podium, Heikki Kovalainen. Timo Glock finish on 2nd place, his ever best position in a F1 race and the best position for Toyota in the last years.


Hungaroring Formula1 Pole Position

Michael Schumacher lead this statistics, and some years will lead it, because he had 7 pole positions on Hungaroring. Next in this stat is Ayrton Senna with 3 poles. Others two drivers had pole twice : Mika Hakkinen and Riccardo Patrese.


Hungaroring Best Jump

In the TOP 10 on Hungaroring we found not famous drivers, but they had at least a great race on Hungaroring. They start the race behind, and during the race they get in the top overtaking a few cars.


Hungaroring top 2nd place starts

On Hungaroring there are 14 drivers who start from the 2nd place in the F1 race, and 4 teams. At drivers David Coulthard lead this stat, while Williams is in top at teams.


Top retire on Hungaroring F1

On Hungaroring F1 track, like in any other formula 1 track drivers retire during the race. On Hungaroring Fisichella, Alesi and Frentzen lead this statistics with 6 retires each.


Hungaroring F1 points

The top points driver statistics on Hungaroring is lead by 3 F1 Champions Schumacher, Senna and Hill. Teams statistics is lead by McLaren, Williams and Ferrari.


Nelsinho Piquet first podium on his 10th race at Hockenheim

Nelsinho Piquet finish on 2nd place, his ever best F1 finish. In other 3 finish races he was on place 7 at Magny Cours, 11 at Sepang and 15 at Istanbul.


Ayrton Senna and the pole positions at Hockenheim

Hamilton got the pole position at Hockenheim 2008 F1 race, at his first race on this track. In the past 9 drivers got pole more than once, and we have 3 drivers with 3 poles at Hockenheim : Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell


Experience F1 drivers at Hockenheim

In 2008 at Hockenheim will start 20 F1 drivers, only 4 of them drive at least 10 races on this track, 8 drivers with less than 10 races and 10 drivers will made the debut at Hockenheim.


Rubens Barrichello back on podium

Rubens Barrichello was back on podium in the Silverstone F1 race driving for Honda. This was the 62 podium for Rubens, the last one was while he drive for Ferrari in 2005 at Indianapolis. In 2005, his last year at Ferrari, he had 4 podiums.


Ferrari in the 3rd race without podium in 2008 F1

In this year Ferrari was not on podium in 3 F1 races : Melbourne, Montreal and Silverstone.


7 teams got points in 2008 Silverston race

After an amazing race at Silverstone we have a beautiful podium and again 7 teams getting points. In 2008 F1 season this is the 3rd race after Catalunya and Monte Carlo.


Top 10 driver points on Magny Cours

On Magny Cours we have 12 drivers which will start in 2008 F1 race and got points. There are 4 drivers with more than 10 races : Barrichello 15, Coulthard 13, Fisichella 12 and Trulli 11.


Magny Cours fastest laps

In the top drivers with fastest lap at Magny Cours we have just 8 drivers. But I will add other 2 at this top Lewis Hamilton and Milan Baros which are fast drivers in France


Montreal driver F1 victories

We have 19 drivers with victories at Montreal F1 race and 14 drivers won this track only once


Montreal F1 Pole Positions

From the 2008 F1 drivers, 4 of them have a pole position at Montreal : Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, David Coulthard and Jenson Button

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2008 FIA Formula One World Championship

Tuesday, September 23, 2008


Grand Prix Date Winning Driver Team Laps Time
Australia 16/03/2008 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 58 1:34:50.616
Malaysia 23/03/2008 Kimi RƤikkƶnen Ferrari 56 1:31:18.555
Bahrain 06/04/2008 Felipe Massa Ferrari 57 1:31:06.970
Spain 27/04/2008 Kimi RƤikkƶnen Ferrari 66 1:38:19.051
Turkey 11/05/2008 Felipe Massa Ferrari 58 1:26:49.451
Monaco 25/05/2008 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 76 2:00:42.742
Canada 08/06/2008 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 70 1:36:24.447
France 22/06/2008 Felipe Massa Ferrari 70 1:31:50.245
Great Britain 06/07/2008 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 60 1:39:09.440
Germany 20/07/2008 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 67 1:31:20.874
Hungary 03/08/2008 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 70 1:37:27.067
Europe 24/08/2008 Felipe Massa Ferrari 57 1:35:32.339
Belgium 07/09/2008 Felipe Massa Ferrari 44 1:22:59.394
Italy 14/09/2008 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 53 1:26:47.494
Singapore 28/09/2008



Japan 12/10/2008



China 19/10/2008



Brazil 02/11/2008

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2008 FIA Formula One World Championship Race Calendar


01 2008 FORMULA 1 ING AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX (Melbourne) 14 - 16 Mar
02 2008 FORMULA 1 PETRONAS MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX (Kuala Lumpur) 21 - 23 Mar
03 2008 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX (Bahrain) 04 - 06 Apr
04 FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE ESPANA TELEFONICA 2008 (Catalunya) 25 - 27 Apr
05 2008 FORMULA 1 PETROL OFISI TURKISH GRAND PRIX (Istanbul) 09 - 11 May
06 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO 2008 (Monte Carlo) 22 - 25 May
07 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2008 (Montreal) 06 - 08 Jun
08 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE 2008 (Magny-Cours) 20 - 22 Jun
09 2008 FORMULA 1 SANTANDER BRITISH GRAND PRIX (Silverstone) 04 - 06 Jul
10 FORMULA 1 GROSSER PREIS SANTANDER VON DEUTSCHLAND 2008 (Hockenheim) 18 - 20 Jul
11 FORMULA 1 ING MAGYAR NAGYDIJ 2008 (Budapest) 01 - 03 Aug
12 2008 FORMULA 1 TELEFONICA GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE (Valencia) 22 - 24 Aug
13 2008 FORMULA 1 ING BELGIAN GRAND PRIX (Spa-Francorchamps) 05 - 07 Sep
14 FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO SANTANDER D'ITALIA 2008 (Monza) 12 - 14 Sep
15 2008 FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX (Singapore) 26 - 28 Sep
16 2008 FORMULA 1 FUJI TELEVISION JAPANESE GRAND PRIX (Fuji Speedway) 10 - 12 Oct
17 2008 FORMULA 1 SINOPEC CHINESE GRAND PRIX (Shanghai) 17 - 19 Oct
18 FORMULA 1 GRANDE PREMIO DO BRASIL 2008 (Sao Paulo) 31 Oct - 02 Nov

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Singapore street racing - the technical requirements


The all-new 5.067-kilometre Singapore street circuit, venue for this weekend’s night race, looks like being one of the slowest, but most exciting, of the season, with teams likely to run with high downforce and projected lap times in the 1m 45s region. As a step into the unknown, the teams have been running computer simulations to get a rough idea of the ideal set-up required. In reality, though, it won't be until the cars take to the track on Friday evening that the teams will get a proper understanding of the demands of the track. Renault run through what they are expecting this weekend…

Tyres
Much like Monaco, grip levels are likely to be low at the new Singapore street circuit.
Therefore Bridgestone will supply the soft and super-soft compounds from its 2008 range, the very same compounds that were taken to Monaco, Budapest and Valencia. This will offer good grip on what is expected to be a very green track surface at the beginning of the weekend. However, like any temporary circuit, grip levels will ramp up as the track evolves across the weekend and rubber is laid down.

Aerodynamics
After Monaco, Singapore looks like being the second slowest circuit of the season. The team will therefore run with a high downforce package to give the car good stability under braking and to push the car into the ground in the corner exits to maximise traction and ensure good acceleration.

Brakes
Initial simulations suggest that the circuit will be quite demanding on the brakes with wear rates being similar to somewhere like Melbourne. It is not the severity of the braking but rather the regularity that makes it so demanding as the brakes will get little respite. Efficient brake cooling is therefore a must.

Suspension
Suspension set-up is one of the most difficult things to predict when planning for a new circuit. However, for any street circuit with a high percentage of low-speed corners, mechanical grip is always valuable and the team will work hard to ensure they give the drivers a supple enough suspension to get good clean exits out of the slow corners and a car that can ride the bumps and any changes of camber.

Engine and gearbox
Street circuits tend to be less severe on the engine due to the low percentage of the lap spent at full throttle, but the engine can still be under stress as it will be used in a very stop-start fashion. Closely-spaced gears ratios will be used at this circuit in order to optimise acceleration, and get the most from the engine at low speeds, while the engine team will work on the mapping to ensure the engine delivers good torque from low revs, allowing early throttle application.

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Hamilton – victim of witch hunt





Hamilton and McLaren must be wondering what they should do to win a race, much less the Formula One championship.

The 25-second penalty that the stewards docked on Hamilton for cutting a chicane and hence (according to the Stewards) the McLaren driver gained unfair advantage over Kimi in the tension-filled closing moments of the Spa race, indeed was debatable. The decision that pushed Hamilton to third spot behind Massa and Heidfeld even as Kimi crashed, only strengthens the belief that the witch hunt continues.

McLaren are just about recovering from a messy 2007 season that ended with the Woking-based team excluded from the constructor’s championship in the wake of the “Spygate” scandal. Hamilton also lost out to Kimi for the driver’s title. And now, there are justifiable fears that the 2008 series could possibly end in another disaster for the British team.

Of course, McLaren might yet win the appeal that would reinstate Hamilton as the race winner at Spa that he was by a mile, provided of course, their plea comes up for hearing at all. The news from the McLaren camp is that they might drop the appeal as the penalty was in lieu of a drive through that could not be executed since the incident occurred at the very end of the race. But until the appeal is heard and decided upon, Hamilton stays third.

I am a huge fan of Michael Schumacher despite his many acts of indiscretion on the track. The fact is that he got away with quite a few thus strengthening the belief that the Stewards always favoured Ferrari and guarded the Italian team as if their very lives depended on it.

The point is that when Hamilton cut the chicane, his car nose was virtually buried in Kimi’s gearbox. It was visually obvious that the McLaren car was quicker and was gaining on the Ferrari with each sector, not just lap. Thus, it was only a matter of time before Hamilton passed Kimi.

When Hamilton got back on track, he allowed the world champion to pass him before coming up with a breathtaking overtaking to get in front. McLaren now say that they checked with the Race Control soon after the incident and were told that the officials did not see anything wrong in Hamilton’s move.

Regardless of the fate of the appeal, Hamilton proved that he is the man to beat this season, only the second of his blossoming career. McLaren’s straightline speed and their ability to even better Ferrari’s pace were clear indicators that the British outfit has found the fractions that were missing in the previous season.

Overall, Hamilton drove a brilliant race. Towards the end, when he caught up with Kimi, he was clearly beyond the limit. The dicing at 300-plus Kmph between the two was as spectacular as it could get and it was clear that Kimi was feeling the heat. It was the Finn’s desperation at the finish that led to the spin and the headlong slide into the wall.

Although just two points separate Hamilton and Massa with Kimi a distant fourth behind Kubica, with only five races to go, my money will be on the McLaren pilot to deliver the championship. Granted the next race at Monza is a virtual homecoming for Ferrari, but for sure, Hamilton would be hell bent to rub the prancing horse’s nose in the dirt in front of the tifosi. That alone should make the race a spectacle not to miss.

Ferrari have gained every time McLaren received a rap on the knuckles. It was so last year and nothing much has change this season. For the life of me, I cannot understand as to why it is always McLaren who are marked out for such a close scrutiny. It is as if Ron Dennis and his gang are a bunch of villains plotting a short cut to success.


If anything, 2008 will see a new champion and should witness a straight fight between Hamilton (76) and Massa (74) who are well clear of both Kubica (58) and Kimi (57). The only way Kimi can retain his title is by winning all the remaining five races to take his tally to 107. But to do that, he will have to drive out of his skin. Realistically, the Finn is definitely out of contention leaving Hamilton and Massa to slug it out.

The pressure will be on Massa whose Spa win was gift wrapped and delivered on a platter following Hamilton’s demotion. The Brazilian looked rather subdued at Spa and just did not have it in him to hold off Kimi on the first lap when they raced wheel-to-wheel.

In terms of consistency, there is little to separate Hamilton from Massa. The British driver has four wins and four podium finishes, one retirement, a 10th in France and 13th in Bahrain. Massa has five wins (counting Spa) and three podium finishes besides a 13th at Silverstone, 17th in Hungary and two retirements.

Thus, the last five races should make for an intriguing contest that could go down to the wire like it did last year when Kimi beat Hamilton and Massa by just one point.

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Hamilton faces day in court before night race




 

London: Lewis Hamilton will stand before a Paris appeal court on Monday for a hearing that could ultimately affect the outcome of the Formula One championship.

Six points are at stake for the 23-year-old, who is due to appear at the hearing with McLaren team bosses before flying on to Singapore to prepare for the sport's first night race on Sunday.

Should the court decide to overrule Belgian Grand Prix stewards, who stripped Hamilton of victory at Spa this month and demoted him to third for cutting a chicane, then the McLaren driver could see his lead over Ferrari's Felipe Massa increase from one point to seven with four races remaining.

Read more...

Hamilton faces day in court before night race




 

London: Lewis Hamilton will stand before a Paris appeal court on Monday for a hearing that could ultimately affect the outcome of the Formula One championship.

Six points are at stake for the 23-year-old, who is due to appear at the hearing with McLaren team bosses before flying on to Singapore to prepare for the sport's first night race on Sunday.

Should the court decide to overrule Belgian Grand Prix stewards, who stripped Hamilton of victory at Spa this month and demoted him to third for cutting a chicane, then the McLaren driver could see his lead over Ferrari's Felipe Massa increase from one point to seven with four races remaining.

Read more...

Hamilton faces day in court before night race




 

London: Lewis Hamilton will stand before a Paris appeal court on Monday for a hearing that could ultimately affect the outcome of the Formula One championship.

Six points are at stake for the 23-year-old, who is due to appear at the hearing with McLaren team bosses before flying on to Singapore to prepare for the sport's first night race on Sunday.

Should the court decide to overrule Belgian Grand Prix stewards, who stripped Hamilton of victory at Spa this month and demoted him to third for cutting a chicane, then the McLaren driver could see his lead over Ferrari's Felipe Massa increase from one point to seven with four races remaining.

Read more...

Hamilton faces day in court before night race




 

London: Lewis Hamilton will stand before a Paris appeal court on Monday for a hearing that could ultimately affect the outcome of the Formula One championship.

Six points are at stake for the 23-year-old, who is due to appear at the hearing with McLaren team bosses before flying on to Singapore to prepare for the sport's first night race on Sunday.

Should the court decide to overrule Belgian Grand Prix stewards, who stripped Hamilton of victory at Spa this month and demoted him to third for cutting a chicane, then the McLaren driver could see his lead over Ferrari's Felipe Massa increase from one point to seven with four races remaining.

Read more...

On Golf: Parting thoughts from the Ryder Cup

Monday, September 22, 2008

-- Paul Azinger made all the right moves in his role as U.S. captain. He kept his players loose, set up Valhalla to encourage birdies and helped the Americans hoist the cup for the first time in nine years.

One of Azinger's only miscalculations: His insistence that the absence of Tiger Woods carried no positive effect for the U.S.

Obviously, the team would have been stronger, strictly in a golf sense, with Woods rather than Ben Curtis or Chad Campbell. But as Europe's Paul Casey suggested Sunday night, the U.S. thrived in part because of its "no stars" personality.

That vibe is simply not possible with Woods on the premises. His larger-than-life persona - that happens when you win 14 major championships by age 32 - casts a wide shadow. It's easy to envision the U.S. playing tighter with Woods (as it has in past Ryder Cups) - especially the rookies - or becoming deflated if Tiger had lost his matches.

Instead, players such as Anthony Kim and Hunter Mahan and Weekley demonstratively seized the spotlight, proving the U.S. is deeper than previously suspected.

-- Three days of tense, entertaining golf in an electric setting showed the power of the team format - which bodes well for Bay Area fans in advance of next year's Presidents Cup at San Francisco's Harding Park.

It always seems awkward, taking a profoundly individual sport and wedging it into a team context. But there is constant resolution in match-play golf, an outcome on every hole and in every match. That creates tension and theater even in the early sessions.

As Phil Mickelson said, "Every round feels like Sunday at a major."

The Presidents Cup historically lacks the intensity of the Ryder Cup, but if several matches go the full 18 holes - as they did Saturday at Valhalla - the scene at Harding could be very cool.

-- Lee Westwood probably comes off as a sniveling whiner in print. He complained about the difficult course at the PGA Championship (played at Michigan's Oakland Hills), objected to Weekley's crowd-inciting behavior at the Ryder Cup and criticized U.S. fans for heaping "shameful abuse" on him throughout the weekend.

In person, though, Westwood projects an entirely different image - thoughtful, analytical, amusing. He was hilarious in describing the way one fan, dressed in a white sheet, jumped in front of Westwood on the course Sunday and shouted "Boo!" in a joking attempt to startle him.

Tournament officials ejected the fan, to Westwood's dismay. He thought the guy was funny.

-- Westwood and Sergio Garcia also earned points in this corner for rising to the defense of European captain Nick Faldo. It has become a ridiculous ritual on the other side of the Atlantic, for the Ryder Cup captain to endure endless scrutiny and criticism.

But in Sunday night's news conference, Westwood and Garcia each spoke up before Faldo had a chance to answer pointed questions about his decisions. It was especially refreshing to see Garcia voluntarily shoulder responsibility, given how often he finds excuses when he falters in majors.

-- In the afterglow of Louisville's whirl as Ryder Cup host, one local journalist figured the event will spark more interest in golf. She then asked Kentucky natives Kenny Perry and J.B. Holmes if they had any advice for kids who might soon take up the game for the first time.

Holmes, one of the longest hitters around, smiled.

"Swing hard," he said.

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Something unusual happened on the day of the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on 24 August. According to Mumbai-based television audience meas

Friday, September 12, 2008

Despite India’s wins in shooting, boxing and wrestling at the Beijing Olympics, marketing and advertising professionals remain sceptical about the sustainability of these games. They say a culture of sports has to be built up first.



Something unusual happened on the day of the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on 24 August. According to Mumbai-based television audience measurement agency, Audience Measurement and Analytics Pvt. Ltd., some 30 million people across the country tuned in to watch the event. This was not only an all-time high viewership score for the Olympics in India, it was also higher than the 24 million who watched the closing ceremony of the Indian Premier League on 1 June, the most hyped cricket event in recent times.
Cricket being almost like a second religion for most sports enthusiasts in the country, this came as a pleasant surprise for those who thought this obsession with cricket was not healthy for the country’s overall sports economy and culture.
The enthusiasm on the last day of the Olympics was definitely the outcome of India’s performance at the Games. The euphoria began building up with Abhinav Bindra’s spectacular gold win in the 10m air rifle event, and going by anecdotal evidence, viewers were glued to their television sets on the days boxers Akhil Kumar and Vijender Kumar and wrestler Sushil Kumar took on their opponents.
Vijender and Sushil’s bronze wins were celebrated across the country and the elaborate felicitations received by the three stars on their return to India closely resembled the exuberant welcome that Indian cricketers receive after a successful tournament.
The wins at the Beijing Olympics have put the spotlight on below-the-radar sports such as shooting, boxing and wrestling, and have reignited the debate on whether it is healthy for a nation to remain heavily invested in one sport and what it will take to get more investment into other sports.
Sports marketing, say experts, is a phenomenon of eyeballs. For obvious reasons, advertisers and sponsors— the key patrons of sports of any kind globally—flock to events that get eyeballs. Top marketers and sponsors in India bet big money on cricket for the simple reason that it gets them access to their target audience, or the consumers they wish to pitch their wares to. “Sponsors, rather brands, will love to be where the audience is and clearly the audience is not yet with sports outside of cricket,” says Mahesh Ranka, general manager, Relay Worldwide, the sports marketing division of Starcom MediaVest Group.
But now, with sports other than cricket getting more attention from Indian viewers, will things change for them? Will we see more money flowing into these events? Will they be able to sustain and build on the euphoria that they managed to generate at the Beijing Olympics?
Of the nine leading professionals Campaign spoke to, most remain sceptical about the sustainability of these sports—but they point to ways that could help shape various sports disciplines and the careers of their exponents, off and on the field. Edited excerpts from the interviews:
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‘I’m not convinced that they are saleable yet’
Photo: Ashesh Shah/Mint
Photo: Ashesh Shah/Mint
PARITOSH JOSHI
President, new ventures, Star India Pvt Ltd
Do you think sports other than cricket will get a boost after India’s better-than-expected performance at the Beijing Olympics?
This is a simplistic conclusion. A culture of sport starts with access, awareness and motivation—access to sports facilities, awareness of the benefits that sport offers and motivation to learn and become competent at a sporting discipline, and all this from early childhood. Unless every child has the opportunity and the access, we cannot aspire to give sporting culture any fillip in India. While this is primarily in the province of the Central, state and local governments across the country, corporate India must also accept a part of the responsibility for coming forth with support for various disciplines.
With viewership going up, will regular sponsors come forward to associate with sports other than cricket?
Not in a hurry. Most sports disciplines remain out of reach for a child growing up even in the metro cities. Even in Mumbai or Delhi, it is only the privileged few who enjoy access to something as commonplace (in most countries) as a swimming pool. Interest in a sport can only come from some personal experience of it.
Everyone has some experience with, and of, cricket, and the awareness and early interest feeds upon itself to create a self-reinforcing dynamic in favour of that one sport in India.
What will it take for games such as hockey, football, shooting, boxing and wrestling to become saleable?
Any sport can only do well when it becomes a part of life from early childhood. If our sports establishment took it upon itself to grow any or all of these, it would have to start investing in access and opportunity, awareness and motivation on a national level and for children all the way down to six- and seven-year-olds, and sustain this effort through school and college. And as these children grow, the sheer volume of broad-scale interest in various sports will ensure corporate support, thereby opening up possibilities of financially sensible careers for those who choose to pursue them as their vocation.
What do you think needs to be done for India to become a sporting nation?
Countries which are smaller and poorer than India produce world-class athletes in a number of disciplines. Obviously, they are doing something that a country much larger and relatively much better off is not.
Who are the most marketable stars among the Olympic medallists this year?
It is now almost certain that Abhinav Bindra and Vijender Kumar will attract some commercial attention. The question is how long they will sustain it.
P.T. Usha got maybe just one endorsement and Anju Bobby George, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, even a globally emerging golf star like Jeev Milkha Singh get no attention whatsoever. Vishwanathan Anand, though he may not be from an Olympic discipline, is a world champion in many forms of his chosen game, and he is scarcely saleable. The attention Bindra and Kumar are getting is volatile and once the media frenzy evaporates, which it will do before the week is over, so will their celebrity (status) and saleability, to our greatest misfortune.
What are the marketable attributes of these players and what kind of brands can they endorse?
Determination, ambition, tireless effort, patriotic spirit to put the country’s glory before their personal celebrity (are their marketable attributes). Unfortunately, all of them pale before the glitter, glamour and lucre of cricket.
What kind of price tags do you think they can now command?
I am not convinced that they are saleable yet, so it is futile to speculate. The sheer hype of the moment will mean that they might win the odd endorsement. The more serious question is: Will it last?
**************
‘Bindra’s brand value will also fade out unless he acts on it’
Photo: Madhu Kapparath/Mint
Photo: Madhu Kapparath/Mint
VINITA BANGARD
Chief operating officer, Percept Talent Management
Do you think sports other than cricket will get a boost after India’s better-than-expected performance at the Beijing Olympics?
India is predominantly a single sports nation where cricket is (like) a religion and is the one and only sport that clicks. In the past, there have been other sports such as hockey, which is in fact our national sport, and soccer but they have never come close to cricket.
If you look at the Olympics, all the disciplines were very niche in nature and so their audience was also very restricted and hence advertisers will be too.
Also, in India, if a sport is not packaged with a hero, it just won’t work. Abhinav Bindra winning the gold at the Olympics was such an achievement but give it another few weeks and it will fizzle out because it is not packaged right.
So, the sporting culture will open up if more sports in India open up, but this will take time because a lot needs to be done with the support of the various sports federations, sponsors and media, who will be responsible to keep the hype going and boost these sports.
With viewership going up, will regular sponsors come forward to associate with sports other than cricket?
Abhinav Bindra won and the country is very proud of him, but unless he does some more brand building, such as take up more public relations opportunities for himself and around the sport and really ride on this glory for a longer period of time, it will not last long enough to get him enough sponsorships. Like (Rajyavardhan Singh) Rathore, who won a silver in the last Olympics, Bindra’s brand value will also fade out unless he acts on it.
What will it take for games such as hockey, football, shooting, boxing and wrestling to become saleable?
Football and Formula One (motor racing) are the next big things. Tennis too—but the big question is after Sania (Mirza), what? For any sport in India to be saleable, infrastructure needs to be developed and the sports federation needs to provide the right resources and means to take it forward.
What do you think needs to be done for India to become a sporting nation?
These guys who made it to the Olympics had to undergo a lot of training to get where they are and training costs money and needs basic infrastructure. So, unless you are a rich man’s son or daughter or have managed to get the (financial) support from somewhere, it is difficult to develop your talent.
We do not meet international standards for many disciplines because of the lack of support. So, for India to become a sporting nation, sponsors and the government need to come forward and help build up these sports.
Who are the most marketable stars among the Olympic medallists this year?
No broadcaster even picked up the television rights to the Olympics this year—so other than the names I hear of in the media, there are only a few that I can actually recall. There is potential in these sportsmen and women, and to become saleable, they have to first sell themselves and create that hype.
What are the marketable attributes of these players and what kind of brands can they endorse?
These games are very niche so they are fit for brands that talk to one particular audience. For example, brands that associate themselves with speed, accuracy, even eyesight, can use Bindra as their ambassador. These brands will basically be the next generation brands targeting youth.
What kind of price tags do you think they can now command?
It’s difficult to say, because compared to cricket, which is very mass-based, these sports target a select audience.
Even brands are very shrewd—they know they are also providing publicity and promoting the sportsman and the sport.
So, I would put it anywhere between Rs25 lakh to Rs1 crore, depending on who the sportsman is and the brand in question.
*******************
‘I’m not sure eyeballs are going up in general for non-cricket sports’
Photo: Abhijit Bhatlekar/ Mint
Photo: Abhijit Bhatlekar/ Mint
GAURAV SETH
Business head, VGC Sports
Do you think sports other than cricket will get a boost after India’s better-than-expected performance at the Beijing Olympics?
Yes, I believe it will have an effect, especially since the Commonwealth Games to be held in India are less than two years away. I don’t anticipate an overnight surge in interest from viewers or corporates but they may be more amenable now to watching, playing or spending on sports. However, we are still in our infancy when you talk of a sporting culture.
With viewership going up, will regular sponsors come forward to associate with sports other than cricket?
I’m not sure eyeballs are going up in general for non-cricket sports. The Olympics are a major event and even then, due to a traditional lack of interest and poor Indian performance, there is very little viewership, relatively speaking. I think sponsors want to see measurable returns on investment and TV eyeballs may unfortunately be the only metric that sponsors can evaluate for potential spend.
Having said that, it is logical to assume that the temporary euphoria of winning a few medals will catalyze corporate entities to start looking at funding sports in some manner.
What will it take for games such as hockey, football, shooting, boxing and wrestling to become saleable?
I personally don’t believe so. For any sport to become ‘saleable’ there has to be a consistent exposure to the sport and its athletes in media, so the population at large can identify with them and their feats. That comes only from repeated success at an acceptable international level. Until Indian teams or sportspersons start performing with a great degree of repeated success, they will not be in demand for sponsorship. They may attract funds only from government sources or business houses that indulge in it as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives.
What do you think needs to be done for India to become a sporting nation?
I’m not sure if this goal or vision is attainable even in the long term, unless sustainable steps are taken to build it. We are not, as a race, athletic. We do not have an outdoor culture like the West where people indulge in sports across age, gender or class. We do not have facilities available in neighbourhoods where this pastime can be encouraged. In our educational institutions we do not lay any emphasis on participation or excellence in sport. We seek our entertainment through cinema, music and cricket, which are passions more than channels of recreation. Having said all that, China is a great example of a country that has surmounted a lot of similar barriers and really surged to the forefront in various Olympic disciplines. This has been done through a systematic programme of early spotting and development of talent, government programmes and facilities, state-of-the-art academies and world-class coaches. This requires hundreds of millions of dollars in investment. I’m not sure if that focus is there in India yet.
Who are the most marketable stars among the Olympic medallists this year?
I think in the short term, they will all be marketable. Abhinav Bindra and Vijender Kumar are more camera friendly and hence may get a few “high media exposure” brands. Sushil Kumar, the wrestler, can look forward to local popularity in Delhi and may get invited to local retail launches and the like.
Brands may choose to milk them for their current media hype, though Bindra may have a longer staying potential as he’s young and in a sport that is not prone to injuries. The key, though, is what will happen once the media hype is over and the athletes are not “hot” (property) anymore. Top performing cricketers do well because they are exposed to millions of fans almost every month due to the cricket team’s constant play. Boxers, wrestlers, shooters and the like will only get a chance to perform, at best, every two years when the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games or Olympics come around. It takes years and years of constant excellence at the top of one’s discipline to transcend this constant exposure barrier. A case in point is the difference between athlete P.T. Usha, still revered and sought after, and Karnam Malleswari, our forgotten one-off Olympics bronze-winning lifter.
What kind of price tags do you think they can now command?
The market is too immature yet to guesstimate what these players are worth. Brands seeking long-term association with “winners” may pay a premium but I feel most deals will serve a more tactical objective and will be in the range of Rs50 lakh to Rs75 lakh.
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‘...what we have seen ... during the Olympics is a flash in the pan’
Photo: Ashesh Shah/Mint
Photo: Ashesh Shah/Mint
HIMANSHU MODY
Business head, Indian Cricket League
Do you think sports other than cricket will get a boost after India’s better-than-expected performance at the Beijing Olympics?
In the past, whenever India has achieved glory in any type of individual or team sports, a handful of corporates or politicians have taken credit for the situation. It has never been a consistent month-on-month or year-on-year investment either in the sportsperson or sports itself. Now, with India making inroads into the medal tally, I am sure the sporting culture will get a boost till at least 2012.
With viewership going up, will regular sponsors come forward to associate with sports other than cricket?
Though it is still premature, we can safely say the idea of promoting sports other than cricket has been conceived. While the recent achievements at the Olympics had been that of forced viewership, one has to still evaluate from the corporate point of view whether the return on investment in that particular sport will be substantial or profitable. Cricket too needed a miracle like 50-over matches or the 1983 Cricket World Cup victory to draw attention.
With ever-evolving technology, the sport would have to be customized for grabbing eyeballs.
What will it take for games such as hockey, football, shooting, boxing and wrestling to become saleable?
In the past we had world champions in badminton, snooker, billiards and chess but they have remained in the history books as representing India. For any sport to literally penetrate into every household would require a huge amount of marketing or one national icon behind which the corporate and political machinery becomes the driving force.
I believe that what we have seen in the past few weeks during the Olympics is a flash in the pan. I would say all other sports would need a couple of decades of dedicated resources to gain popularity. Making a (particular) sport saleable would purely depend on the sponsor and how much time he would be willing to wait for the returns.
What do you think needs to be done for India to become a sporting nation?
The effort we are putting in to become a nuclear power came from the Central government and people across the country. The same amount of effort will be required to make India a strong sporting nation.
Who are the most marketable stars among the Olympic medallists this year?
There is a certain method to the madness of creating a saleable sportsperson. The entire Indian contingent has world-class achievers of the past and present.
Focusing only on current winners would only lead us to discussing the same question during the next Olympics. It’s a combination of media frenzy and the sponsor’s patience which will create more than one saleable sportsperson in every sport.
What are the marketable attributes of these players and what kind of brands can they endorse?
If we go by trends, there are no identifiable brands which can be associated with one particular athlete or sport. Cricket has shown that anything is possible. But I would like to state that culture and tradition in our country play a far greater role for an athlete to choose the brand he or she associates with.
What kind of price tags do you think they can now command?
Ballpark figures would be in an estimate of Rs20 lakh upwards. The time period for them to be able to sustain their popularity is limited. None of the disciplines where India won medals has a domestic circuit to keep the winners in the spotlight. What the Indian Premier League has done is to create a platform across the country to give opportunities to cricketers to encash on their popularity even if they don’t represent the country. This is achieved by giving spectators quality games with lots of excitement to watch. Similarly, different platforms need to be created for all our sports heroes and wannabes to continue showcasing their skills and talent to the Indian audience throughout the year. Only then one can put the right price tag for a long time on all these champions.
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‘The Olympics have turned the spotlight ... on to sports which were never talked about’
Photo: Madhu Kapparath/Mint
Photo: Madhu Kapparath/Mint
MANISH AGGARWAL
Business director, MindShare Insights
Do you think sports other than cricket will get a boost after India’s better-than-expected performance at the Beijing Olympics?
The Beijing Olympics have provided the much needed thrust for Indian sportsmen. They mark a giant leap forward for various other sports disciplines in a country that had eyes and ears only for the glamour boys of cricket. The contrasting backgrounds of the three medal winners mean a lot more individuals would start taking up sports as a profession and full-time career option far more seriously.
Hopefully, India’s feat of winning medals at the Beijing Olympics in shooting, boxing and wrestling would have the same effect on India’s sporting scene as the 1983 Cricket World Cup win had on the popularity of cricket.
With viewership going up, will regular sponsors come forward to associate with sports other than cricket?
The Beijing Olympics have turned the spotlight of corporates and sponsors on to sports which were never talked about in this country.
Sports such as boxing, shooting, wrestling and faces associated with them will gain momentum due to the freshness they bring to the table. However, marketers want a bang for their bucks and unless we create means for these sports and sports stars to be seen and heard regularly, it will be difficult to convince sponsors to put in money on a sustained basis.
What will it take for games such as hockey, football, shooting, boxing and wrestling to become saleable?
In order to provide the right impetus to non-cricket sports, for them to even become a distant No. 2 to cricket in terms of sponsorship and eyeballs, we need our sportsmen to participate beyond the Olympics and Commonwealth Games and represent India in professional tournaments. The likes of Abhinav Bindra, Vijender Kumar and Sushil Kumar need to represent India in many more international platforms and become ‘the first Indian professional’ in each of their respective sporting arenas.
What do you think needs to be done for India to become a sporting nation?
For India to make its presence felt on the global sporting map, it needs an internal and external push.
Parents need to be lot more open-minded and push their children to become the next Leander Paes or Viswanathan Anand and not another doctor, engineer, lawyer or scientist. Externally, the right infrastructure needs to be provided for the budding sportsmen to pursue their dreams.
Who are the most saleable stars among the the Olympic medallists this year?
All three medal winners at the Olympics have all the qualities of a future brand ambassador. They are young, good-looking and untouched —to provide marketers the much needed clutter-breaking associations. Brands that sign them early on would enjoy the first-mover advantage.
Bindra would definitely cash in disproportionately more for writing history as the only Indian to win a gold medal in an individual event. Had Bindra been the only medal winner, his brand valuation would have been much higher than what it would be now with two other medal winners eyeing the marketers’ wallets.
GroupM is the first company to sign up Vijender Kumar for one of its clients even before he returned to India.
The only cause of worry is that the niche nature of these sports (shooting, wrestling and boxing) will restrict the tenure and nature of any brand associations that may come their way.
What are the marketable attributes of these sports stars and what kind of brands can they endorse?
Both boxing and wrestling are aggressive sports that would appeal to the Indian youth, compared to shooting, which is all about concentration, calmness and composure. Bindra would fit a calm, modest, thorough and sensible persona and the other two could be projected as energetic, firm, playful and spontaneous. Brands should present all three of them as next-door boys who went on to conquer the world.
What kind of price tags do you think they can now command?
The price tags these three Olympic medal winners can command would largely be a function of the pull the three medal winners enjoy amongst sponsors.
The price tag would have a direct correlation with the opportunity cost associated with the endorsement—if they endorse brands from categories such as beverages, there would be a higher opportunity cost for them, hence fatter endorsement deals versus endorsing brands from categories such as financial services, where the opportunity cost would be a lot lower, thus lowering the signing amount.
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‘To believe this will change the shape of sports ... is utopian’
Photo: Abhijit Bhatlekar/ Mint
Photo: Abhijit Bhatlekar/ Mint
SANDEEP LAKHINA
Managing director, India -- West and South, Starcom Worldwide
MAHESH RANKA
General manager, Relay Worldwide, Starcom’s sports practice
Do you think sports other than cricket will get a boost after India’s better-than-expected performance at the Beijing Olympics?
Lakhina: Firstly, I really do not think that I want to call this performance “good”. Relatively, maybe yes, and given the fact that over the past 28 Olympics we have won, what, a mere four medals, these three were like a windfall (leaving aside hockey, which, of course, we dominated from 1928 until 1964, winning all the golds except for the 1960 Rome silver).
But really, three medals is not even a consolation prize for a country as large, diverse and talented as ours. To believe that this will change the shape of sports in India is utopian. A sports culture, like all cultures, is an evolution over time and takes a critical mass of people and events with a concerted effort to pull through. I do not believe that this one event is that trigger that will allow us to take the leap to be anywhere close to being a country with a sports culture like China.
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Ranka: Having won three medals, one gold included, there is no doubt that this is a great beginning, compared to the Indian performance till date in the Olympic Games. And kudos to the three athletes who performed to succeed.
But look at the rest of the world and where are we? 50th? A host of smaller nations, population as well as geography-wise, are ahead of us. Our so-called rivalry with China in most of the fields seems to be no competition; they had 51 golds!
The sports culture doesn’t change because of one performance or one year of effort. A sports culture takes at least 12–20 years of hard work and relentless pursuit to succeed.
With viewership going up, will regular sponsors come forward to associate with sports other than cricket?
Lakhina: I do not believe that the “eyeballs” really went up. Viewership of the Olympics was abysmally dismal, coupled with some lacklustre programming and marketing. Eyes did widen with surprise and then awe as India won its first ever Olympics gold. The media, of course, played its part with the good coverage and the front page splashes. Sure, some additional viewership was garnered as people flocked to watch the boxing semi-finals, and maybe a couple of other events—but overall, this Olympics has been at the lower end of the spectrum for me.
We will see some efforts by the companies to align with various sports while this is fresh and people revel in the glory of our performance. We may see some pockets of growth—for example, I see the boxing factory in Bhiwani getting good traction but, by and large, I still see the corporates sticking to cricket.
Ranka: Unfortunately, eyeballs don’t seem to have gone up, what’s gone up is the media exposure of the athletes. Today, they are identified by their name and face but that’s entirely because of the media (TV and print alike) reporting stories from Najafgarh and Bhiwani to the world.
Recently, in a forum, the audience (comprising youth aged 14-20) were asked if they have ever watched a boxing match all their lives and no hand went up in an audience of about 200. Sponsors, rather brands, will love to be where the audience is and clearly the audience is not yet with sports outside of cricket.
What will it take for games such as hockey, football, shooting, boxing and wrestling to become saleable?
Lakhina: Not really, some interest may come about and last for a while, but I do not see a concentrated effort from marketers into building these sports into what we could call really “saleable” sports. I can bet on another couple of movies on boxing or such.
We don’t really have a sports culture that goes far and wide enough—and there are many reasons for that. Unless we have enough investments in resources, infrastructure, training, and unless we give a true fillip to these sports, they are likely to languish as they have been, barring some minor corrections every now and then.
By and large, we are not a sporty country. Maybe some of it is genetically hard-wired into our system, and some of it is our obsessive focus on non-sporting activities. And that’s a mindset that is not easy to change—and certainly not on the bank of three medals.
Ranka: Whether these sports get a fillip or not depends entirely on the government. Yes, some private efforts are on, such as the Mittal Champions Trust, the Olympic Gold Quest, et al, but they can have limited impact. A bigger impact will only come from a movement that moves the nation.
Saleability of the sport is a function of current situation, potential, plan and execution of plans, returns that accrue to the brand investing money, so in today’s context it’s very difficult. However, a constant and sincere effort on the part of the stakeholders can impact and change the same.
What do you think needs to be done for India to become a sporting nation?
Lakhina: There needs to be a change of mindset towards sports, particularly competitive sports events and their importance. We need to look at sports as a serious activity: There needs to be a strong push in policy backed by the investments in infrastructure—this will probably be best successful once we can have a public-private partnership, like we are doing for some of our infrastructure projects.
And this will take time. But, paying mere lip service to sports will make it remain where it has been for many years.
Ranka: There are many cogs-in-the-wheels that need to work together to ensure the sports and sports culture in this country really takes off and ensure the momentum that we seem to have now got doesn’t get lost. The government machinery, the sports federations, the professionals (who should be employed by the federations), infrastructure support and opportunity for more people to opt for sports, corporate support are all equally important.
One single key for all those involved would be to have accountability along with the responsibility, and periodic performance review to help identify who is delivering.
Public-private enterprise seems to be the only solution that will encourage and inculcate a sports culture in our country.
Who are the most marketable stars among the Olympic medallists this year?
Lakhina: Abhinav Bindra, Sushil Kumar and Vijender Kumar, by virtue of being the medal winners, have come out tops.
Ranka: The three medal winners are the obvious ones; add to it Akhil Kumar, the boxer.
What are the marketable attributes of these players and what kind of brands can they endorse?
Lakhina: They are all young superstars, and have proven themselves at the highest possible level of sports against all odds. They represent the true India of the future—the one that comes from the mid-tier towns with dreams in their eyes, hope in their hearts, and more importantly, a desire to win and an attitude that allows them to swim against rough tides and reach the shores.
Their attributes are simplicity, strength, character and a can-do attitude. They are also young, with a fit body and obviously, a strong mind.
Brands like Reebok and Pepsi that regularly use sports personalities would be the ones that I see signing them up first.
In terms of what they can endorse, there is a whole array of brands they can endorse, as long as it’s a story told right. It could be beverages to automobiles to soaps.
Ranka: Performance, for one, will be the key attribute. Add to it the sports (discipline) and looks of each one!
Brands that could make immediate connect on performance would be all proud Indian ones that have made a mark in the world—Tata, Aditya Birla Group, Hero Honda, to name a few.
Brands that would want to associate with the imagery and the looks of the athlete: For example, with shooter Bindra—brands associated with precision, skill, concentration. For boxer Vijender Kumar, again skill and power, and for Sushil Kumar’s wrestling, brands that endorse strength.
There will be some brands who will also want to cash in on the momentum generated thanks to their performance and media exposure.
What kind of price tags do you think they can now command?
Lakhina: All sorts of numbers are going around as is wont, but I would guess they will be at par or lower than our mid-level cricketers. I would say around Rs30-40 lakh for Sushil and Vijender; and Rs70-80 lakh for Bindra.
Ranka: Bindra in the region of Rs1 crore (4-5 brands maximum); Vijender: Rs30-40 lakh (2-3 brands maximum); Sushil: Rs20-25 lakh (2-3 brands maximum).
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‘What India needs is a vision (and) long-term allocation of resources and professional management’
Photo: Madhu Kapparath/Mint
Photo: Madhu Kapparath/Mint
VENKATESH KINI
Vice-president (marketing), Coca-Cola India
Do you think sports other than cricket will get a boost after India’s better-than-expected performance at the Beijing Olympics?
Absolutely. Every time India does well in a sport, the popularity of that particular sport rises. It was after the 1983 Cricket World Cup that cricket got a boost. Similarly, in tennis, it was with the success of Mahesh Bhupathi, Leander Paes and now Sania Mirza that more interest has been generated in the game. Now, with the success in other verticals such as badminton, wrestling and shooting, there will be more following these games.
With viewership going up, will regular sponsors come forward to associate with sports other than cricket?
Coca-Cola has been associated with sports other than cricket—we were the ones that activated FIFA World Cup in India in 2006 and followed that up by starting a grass-roots football talent hunt initiative called Coca-Cola Football Champs. We even sponsored the Rural Olympics. So, while cricket is an important property for us and other advertisers, it is important to leverage one’s presence across opportunities and other sports will continue to be a part of the marketing mix.
What will it take for games such as hockey, football, shooting, boxing and wrestling to become saleable?
Some sports naturally lend themselves to become spectator sports. These are fast-paced, action-driven sports such as cricket, football, hockey, tennis, etc. However, with other sports getting more visibility, their popularity will also increase. Changes in the sporting culture take a whole generation to happen but the good part is the change is beginning for India.
What do you think needs to be done for India to become a sporting nation?
I’m not a sports expert but personally I feel what India needs is a vision backed by long-term allocation of resources and professional management. The country needs to identify, 20 years in advance, a few sports disciplines it wants to succeed in and then develop infrastructure and training facilities and start grooming children so that we can actually build professionals.
At Coca-Cola, we have this programme called Spirit of the Olympics where we sponsored three teenage aspiring sportsmen to the Olympics as we believed they would benefit from the experience. Apart from the endorsements, these are initiatives that need to be taken by corporates—talent needs to be supported.
Who are the most marketable stars among the Olympic medallists this year?
I believe that these sportsmen did what they did because they had talent and took pride in their country. But to determine how saleable they are is not something I would know. But I hope they benefit from sponsorships and inspire a new generation of sportsmen.
What are the marketable attributes of these players and what kind of brands can they endorse?
I would not like to comment on this—it really differs from brand to brand.
What kind of price tags do you think they can now command?
It depends on the brands but during the endorsement process if the sportsmen demonstrate the fact that a career in sports is lucrative, it will reassure parents that there is money in sports.
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‘We need consistent performance by icons at the international level’
Photo: Harikrishna Katragadda/Mint
Photo: Harikrishna Katragadda/Mint
ANIL DUA
Senior vice-president (marketing and sales), Hero Honda Motors Ltd
Do you think sports in India will get a boost after its better-than- expected performance at the Beijing Olympics this year?
Currently, the phenomenal success of Mahendra Singh Dhoni has instilled tremendous belief among young talent that they can also achieve success at the top level. The same thing can happen after India’s performance at the Beijing Olympics. The first individual Olympic gold medal by Abhinav Bindra and the performance by the boxers will surely instil belief in young sportsmen that nothing is impossible as long as one works hard and is committed to his or her goal. For a competitive sports culture to really pick up, our infrastructure and training facilities have to improve drastically as we hugely lag behind other countries.
With viewership going up, will regular sponsors come forward to associate with sports other than cricket?
Even now, cricket is not the only sport that sponsors are associated with in India. Football is popular; so is hockey. Golf is also fast gaining in strength with the success of Indian golfers in the international circuit contributing to the growing popularity of the game.
What will it take for games such as hockey, football, shooting, boxing and wrestling to become saleable?
We have seen that any sport that India wins in generates a lot of buzz and excitement, as a result of which the sport automatically gets a fillip.
However, for any sport to become saleable, there has to be consistent performance. Just one-off wins would not be able to sustain interest. That is precisely why we need consistent performance by our icons at the international level. Television coverage also plays an important role in popularizing sports.
What do you think needs to be done for India to become a sporting nation?
The government needs to provide the infrastructure to identify and groom young sports talent and corporates need to support the sport/sportsmen through funding, sponsorship and support at the grass-root level.
Who are the most marketable stars among the Olympic medallists this year?
It is normally understood that whoever performs the best will be most marketable. However, the fact is that the ‘marketability’ of a star is not just on the basis of what he has achieved but also on the basis of his consistent performance, durability, personal attributes and overall appeal.
It is quite likely that all the three medal winners would be marketable given their overall appeal and background. Also, the fact that Vijender and Akhil have succeeded despite being from a small town and without much support would find them a lot of admirers across a broad spectrum.
What are the marketable attributes of these players and what kind of brands can they endorse?
Keeping personal traits aside, the attributes that these stars represent can be derived from the sport they are associated with. Shooting is a game of patience, focus and concentration. Bindra would fit well with a brand that stands for these attributes.
Boxing and wrestling are popular among the youth and reflect the attributes of physical strength, endurance, machoism, etc. Brands that stand for these attributes would look at associating with winners in these sports.
What kind of price tags do you think they can now command?
It would all depend on several factors such as the brands they are getting associated with, the duration of the contract, etc.
... AND GLOBAL PLAYERS
Tiger Woods (Golf) $105 million Nike, Accenture, Buick, Gillette
Phil Mickelson (Golf) $47 million Ford, Rolex, Callaway golf clubs
David Beckham (Soccer) $40 million Adidas, Pepsi, Vodafone, Motorola, Giorgio Armani, Sharpie, GO3
Roger Federer (Tennis) $26 million Nike, Gillette, Rolex, Wilson, Mercedes-Benz
LeBron James (NBA) $25 million Nike, Coke, Vitaminwater
Michelle Wie (Golf) $19.5 million Omega, Sony and Nike
Maria Sharapova (Tennis) $19 million Pepsi, Colgate-Palmolive, Nike, Motorola, Tiffany, Sony, Tag Heuer
Kobe Bryant (NBA) $16 million Nike, Sony, Coca-Cola’s Vitaminwater
Serena Williams (Tennis) $11 million Nike, HP, McDonald’s and Kraft
Venus Williams (Tennis) $10 million Own apparel line—EleVen, American Express, McDonald’s, Wilson
(The figures indicate the approximate annual value of the players’ current endorsements. Listed with these are some of the prominent brands that each player endorses.) Source: Mint research

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