Tendulkar, Yuvraj may own racing teams

Indian cricket stars Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh have been approached to buy car racing teams, costing USD 5 million each, in the proposed i1 Super Series, scheduled to begin from December 18.

Nine teams, with two cars each, will compete in seven Asian cities in a short calendar, consisting of 14 races on seven weekends.

"Cricket and Bollywood stars and a few top industrialists have already shown a keen interest to own the nine Indian city-based franchise teams. Cricketers Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh have been approached," said the CEO of event promoters Machdar Motorsports, M Darshan at a media conference here today.

Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar is a huge Formula One fan and even owned a Ferrari car, gifted to him by the manufacturers, till recently. He had sold that car to a Surat-based businessman.

Asked whether India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a motorcycle enthusiast, had also been approached for the purpose, Darshan said "No comments."

"The cricketers, if they want, can also form a consortium and own a franchise team," he said. The nine franchises are being sold at a base price of USD five million and it is available only by invitation and not auction.

The list of owners along with the series' broadcast partners would be announced in the coming weeks, the promoters said.

Each team will have an Indian and a foreign driver and each franchise will race with two cars, thus forming a 18-car grid.

The series will held in seven Asian cities New Delhi and Chennai in India, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai in the Arabian Gulf, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Pattaya in Thailand.