F1 TV Viewership in India

F1 TV Viewership in India Doubles Without Karthikeyan India is not missing Narain Karthikeyan, according to the country's local press. The 'Economic Times' reckons that, even with Karthikeyan's failure to remain on the grid in 2006, TV viewership in India has nearly doubled. Chennai-born Karthikeyan became the first Indian to race grands prix last year, in his rookie stint for Jordan. In 2006, he is Williams' second test driver. But the 'Times' contended that F1 viewership at the moment is 'comparable to test cricket', a sport which is extremely popular in India. ''We have grown the F1 viewership at the rate of an impressive 27 per cent year-on-year,'' said RC Venkateish, boss of India's formula one TV broadcaster, ESPN.