That’s right, a Formula One racetrack. It sounds to many like one of the late Shah’s much-vaunted “prestige” projects that the revolution once so firmly denounced.
Presumably, the regime wants to see Iran rated highly in the screeching wheels corners of the world. But just because you build a Formula One track, does not man the Formula One races will come to your door.
Developers announced plans last week to build an $85 million race circuit and sports complex.
Officials were undeterred by initial skepticism from Formula One officials in Italy. They hired three UK consultancy firms to lead the project.
The circuit will be placed at the heart of a massive new resort city, called the iLand Race Resort development, in Parand City, 35 kilometers (20 miles) south of the capital.
There will also be a golf course, water parks, equestrian facilities, motorcycle dirt tracks, an Olympic-standard sports complex and an international karting circuit to supplement the racetrack, which will be surrounded by homes for 50,000 people. The five-kilometer racetrack is to be ready in six months under the direction of Apex Circuit Design.
The Mehr news agency said the first phase would cost $30 million and the second phase $55 million.
The developers understand that an international Formula One race will not come to their doorstep right away. Initially, they are planning only to put on some local races and attempting to attract promoters willing to put on races at international standards.
But Ali-Reza Sabbagh, the project’s executive manager, told the Tehran Times, “Iran has so many young people and there is an increasing tendency for them to drive.” But hopefully not at Formula One speeds!
The Formula One commercial rights-holder, Bernie Ecclestone, dismissed the notion of an Iranian Grand Prix. A Grand Prix is a Formula One event to gives the winner points in the international standings. There are 16 such events this year around the world.
“I don’t think Iran is top of our list,” Ecclestone said. “Nobody has spoken to me about this. There is just no space on the calendar anyway. We already have three or four places wanting a race and we had enough trouble squeezing the United States into next year’s calendar.”
Formula One has been welcomed in other locations in the Islamic world, such as Malaysia, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, and that may be what is attracting interest in Iran.
Formula One cars are considered to be the fastest circuit-racing cars in the world, owing to very high cornering speeds achieved through the generation of large amounts of aerodynamic downforce. Formula One cars race at speeds of up to 360 km/h (220 mph). Europe, the sport’s traditional base, is where about half of each year’s races occur.