Force India chief unimpressed by Teixeira claims.
Force India team owner Vijay Mallya has hit back at comments from A1GP chairman Tony Teixeira that the former Spyker outfit is 'sending the wrong message' to Indian Formula 1 fans.
In an interview with Reuters ahead of the A1 season finale at Brands Hatch this coming weekend, Teixeira said that he felt A1GP was showing that India could be the best in the world through its nation versus nation format, while Force India was sending out a different message all together.
"Narain Karthikeyan won the race in China," he said. "I think A1 for all intents and purposes brings through the right messages into India by saying that India, although not a motor sport racing nation, can win the World Cup and can beat the rest of the world.
"Force India, on the other hand, is not giving that message to young Indian kids. It's doing the opposite. Our message is 'India, you can win. It's a winning sport, your kids can win for India.' Force India has got a long way to go before I see a podium or they see a podium.
"The Force India thing, although great for India, is a little bit negative in terms of youngsters and getting them to race if you are never going to win a race. It's the wrong message."
However, in a lengthy statement issued by the Force India team, Mallya hit back at Teixeira's claims and said the South African would be better off focusing on his own 'standard single-seater' series rather than trying to make comparisons with F1.
"I am amused by the comments of Mr Teixiera, promoter of the A1GP series, on how Indians should view motorsport in general and Force India's participation in the FIA Formula One World Championship in particular," he said. "Mr Teixiera is better advised to comment on his native South Africa and his self-styled World Cup of Motorsport that is nothing more than a standard single seater series.
"Trying to reach out to India's youth by encouraging participation in and the temptation of winning a title in a series that does not even begin to compare with GP2 or F1 is just promoting mediocrity amongst young Indians who aspire to be World Class.
"This, indeed, is a wrong message which seems to be an act of desperation given the huge and growing support for Formula One and the Force India Formula One team.
"I am sure that Indians could win so-called World titles at B or C grade levels of any sport quite easily but competing at the very highest international level is not only a matter of pride but proves a Nation's ability to participate and do so.
"The Force India Formula One Team is the first-ever Indian entry in the FIA World Championship and has harnessed international resources. This cannot be commented upon as being negative given that the Indian National Cricket Team has long had foreign coaches, the best of Indian Technology Companies have harnessed international resources and the much celebrated Tata Nano car has imported components.
"For that matter the World Champion Ferrari Formula One Team has Brazilian and Finnish drivers and is no less Italian in the process!"
Mallya added that he didn't feel Teixeira was qualified enough to comment about Indian youth and said he had no intention of providing false pretences to young Indians taking an interest in Formula 1.
"I question Mr Teixiera's competence in speaking about the aspirations of our Indian youth and what message should be sent to them in the context of Motorsport," he said. "Perhaps I should remind Mr Teixiera that my companies reach out to hundreds of millions of Indians each day through our products and services and we are not only better informed but equipped to meet the aspirations of our youth. And I certainly will not tempt them with mediocrity or false pretences.
"Instead, I will encourage world-class thinking and actions and through Force India demonstrate that an Indian team can compete at the very pinnacle of motorsport and not just in a comparatively mediocre single-seater formula series.
"As the head of the Indian National Motorsporting Federation, I am also perfectly aware not only of the interest but participation in Motorsport over the past 25 years. It is inappropriate for Mr Teixiera to say that India is not a Motorsporting Nation. Perhaps, the number of Indian Motorsport enthusiasts will exceed the population of many countries that Mr Teixiera is familar with."
With Teixeira having also stated that India would prefer to see an Indian driver in the team - rather than have Force India with a German and Italian at the wheel - Mallya was keen to stress that he remains committed to bringing through Indian talent in the future and that the team had already garnered huge interest in his homeland.
"I have committed that Force India will identify and groom an Indian driver to eventually participate in F1 through National and International Karting and GP2," he said. "I hope to achieve this over a period of five years. The arrival of Force India on the FIA World Championship F1 grid has already trebled television viewership in just four races and generated a huge fan following amongst Indians who take pride in seeing their team compete with the best in the world.
"Further, a reputed Indian Group has already invested considerably towards building a new race track to host a Formula One Grand Prix in 2010 outside New Delhi. This is ample demonstation of support from those who are developing large stakes in the sport. Irresponsible and ill informed statements will not change the waves of support for Force India or India's growing enthusiasm for Formula One."
