Mallya says Indian Grand Prix the biggest ever race for his team

"Absolutely," said the Indian. "This is a very important weekend for Sahara Force India and we are all determined to be as competitive as possible.

"I want to savour every moment of what will surely be one of the most spectacular events of the season and the start of a great Formula 1 tradition in India."

The country, which has had two Formula 1 drivers in Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok, will host its first grand prix this weekend at the Buddh circuit.

Mallya admitted the race is a dream come true for him and the country.

He added: "I have been involved in motor racing for over 30 years and it's one of my greatest passions. I brought the first Formula 1 car over to India in the 1980s and it was always a dream of mine to one day see this great nation host a Grand Prix. So this weekend is a very significant moment and I'm extremely proud.

"It's a major step forward for Indian motorsport and for sport in general in our country. We are all looking forward to it immensely.

The team owner, who announced earlier this month a partnership with the Sahara Group, believes the new deal will only help make Force India stronger in the future.

"This is yet another great milestone in the history of this team. The Sahara Group brings fresh investment and Saharasri Subrata Roy Sahara shares my vision to push the development so that we continue to compete effectively with the teams ahead of us.

"The Sahara Group has played a very important role in the development of sport in India and is an ideal partner to help us achieve greater success in the future."