Mallya shows up, gets combative

Vijay Mallya made an appearance at the Indian GP on Saturday after playing hide and seek for much of the past fortnight, which saw him lose his billionaire tag and face fresh trouble from unpaid Kingfisher Airlines staff.

Vijay Mallya made an appearance at the Indian GP on Saturday after playing hide and seek for much of the past fortnight, which saw him lose his billionaire tag and face fresh trouble from unpaid Kingfisher Airlines staff.

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The co-owner of F1 team Sahara Force India, who flew in directly from London, immediately launched an offensive against his critics and the media. Reacting to reports that he may skip the event over a threat by KFA workers to protest at the Buddh International Circuit, he said, “Was there any doubt about my presence here? This is my home grand prix.”

Taking a potshot at politicians, he tweeted: “I have learnt the hard way that in India, wealth should not be displayed. (It is) better to be a multi-billionaire politician dressed in khadi.”