How can MotoGP help in a return for F1 to India?

The Buddh International Circuit is set to host MotoGP this year as the pinnacle event of bike racing comes to India. This will be the first time since 2013 that a race of this magnitude will be held in India. Earlier Formula 1 races were held at the Buddh International Circuit from 2011 to 2013. Even though the contract between the Indian government of the time and Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) was for five years, the races only took place for three years.

MotoGP in India

MotoGP has scheduled the Grand Prix of India for the first time in the Buddh International Circuit. The Grand Prix Bharat round will take place at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. According to the MoU, the parties involved agreed to a seven-year contract, which should result in MotoGP returning to India over the following seven years.

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Formula 1 in India

Formula 1 successfully conducted three races in India from 2011 to 2013. All three years Sebastian Vettel with Red Bull Racing Constructor took the pole position. The races were at Buddh International Circuit which was created by Jaypee Sports Limited, a subsidiary of the Jaypee Group and is located in Greater Noida. The circuit initially agreed to a five-year contract with F1, however, the 2014 race was cancelled owing to a tax disagreement between the circuit and the FIA, as the local government classified F1 as entertainment rather than a sport. This prompted F1 to pay entertainment tax to the Indian government, which the F1 organisers apparently thought was too expensive.

Will Formula 1 return to India

Even though a return to India at this point in time seems highly unlikely for F1 but still it is not impossible. Hyderabad played host to a successful Formula E race in February. The race was even attended by FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem. According to him, the Formula E race was just the beginning of what was about to come including a return of F1 to India. During the Formula E race in Hyderabad, he said, “In my manifesto (ahead of his election in December 2021) I had mentioned how important India is. Not because I am here, not because I am the president, India and China both have the manufacturers, both have the numbers. We have not scratched the surface yet. I mean it when I say this. We are talking about 2.8 billion people in these two countries and we have less than 8000 competitive licenses.”

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Future of Racing in India

The expansion of international motorsports into India on a circuit that is also FIA-approved is proof that they are going for untapped markets. A population of 1.4 billion people is a desirable figure for any sporting event. Having said that, the MotoGP competition in September must be a success for F1 to come back to India.