Formula 1 is all about the big names and big money, but what about MotoGP in India? You must have noticed that the Indian MotoGP is missing from the 2026 MotoGP calendar, and you’re wondering why. Let’s take a look.
When Did Indian MotoGP Debut
India made a grand entry into the world of MotoGP in 2023 with the Bharat GP held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. It was a big deal, the first-ever MotoGP race in India, a country that loves two-wheelers.
But since that exciting debut, things haven’t quite gone smoothly. The Indian GP was supposed to be back in 2024 and then in 2025, but it kept getting postponed. The official reason given was “operational circumstances.” Sounds vague, right? Well, let’s get into what that really means.
So, Why Did Indian MotoGP Never Return
The main issues behind Indian MotoGP not returning have been a mix of financial troubles, organizational glitches, and logistical challenges. The original Indian race promoter, Fairstreet Sports, ran into problems with paying the hosting fees, which led to some serious delays.
The situation got complicated enough that MotoGP’s commercial rights holder, Dorna Sports, ended their contract with Fairstreet and instead signed a new three-year deal directly with the Uttar Pradesh government to organize the race.
However, even with the government stepping in and trying to sort things out, like issuing tenders to find a new promoter, the challenges just kept piling up. The government had to recall and reissue the tender multiple times, delaying progress.
Plus, the weather was another concern. The 2023 race was held in scorching September heat, which wasn’t ideal for riders or fans, so they tried to move future races to cooler months, but scheduling conflicts remained.
Because of all this, the planned 2025 race was pushed to a reserve status and then completely dropped, with Indian MotoGP now officially absent from the 2026 MotoGP calendar as well. Despite earlier promises that the race would return “in the early stages of 2026,” India’s name didn’t appear in the latest provisional schedule.
This marks three years in a row, 2024, 2025, and now 2026, that the Indian MotoGP is missing, casting doubts over when or if it will return. The truth is, for a massive country like India, hosting a global event like MotoGP needs smooth coordination, reliable promoters, and stable finances. Right now, those pieces aren’t fitting together well.
But MotoGP and the Uttar Pradesh government say they remain committed to bringing the race back and making it a world-class event in the future. So, if you’re also a motosports enthusiast, you will have to wait a bit longer to see the roar of MotoGP bikes on Indian soil again, but here’s hoping the famous Bharat GP will soon return stronger than ever!
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