What happened to the MotoGP Indian Grand Prix?
- Isha Reshmi Mohan
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written by Isha Reshmi Mohan, Edited by Dhara Dave
If you are a Formula One fan, the Buddh International Circuit needs no introduction. The track became iconic during its short three-year stint on the calendar, especially for Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel fans, before being dropped in 2013.
The exit was triggered by a tax dispute; the Indian government classified F1 as entertainment rather than a sport, making the event financially unviable.
After that, the next major international motorsport event to reach India was Formula E. The championship raced on the streets of Hyderabad but lasted only a single year, following major disputes involving local political figures and protests against the event, citing “inconvenience to citizens”, which is a common complaint in major cities that host races requiring road closures. No surprises there.
You’d assume that with the opportunity handed to the country on a golden plate to make progress on the global stage, welcoming such events would be taken seriously. But it’s not quite clear what is holding them back.
In that same year, MotoGP, which was also welcomed to the country for the very first time, had a decent debut but has not returned since, despite being hosted on a well-structured circuit that was once a stop for “the pinnacle of motorsports.”
First race weekend
On 30 September 2022, almost exactly a year before the big day, MotoGP announced the addition of the Indian Grand Prix to the 2023 season at the Buddh International Circuit.
The official statement also included quotes from India’s Sports Minister, framing the milestone as part of the country’s 75th year of independence.
Expectations were understandably high, given the prestige of the event and the circuit’s successful history of hosting Formula One.
As the race weekend approached, Indian fans were fortunate to have access to extremely affordable ticket prices, consistent with many Asian rounds when compared to their European counterparts.
While a massive turnout had been expected, attendance fell short of those expectations, though it was still respectable given MotoGP’s reach in the country at the time and the broader effort to grow awareness of the sport in India.
In terms of the track and overall entertainment factor, the riders heavily praised the circuit, even comparing it to European venues. This included positive remarks about the paddock facilities, which had reportedly not been properly maintained since 2013, as per Autosport.com.
The feedback was optimistic for future rounds, especially with India initially set to remain on the calendar for seven years.
With the race weekend taking place at the end of September, relatively close to the season finale, the crowd was expecting a treat with the title battle between Jorge Martín and Francesco Bagnaia. Unfortunately for the Ducati rider, he crashed early in the race.
However, another Italian had better luck, as Marco Bezzecchi went on to win that weekend, securing his third MotoGP victory.
Unexpected ‘hiccups’
One of the biggest controversies involved visa issues for several teams right before the event. This led to rescheduled flights for major stars like Marc Márquez and Brad Binder, according to Motorsport.com. The delays were later blamed on the agencies handling the Visa applications, but the situation felt like history repeating itself. Similar hurdles had also surfaced during the Formula One era.
There was also a series of issues involving the marshals, starting with poor planning around the provision of drinking water for those stationed on the track. This led to a 45-minute delay to the Moto3 practice session. There were also concerns that some marshals were not adequately trained to handle the on-track situations quickly.
Abandoned again?
Regardless of the issues that arose during the race weekend, the Indian Grand Prix received a decent reception, and there was plenty of time to make improvements for the future. Unfortunately, there simply wasn’t another race.
Initially, the Indian Grand Prix was scheduled for mid-September of the 2024 season. However, it was eventually cancelled due to a failure to pay hosting fees to Dorna.
While the promoter, Fairstreet Sports, cited the 'general election' as the reason for the delay which led to the cancellation, the update barely made major headlines.
In an effort to stabilise the event's future, Dorna signed a new three-year agreement in 2024 directly with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, effectively sidelining the original promoters. This deal, intended to run from 2025 to 2027, initially fueled discussions about India hosting the 2025 season opener.
Ultimately, these plans fell through when Thailand was selected to host the 2025 and 2026 openers. The announcement, made during the 2024 Thai Grand Prix, included a historic 'first-ever season launch' in Bangkok and the promotion of local hero Somkiat Chantra to MotoGP for the 2025 season.
Regardless of the excitement elsewhere in Asia, the release of the 2025 calendar confirmed that India would not be hosting that year. Even with a direct government contract in place, officials reportedly struggled to secure a local promoter in time to handle the complex operations of the event.
Unfortunately, as we head into the 2026 season, no further progress has been made. With India still nowhere to be found on the schedule, it marks a third consecutive year away from the calendar, leaving the circuit’s future more uncertain than ever.
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