An Indian MotoGP race has been in the works for several months: in June the Federation of Motor Clubs of India (FMSCI) revealed that it is “working to bring a MotoGP and Formula E race” to the second most populous nation in the world.
On Friday several local media reported plans to bring MotoGP to India in 2023, with Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta expected to make an announcement ahead of next weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Motorsport.com has already teased how the Buddh International Circuit, located on the outskirts of Delhi, could host a MotoGP race as early as next year, although 2024 is considered the most realistic option for the first Indian Grand Prix.
This month Dorna successfully organized the first edition of the FIM Mini GP India, which aims to identify young talents and offer them a path towards MotoGP.
Dorna had already attempted to enter the Indian market nearly ten years ago, when the Buddh Circuit entered the World Superbike Championship calendar in 2013, but the race was canceled due to “operational problems”.
However, unlike the three Formula 1 races held in India between 2011 and 2013 and the WSBK event, the MotoGP race proposed at Buddh will not be promoted by circuit owner Jaypee Group.
The conglomerate of companies, in fact, finds itself submerged in a mountain of debt with one of the companies in the group that has defaulted and another that is facing insolvency proceedings.
FairStreet Sports, based in Noida, was instead linked to promoting the race which would be the first of this magnitude in India.
The Buddh International Circuit has already hosted the penultimate round of the Asia Road Racing Championship in 2016, with the event organized by the Madras Motor Sports Club, owner of the MMRT track in Chennai.
Although built primarily as a Formula 1 track, the Buddh International Circuit was designed with motorcycle racing in mind and features an alternative section to 10/11/12 corners, also used by the Asia Road Racing Championship.
If the project were to be realized, India would become the last country in the southern part of Asia to enter the MotoGP calendar after Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
MotoGP has been expanding in this region for several years and India is seen as the logical next step as it is home to the largest market in the world for two wheels.
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