Formula 1 Return to India? Government Sets Up Task Force to Assess Revival
India’s Formula 1 comeback is up for a feasibility assessment. The government has constituted a task force under NITI Aayog to examine the possibility of reviving the sport and draw up a coordinated roadmap for the country’s motorsports sector.
The move comes as the government considers bringing Formula 1 back to the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida, which hosted all three editions of the Indian Grand Prix between 2011 and 2013. A return to the racing calendar has yet to be confirmed.
What will the Formula 1 task force examine?
Taxation-related issues and other obstacles to the growth of motorsports will be central to the assessment. The panel will identify infrastructure requirements, operational needs and priorities for developing the sector sustainably.
It will also evaluate the potential economic, tourism, investment and international benefits of hosting motorsport events, examine the need for a comprehensive policy framework and recommend suitable public-private partnership models.
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The remit extends beyond staging a Formula 1 race to building a broader motorsports ecosystem.
Who is on the NITI Aayog panel?
The Task Force for Formula One Grand Prix feasibility assessment is chaired by Yugal Kishore Joshi, PD (YAS), NITI Aayog.
Its members include Kunal, Joint Secretary in the Department of Sports, and joint secretaries from the Department of Commerce and the Ministry of Tourism. Representatives from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs and the Central Board of Direct Taxes, under the Department of Revenue, will also participate.
The panel brings together representatives of the Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra governments, Buddh International Circuit and Madras International Circuit. The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India will be represented by its president or secretary general, along with a technical expert nominated by the federation. The chairperson can co-opt additional members as required.
When did India last host Formula 1?
The last Indian Grand Prix took place in 2013. Germany’s Sebastian Vettel won all three editions for Red Bull Racing, including the inaugural event on October 30, 2011, which was the 17th round of that year’s Formula 1 season.
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya visited Buddh International Circuit earlier this year, signalling interest in reviving the Indian Grand Prix.
The circuit subsequently hosted a MotoGP round in September 2023, but that event has also not returned since. The task force’s assessment will now examine what India needs to address to bring major motorsport events back and support their longer-term development.
With inputs from ANI