FIA Hints At Indian Grand Prix Return: "It Is Something We Welcome"
With enthusiasm for motorsport in India on the rise, FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem is actively pushing to expand high-profile international events throughout the region.
After attending last weekend’s inaugural Hyderabad E-Prix that hosted round four of this season's Formula E championships - marking its first international race since 2013 - he highlighted how “important India [is] as a market for global motorsports."
This development aligns with his manifesto pledge from December 2021 and demonstrates why developing racing opportunities here remains an integral part of his mission moving forward.
“In my manifesto, I had mentioned how important India is. Not because I am here, not because I am the president,” Ben Sulayem admitted to Autocar India.
“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.
“We need to grow but how do we grow? There is no one size that fits all. India is different so we have to listen to people here. We have to empower ASN [National Sporting Authority – Indian Motorsport is represented by FMSCI] to make sure that we are doing the right thing”.
With the movement of Formula E into the country, this was a milestone moment that opened the country back up to the best of motorsport. Now, in only a few months, MotoGP will arrive at the Buddh International Circuit in September. But while this could be seen as a flash in the pan, Sulayem is keen to maintain this momentum.
“It has been long [since India hosted an international event] but it is something we welcome,” he said.
“We don’t want events to come just and go but we want it to come and stay and leave an impression.
“That is why planning for motorsport is very important because you don’t want investment which goes into the racing [to be wasted]. The infrastructure has to be utilised by the Indians.
“Also, you had Formula 1, you had F1 drivers – two in total – and now [Formula E]. But what does it show? It shows that sustaining it is the other challenge.”
Why Did F1 Leave India?
Several factors led to Formula 1's departure from India. Although the first Indian Grand Prix was held in 2011, the event encountered numerous financial and logistical difficulties.
The import taxes on cars and equipment, along with the inadequate infrastructure, made hosting the event in India an expensive proposition. The event struggled financially due to low ticket sales and the absence of significant Indian sponsors.
F1 management decided to remove the Indian Grand Prix from the calendar in 2014, citing financial and bureaucratic obstacles.
F1 returning to the country would be a huge win for India, especially as it now brings so much value with it. But what race would this replace? And if it's an additional race, how are we going to make space in our calendars? There are lots of questions here including whether this even involves F1 at all. All we know is aggressive expansion is definitely on the mind of Sulayem.