India explores Formula 1 return at Buddh circuit

Feb.5 (GMM) Formula 1 could be set for a surprise return to India after more than a decade away, with the government confirming exploratory talks aimed at bringing a grand prix back to the country.

According to a report by Times of India, the Buddh circuit is being considered as a potential host, having last staged Formula 1 races between 2011 and 2013.

India’s sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya is said to have met recently with officials from the group that currently owns and maintains the circuit following the bankruptcy of the Jaypee Group in 2024.

The government has reportedly encouraged the handover of the venue to a professional sports management company for a period of two to three years, with the aim of rebuilding the commercial and operational framework required to host a Formula 1 event.

A ministry source told the newspaper that past obstacles – particularly tax disputes and regulatory classification – are now being revisited.

“There were tax issues in the past which stopped hosting F1 races,” the source said. “Those will be resolved.”

The push forms part of a broader strategy to attract major global sporting events to India ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, while also strengthening the country’s long-term bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

Formula 1’s previous stint in India ended after the 2013 season, when the Uttar Pradesh state government classified the race as “entertainment” rather than sport, triggering heavy taxation, import duties on cars and mounting financial losses for teams and promoters.

The Buddh circuit hosting MotoGP’s Bharat round in 2023, although that event was also short-lived.

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