Need for speed: What can India do to get top level racing back in the country?

Formula 1. MotoGP. World Rally Championship. Formula E. They are the pinnacle of motorsport. India is the most populous country in the world. Put two and two together and the case for the country to host these racing series becomes an obvious one. The marketing case is especially strong. India is the largest two wheeler market in the world and the third largest four wheeler market in the world.

Take F1. Mercedes, Ferrari, Redbull, Alpine (via parent company Renault), Sauber (through Audi) all have ample reasons to use their F1 connection. India has had two F1 drivers, and there was also the Force India F1 team flying the tricolour. It isn’t that Indian companies aren’t investing in motorsport. Mahindra Racing has competed in every season of Formula E since its inception, with five E-Prix victories, 24 podium finishes, and 11 pole positions. Tyre maker MRF organises the MRF Challenge — a platform for emerging drivers — and the MRF Indian National Car Racing Championship, held at the Madras International Circuit.


JK Tyre Motorsport endorsed the National Karting Championship and the JK Tyre National Racing Championship - the longest-running racing series in India. Tata Communications is an official broadcast connectivity partner for F1. Barring isolated efforts, hosting top level motorsport is still a distant dream in India. This, despite an increasing number of fans of t h e s p o r t , thanks to Netflix’s behind the scenes series on F1 called Drive to Survive, social media buzz, streaming push and race screenings. Even as India is likely to be a popular market for the soon to be released Brad Pitt starrer F1: The Movie, the wait for the real thing continues.

A Chequered Rearview Mirror: A quick look at the India’s racing story so far

F1: INDIAN GRAND PRIX

• Three races — 2011, 2012 and 2013 — took place at the purpose-built Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida.
• Attendance crashed from 95,000 in its inaugural year to 65,000 in the second edition and 60,000 in 2013.
• Tax issues popped up around classification of F1 as entertainment and not sport.
• Customs clearance issues with cars complicated matters.
• GIFT City in Gujarat is said to be interested in hosting F1, but plans have since stalled

MOTOGP: BHARAT GRAND PRIX 2023

• Lowest attendance of any MotoGP race in the 2023 season, with race-day clocking around 58,000 fans.
• Visa issues threatened the event, as many drivers and team personnel didn’t get their visas until the last moment.
• Dorna Sports, promoter of MotoGP, had signed a seven-year MoU for India, but the race never returned to the calendar after 2023.

WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
The pinnacle of world rallying has never had a round in India, though the country has challenging terrain that would suit rallying. However, it can be the toughest to pull off, given the number of public roads that must be shut for its stages.

FORMULA E: HYDERABAD E-PRIX 2023

• The youngest racing series had one round in Hyderabad in 2023, during the previous state government’s term.
• The new government cancelled the second race scheduled for 2024 and has alleged corruption.
• Significant Indian presence, with Mahindra Racing and the Tata Group (through Jaguar) having teams.
• An Indian driver, Jehan Daruvala, has raced in the series.
• Reportedly in talks with other cities, but nothing has materialised yet.

Racing Line

Edited excerpts from conversations with top racers:

NARAIN KARTHIKEYAN-India’s first F1 driver, entrepreneur

What are India’s chances of hosting top-level motorsport again?
Honestly, the interest levels for F1 and MotoGP is quite high. You find a lot more people talking about it now. Lots of countries want to host Formula One. But government initiatives, participation from corporates, India having a driver, all of these will matter if it has to happen here. It is a no-brainer, but the support, infrastructure and ease of doing things all have to be in place.

Lessons from the Indian Grand Prix
I think the Indian Grand Prix happened too early. There was interest in the first year, but in the second, there should have been more effort… Nevertheless, it may come back. I hope it will.


KARUN CHANDHOK India’s second F1 driver, F1 commentator

What would it take to have an F1 race in India?
Fundamentally it is about government support. I have travelled to pretty much every Grand Prix and I still work in F1. Of the 24 races, there are only two that are run privately — British and Japanese. I sit on the board at Silverstone [Britain] and I know how much they have to do as a private company to make that work. It has to be backed by the central government in India. It needs to understand the impact on tourism, local businesses, hotels, trade, restaurants. You have quantifiable reasons — these many tourists will come, this much money will be spent.

How is India’s appetite for motor racing?
There are lots of Indian companies involved. There is certainly interest among fans too. Star decided not to renew the TV rights because they invested so much in cricket. No other linear broadcaster took up the rights and now it is on FanCode. They are a new platform and are trying to build an audience. It will take time. The numbers were pretty good at Star. I was told by the promoters of Singapore and they had 14,000 people travelling from India just last year. The cumulative viewership numbers for Netflix’s Drive to Survive is 700 million worldwide.


GAURAV GILL 3 X FIA Asia Pacific Rally Champion

Why doesn’t India have top-level motorsport events?
I still scratch my head [about this]. It is quite frustrating that nobody actually wants to come. It is due to the fact that they think we lack organisational skills. Our government is least supportive. Even countries like Kenya have a full motorsport structure.

What can be done?
It is similar to what happened in shooting, where everyone used to struggle to get their guns. Today they have waived off all the duties and whoever has a licence can import. As a result now, there are 40 top internationals in shooting. The government needs to support us when we import cars as well. It is just the mentality — every time F1 came, they had to face trouble at the customs and with taxes. The international motorsport community doesn’t want to deal with these situations.

KUSH MAINI Winner, Monaco Formula 2 sprint race, 2025

Has the absence of a home GP been an impediment to your F1 aspirations, particularly in getting sponsors?
Yes, it has. Let’s just say we could do more as a country to help racing. Cricket, obviously, is huge in India, and rightfully so: We’re really good at it. But the reason we got very good at it was the accessibility, training the athletes got, the infrastructure, which isn’t there for racing yet. And racing is [also] a very expensive sport. If you go to a sponsor and say: “You can be on my cricket bat or on my F1 car,” I think they would choose cricket. I would choose an Indian GP a thousand times over a Monaco GP. I think my reaching F1 properly [with a seat] can definitely help bring the India GP back.

Have you seen an increase in interest from sponsors?
There is. I remember in 2021, after Covid, I was going to stop racing because we ran out of sponsors and money. Some companies kept my dream alive — JK Tyre has been with me from the start, TVS helps a lot, and obviously, Alpine. (As told to Himani Kothari)

The Future’s Bright

Atiqa Mir, a 10-year-old karting prodigy from Srinagar, is the highest-ranked female driver in the under-10 category worldwide. With dreams of carrying her Indian heritage to international F1 circuits, she is determined to make it in Formula 1. Mir is currently honing her skills in Jesolo, Italy. Mir credits her passion for motorsport to her father, India’s first national karting champion Asif Nazir, and to her idol, Max Verstappen.


“I was different from other girls. I didn’t own a single doll or soft toy. I loved collecting cars and racing them,” she said.

A DAY IN HER LIFE
Her training routine is rigorous. Mir begins practice at 8 am and wraps up by 5 pm on most days. She dedicates Mondays and Tuesdays to her school homework. A message to young girls: “Believe in yourself. Do not let anyone tell you that you cannot do it.”