“There will be an F1 race in India in 2027,” said the country’s minister for sport, Mansukh Mandaviya, on Monday. “First race will be at Buddh International Circuit.”
But those hoping to see F1 return to the track south-east of New Delhi were swiftly disappointed. An F1 spokesperson described the possibility of a race in 2027 as “highly unlikely”.
F1 fans in the region eager to see the championship back at the track it last raced at in 2013 would be wise to temper their optimism. The recent experience of Moto GP recalled the circumstances under which F1 left the venue 13 years ago.
The Buddh International Circuit was entirely typical of the new wave of circuits which joined the F1 calendar in the latter years of its control by CVC Capital Partners and Bernie Ecclestone. In both layout and longevity it was a spiritual twin of the Korea International Circuit, whose spell on the calendar lasted just one year longer than Buddh’s four.
But while few major championships have expressed an interest in venturing to Mokpo, one made it to Buddh, though its tenure proved even shorter than F1’s.
Moto GP held what it intended to be the first of many races in 2023. Despite canning plans for a race in 2024, it announced a new three-year contract beginning the following year.
However, just a month later, Moto GP postponed its next Indian race until 2026. And when it announced its latest calendar, the Indian Grand Prix was nowhere to be found.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free
The track was overhauled before Moto GP’s 2023 raceA similar situation unfolded when F1 left. Ecclestone announced the race would skip a year but return in 2015. Over a decade later, Indian F1 fans are still waiting to see if anyone other than Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull can win at the circuit.
One of the key factors behind F1’s departure from the circuit was the tax rates levied on the series as the government defined it as ‘entertainment’ rather than ‘sport’. Mandaviya has said the government is working to find ways to ease this burden on F1 should it return.
In the meantime the 2027 F1 calendar is almost full, with 23 rounds confirmed already. And with more events agreeing long-term deals to continue hosting F1, the opportunity for new events to join the schedule is becoming more remote all the time.
What’s changed at Buddh since F1’s last race
Within a few years of F1 leaving the Buddh International Circuit, the track fell into a state which was clearly not up to grand prix standards. Drivers competing in the MRF Challenge 2000 series in 2017
– including future F1 racer Mick Schumacher – encountered horrific bumps on the back straight:
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free
Vettel won his final world title at Buddh in 2013However the track was brought up to scratch in time for Moto GP’s arrival by Driven International. It also altered the track’s configuration, though the changes were not as drastic as those the same company applied to Yas Marina in 2021.
Among the changes was the tightening of the entry to some of the track’s slowest corners. In its original form, several of Buddh’s corners had extremely wide entries, similar to turn one at the Circuit of the Americas.
The total number of corners was reduced as some of the quicker switchback corners were eased. However the original line used by F1 cars at turn five and the track’s signature, high-speed right-hander near the end of the lap remain. F1 drivers could therefore race on a version of the track much like the original when – or if – the series returns.
F1’s previous races in India
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free
Formula 1
Browse all Formula 1 articles