New Delhi’s Push for Grand Prix Return: India Targets Formula 1 Revival by 2028 The Indian Sports Ministry has establish…

The Indian government has launched an official framework to revive elite motorsport, setting an aggressive target to bring the Formula 1 Grand Prix back to the country by the end of 2028 while simultaneously developing local infrastructure.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has created a task force which monitors motor sports with a vision to bring back Formula 1 racing in the country by the end of 2028.

“We will try to bring back F1 in India by 2028. For this, we created a task force which monitors motor sports in the country and submits its report to the Ministry,” an MYAS source told ANI on Saturday.

Earlier on Thursday, Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) President Arindam Ghosh attended a meeting with the Sports Ministry in New Delhi and said that the efforts are on to bring Formula 1 back to India by 2030, a round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) and MotoGP by 2028.

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya during a meeting with Indian racer Atiqa Mir revealed that the move was an outcome of a recent meeting with all stakeholders.

The high-level discussions included officials from Formula One, Buddh International Circuit owners, the Adani Group, representatives of the FMSCI, and young racers and motorsport enthusiasts.

Mandaviya stated the Ministry will constitute a dedicated 4-to-5 member Task Force to undertake a detailed assessment of the motorsports ecosystem in the country and examine the challenges associated with its growth.

The panel will evaluate international, economic, tourism, and investment benefits arising from hosting major motorsport events in India, identifying key priorities, infrastructure requirements, and operational needs.

The committee will feature joint representation from the FMSCI, the Sports Ministry, the Uttar Pradesh state government—owing to the Buddh International Circuit’s location in Greater Noida—and the facility owners.

The panel will be given three months to submit its recommendations from the day it starts operations, with a comprehensive policy framework to follow.

The revised target aims for a Formula 1 race in India by 2028, with the mandatory structural framework set to be established by 2027.

Motorsports will be integrated into the central government’s “Play in India” initiative to capitalize on the financial ecosystem surrounding F1, driven by India’s massive fanbase.

Later, at the FMSCI Annual Awards function, Ghosh said, “The meeting with Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State Raksha Khadse, senior officials and potential stakeholders in New Delhi, focused primarily on bringing F1, MotoGP and a round of the WRC to India.”

“The Federation stressed the need to develop Indian drivers and the overall development of motorsports in India, and the FMSCI’s inputs were well received,” he added.

At the Awards Night in Bengaluru, all the Motorsports National champions for 2025 were honoured, and 137 trophies across 17 disciplines, both two-wheelers and four-wheelers, were presented. Awards were also given to the winning teams, promoters and sponsors of the 17 National championships.

The youngest National champion at 9 years, Arshi Gupta of Delhi Public School, Faridabad, Eshanth Vengatesan of Chennai and Bengaluru’s Ishaan Madesh bagged FIA president’s medals for National karting. FMSCI also presented Special awards to recognise international achievements.

At the world stage, Hyderabad’s Naveen Puligilla and Musa Sherif of Kasargod, who became the first Indian team to secure a WRC3 class podium finish at the World Rally Championship round at Rally Saudi Arabia and Aishwarya Pissay, who became the first Indian woman to win a round of the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship (2WRC) in Portugal last year, were honoured.

At the Asia level, Chennai’s Jagathishree Kumaresan was honoured for her third place in the Girls category at the Asian Cup of Circuit Racing in Taiwan and Muskaan Jubal for her gold in the Asia Auto Gymkhana Challenge (AAGC) mixed doubles category.

Achintya Mehrotra, who won a gold medal at the FIA Motorsport Games Gymkhana event and Aaruthran Prabhu, who won a Karting Slalom gold at the FIA Asia Pacific Motorsport Championship, were also felicitated with special awards. Tarushi Vikram was feted for her two Silver medals, one each in the Asia Pacific Motorsport Games at Colombo and AAGC.

Ashwinkumar Pandit (sporting official), CV Srinath (technical official) and Gautam Shanthappa (marshal) were awarded for their work as volunteers.

Future Outlook

The transition from administrative intent to actual race delivery remains complex. While the sports ministry’s newly formed task force sharpens India’s domestic feasibility framework, it faces severe headwinds from a congested global calendar. Formula 1’s current hosting market is intensely competitive, leaving no easy openings on near-term schedules, such as the packed 2026 lineup.

For a return to materialize by 2028, the committee must resolve promoter structures, tax complications, and venue compliance issues that originally halted racing at the Buddh International Circuit after Sebastian Vettel’s victory in 2013. However, India’s commercial leverage is expanding rapidly, highlighted by a roaring digital fanbase and the success of its official F1 sim racing championship.

FAQs

When did India last host a Formula 1 Grand Prix?

India hosted Formula 1 racing from 2011 to 2013 at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. The event was removed from the global championship calendar after 2013 due to financial disagreements, customs issues, and unresolved taxation policies with the government.

What is the purpose of the new motorsport task force?

The 4-to-5 member task force will spend three months assessing India’s motorsport ecosystem. It is assigned to analyze infrastructure requirements, logistical challenges, and the broader economic, tourism, and investment advantages of hosting global racing events.

Which government and sporting bodies are involved in the revival project?

The initiative is directed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports alongside the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). The task force also incorporates representation from the Uttar Pradesh state government and the private owners of the Buddh International Circuit facility.

How large is the Formula 1 audience in India?

According to official internal data from Formula 1, the sport’s Indian audience is experiencing exponential growth. The registered domestic fanbase grew from 79 million individuals in December to 98 million in less than six months.