Is F1 ready to make a comeback in India? Well, if reports are to be believed, then there might be truth to this sentiment, as Indian Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya inspected the Buddh International Circuit and has expressed interest in bringing Formula 1 back to India.
When we talk about F1 and India, there are these deep wounds that have still not healed after the tried, tested, and failed attempt from 2011 to 2013. Before we proceed to the future, let’s take a trip down memory lane.
The year was 2011. Sebastian Vettel was still this young wonderkid who had taken over the sport, Michael Schumacher was still racing, and Formula 1 had not completely grasped how much of a phenomenon Toto Wolff was going to be. The Indian GP first made an appearance on the calendar and would be a part of it for three years until 2013.
The association ended that year, and since then, F1 in India has been a distant dream. So what makes the current interest from the Central Government an exciting development, and why is the latest chatter of “Formula 1 in India” so promising that success is a possibility? Well, to understand that, we have to break things down a little.
First, we’ll take a look at how an F1 race can become a long-term fixture at a particular venue. Then we take a look at why it failed in India in the past, and finally, we explain why this time around, if things are done well, it can be a success.
How an F1 race becomes a long-term fixture
#1 Economic viability
At the end of the day, an F1 race is an event, and an event has to be profitable. If the races are being run in front of empty stands with no interest from the local public and the organizers are bleeding money, then the long-term viability for such an event is just not there.
#2 Ecological conditions/Timing of the race
The race has to be held at a time when the climate suits “racing.” There’s a reason why the race in Canada is run in June/July, because during other times the temperature is just too low. The same holds true for races in Europe, where timing is a serious concern as well.
#3 The track and the infrastructure
The track should be conducive to “racing” to a certain degree, especially in an era where events like the Monaco GP have faced a lot of backlash because of a lack of on-track action. To add to this, the infrastructure, when it comes to the location of the track, the accessibility, and hotels needs to be met.
The evergreen races that have been a permanent fixture on the calendar do sometimes get a pass when it comes to these things, but any new race cannot fall short in these areas.
#4 The fanbase
While there is always going to be a chunk of fans that travel to different countries throughout the season, an F1 race must have a core audience that would buy tickets to see the race. Unless you have that, the threshold to keep the whole thing sustainable would not be there.
#5 Political will of the ruling government
Probably the most important thing for any new race has to be the political will of the ruling government, because if this is not there, it’s very hard to hold F1 races. The initial investment in Formula 1 races requires a lot of money, and a lot of work needs to be done in the first few years before the operation becomes profitable.
That’s where the ruling government steps in. Quite a few races on the current calendar would not be a part of the F1 circus if not for government intervention.
Most importantly, if a government wants to hold a Formula 1 race and is willing to back the event to any extent, then it doesn’t matter if there’s no fanbase or there’s no economic viability. The event would still have a decent shelf life because of the backing it gets.
Why the F1 Indian GP failed in its first stint
#1 Taxation became a major hurdle
One of the major reasons why F1 in India failed began with the archaic taxation policies. The country is notorious for the kind of taxation system that is in place right now, but even back in the early 2010s, this was a concern.
#2 The race being held in October/November was not optimal
Anyone cognizant of the ecological challenges of the northern part of India from October to February can explain why holding a race in those conditions was less than optimal.
The F1 race in India was held during October/November, when the conditions are arguably not the best to hold a global event.
#3 The track + infrastructure was fine, the red tape and bureaucracy weren’t
One thing that the Indian GP was credited for during the 2011 to 2013 period, and in 2023 when a MotoGP race was held at the Buddh International Circuit, was the infrastructure in place. The track got great reviews for both two-wheeler and four-wheeler racing, and the infrastructure in place was given positive reviews as well.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the bureaucratic issues that plagued the event. There were visa delays at the time, and even in the 2023 MotoGP race, the same issues resurfaced.
F1 is a global event that tends to be run smoothly without these glitches, and these delays left a bad taste in the mouths of many who made the trip to the country.
#4 F1 was a niche sport at the time
Something that might seem unfathomable right now is that F1 was not a popular sport in the early 2010s. It was a very niche sport with a dedicated but small fandom. Hence, when the race was first organised, the die-hard fanbases would show up, but the numbers were nowhere close to the threshold that an event would look for.
#5 There was no political will
Finally, and probably the most important point here, is the lack of political will from the central government at the time. F1 was not looked at as a sport, and there wasn’t much interest in organising it in the country at the time.
The lack of support meant that the organiser could only do so much, and hence the entire thing eventually collapsed.
Why it CAN become a permanent fixture
#1 F1’s popularity has exploded in India
Fast forward a decade, and the popularity of F1 in India has exploded. As recently as 2025, the reported number of fans in the country is around 89 million, which is a massive number.
How many of these translate into butts on seats when a race is held is definitely a question mark, but compared to the 2010s, Formula 1 is not a niche sport anymore, and its mainstream appeal is unmistakable.
#2 The Asian leg of the calendar is March/April, which is perfect
If we look at the F1 calendar right now, the Asian leg comprises races in China and Japan early in the year, in March/April. For the northern part of India, where the Buddh International Circuit is situated, a March/April schedule works perfectly.
On the contrary, the October/November date might deter quite a few people interested in visiting India for the race.
#3 The track is universally loved and the infrastructure is impressive
Coming to the track, it is a universally loved layout by drivers and fans alike. There’s scope for some brilliant wheel-to-wheel action, and that was universally acknowledged even when the track first made its debut in 2011.
To add to this, the infrastructure is fine. When the MotoGP race was held in 2023, there weren’t many complaints when it came to the circuit’s accessibility and the facilities in general.
#4 The government is backing the event
Probably the most important variable is the Central Government, and if the reporting is to be believed, there’s political will behind holding an F1 race in India. The Sports Minister has already expressed interest in bringing Formula 1 back to the country, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s keen interest in bringing the Olympics to India in 2036 has been well documented as well.
If the Central Government steps in and commits to holding the race in India, then a large chunk of the obstacles we associate with holding a race in the country would take a back seat.
#5 Ticket prices should not be an issue
One of the factors in the 2010s was the pricing of tickets for an F1 race. There was a case where it did appear that a chunk of the fanbase was priced out of coming to the event itself.
That shouldn’t be a concern with the Indian demography right now. The country has seen multiple mega concerts from the likes of Coldplay and Linkin Park that have been packed to the brim. The threshold of the population willing to buy a ticket and watch an F1 race is certainly there, and something like that is not going to be a limiting factor.
Conclusion
It is safe to say that in the early 2010s, India wasn’t ready for F1. The sport was not mainstream at the time, and it ended up being a failed experiment. In 2026, the country is ready for the sport.
The fanbase has exploded, and the infrastructure is good enough as well. However, at the end of the day, the key factor behind bringing an event as extensive as an F1 race to a country is the political will of the central government.
Unless the Indian central government gives the nod and commits to such a massive undertaking, an F1 race might be a step too far. If it does, however, the country is ready to become a permanent fixture on the calendar.
Edited by Charanjot Singh Kohli
