Back on Track: Exploring the Possibility of F1's Comeback in India - In conversation with Soumil Arora
India is the fifth largest market for Formula 1 across the globe, contributing approximately 31 million fans, an F1 survey from 2020 suggested. The sport witnessed a championship battle for the history books in 2021, and there was a brief but strong fight from Ferrari in 2022 until Red Bull ran away with both titles. This would very likely have boosted the fan figures further over the past four years. So, is it finally time for the Indian Grand Prix to return? I sat for a conversation with Soumil Arora - a sports presenter and the voice of MotoGP Bharat, to discuss the possibilities.
The 30th of October, 2011 was a day to cherish for Indian motorsport fans, as the country hosted its first Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida. The weekend saw an attendance of almost 100,000 and the whole event turned out to be a huge success. Following this, the BIC hosted the Indian Grand Prix in 2012 and 2013 as well, but it did not make it to the 2014 F1 calendar. There were plans for its return in 2015.
Unfortunately, this did not happen due to declining ticket sales, lack of promotions and marketing around the event, and tax disputes between the state Government and F1. The major factor was the then Uttar Pradesh Government demanding an entertainment tax from Formula 1, claiming it to be entertainment and not a sport. The organizers and the circuit had to pay the 40-million-dollar race fee to the Government as Formula 1 refused to do so. Unsurprisingly, the sport has not returned to India ever since.
Fortunately, the existing Government classifies motorsport as a sport, significantly helping it evolve in India. Recent rumours suggest that discussions are in place to bring F1 back to India, owing to the success of the 2023 Formula E Hyderabad E-Prix and MotoGP Bharat events. “I think it looks better than it has at any point during the last ten years. It’s good to see that a couple of Governments (U.P and Gujarat) are now interested in making something like this happen,” Soumil commented on the rumours. However, he was quick to address that more needs to be done. “We need to make sure that MotoGP happens for a couple of years so that there’s a sense of confidence in the Governments, promoters, facilities, and the market in general. That makes it a lot easier for Formula 1, as they will have concrete grounds on which they can base whether they can enter or not,” he added.
India has witnessed a rise in local motorsport leagues that help nurture talent and promote motorsport culture in the country, while also providing entertainment to motorsport enthusiasts. “We have seen a lot of committed investment from MRF and JK Tyres, who are constantly building up all the national championships not just in four-wheelers but also in two-wheelers,” Soumil said. “Talking from a commercial standpoint, we have been missing something like F1 for quite a while, and we saw a dip for three or four years after the sport left. But I’m glad more people than ever are watching it now, thanks to Drive to Survive and F1 being very prevalent on social media. This is good because then the sport sees a potential audience it can capitalize on,” he added.
India has produced two F1 drivers – Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok. Unfortunately, they could not thrive in the sport and there was little buzz in the country about them. “That time when people used to care for or support someone just because they belong to the same nation has passed long ago. Even back in 2011, when social media did not exist to the same degree, people were more curious about Michael Schumacher coming to India than an Indian driver racing in F1,” Soumil stated, stressing the importance of performing well in the sport to get people to notice.
The sport could return “ideally at some point after 2026,” as “MotoGP should have established itself by then,” Soumil said. “I’m hoping that the taxes are laid out favourably, there is a promoter willing to shell out the license fee, and most importantly, F1 looks at India as a market to tap upon and does a lot more than just a GP. It takes a lot of effort to market the sport apart from the race itself to make sure people are interested.” He believes events like the Red Bull F1 show run that was held in Mumbai last year make a significant difference, as they “bring the sport closer to the people.”
While there is little surety of F1 returning to India shortly, recent developments and the country’s growing motorsport community have certainly boosted the chances more than ever. As motorsport fans, we can only hope these chances turn into reality and F1 cars roar on our country’s racetracks yet again!
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