Formula 1 has understandably been focused on increasing its market in the USA. However, Liberty Media has yet to tap into the Indian and Chinese markets. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has said the same on multiple occasions. After the success MotoGP had, talks are back to get the Indian GP back in Formula 1. With Sebastian Vettel retired, we might finally see a new winner there this time around.
The First Stint of the Indian GP
The Indian GP made its debut in Formula 1 in 2011. Both fans and drivers liked the track. The Indian GP featured for 3 seasons till 2013. Sebastian Vettel won all 3 editions of this race. The 2013 win was special because he sealed his fourth title with that win. It also gave us the iconic moment of Sebastian Vettel bowing before the Bull.
An Abrupt End
The UP Government didn’t identify Formula 1 as a sport and sought to remove the tax exemption they got after 2013. This caused a lot of problems. Formula 1 took a year off and wanted to come back in 2015. However, that never happened.
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MotoGP Revives Hopes
Just last week, the Buddh International Circuit held its first international event since that fateful race in 2013. MotoGP arrived for its inaugural Indian GP. There were a lot of issues that plagued the event like the track and Visas for the drivers.
However, once the Indian GP started everything went ahead without a hitch. The circuit impressed the MotoGP riders. And with that, talks began to grow around the return. The organizers have confirmed that talks are being held for the return of Formula 1 as early as 2025.
What did Mohammed Ben Sulayem say?
As the President of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem has the responsibility to grow the sport. He has often focused on India and China because of their huge market, not just as an audience at the Indian GP but also as a manufacturer.
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After the Formula E race in Hyderabad, he said, “There’s more that can be done in India, including a return of F1. India is important not because I am here, not because I am the president, India and China both have the manufacturers, both have the numbers. We have not scratched the surface yet. We are talking about 2.8 billion people in these two countries and we have less than 8000 competitive licenses.”
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