Overview
- Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya inspected the Buddh International Circuit and, per ministry sources, urged YEIDA to hand the venue to a sports or event management company for two to three years to restart activity.
- The government is working to fix the taxation and customs issues that led to the race’s removal after 2013, including F1’s past classification as entertainment.
- Preliminary discussions involving Formula 1 Management and other stakeholders are underway, but no contract or calendar date has been agreed.
- YEIDA now controls the circuit following Jaypee Group’s bankruptcy, and officials are assessing maintenance needs after operational problems during the 2023 MotoGP round.
- High annual hosting costs and a crowded 24-race calendar remain significant hurdles, with a Japanese company’s interest in hosting reported by ministry sources.