MotoGP to make its debut in India in 2023

MotoGP will race in India next year, with the series set to debut on the subcontinent at the Buddh International Circuit south of the capital of Delhi.

Under a seven-year race contract MotoGP’s 2023 championship’s calendar will include the Grand Prix of Bharat, bringing the sport into the heart of one of the world’s key motorcycling markets with a population of over 1.4 billion people and more than 200 million motorcycles on its roads.

Aiming to make the sport more accessible than ever to the sport’s fanbase across the region, Carmelo Ezpeleta, Chief Executive of MotoGP’s commercial rights-holder, Dorna Sports, stated “we’re very proud to announce that Buddh International Circuit will be on the 2023 calendar. We have a lot of fans in India and we’re excited to be able to bring the sport to them.

“India is also a key market for the motorcycle industry and therefore, by extension, for MotoGP as the pinnacle of the two-wheeled world.

“We very much look forward to racing at Buddh International Circuit and can’t wait to welcome the fans through the gates to see this incredible sport in person.“

Located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the Buddh International Circuit (pictured above) was opened in 2011, staging an Formula 1 championship race from 2011 to 2013 before the agreement was cut short due to financial and bureaucratic difficulties.

The Grand Prix of Bharat comes with MotoGP expanding in the Asian market with races currently on the calendar in Qatar, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia.

Earlier this month, Dorna Sports also signed an MoU with the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) with a view to staging an annual grand prix in Saudi Arabia while Kazakhstan’s new Sokol International Racetrack is also set to join the MotoGP calendar from 2023 after a five-year hosting deal was agreed earlier this week.

Two-wheeled transportation counts for nearly 75% of the total number of vehicles used daily in India, making India one of the biggest motorcycle markets in the world and a key focus for the manufacturers in the MotoGP paddock.