Formula 1 Is Gunning for a Return to India After a 13-Year Hiatus
After a 13-year dry spell, the Indian government is actively fighting for F1’s return to the Buddh International Circuit. Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has confirmed the government is tackling the very issues that drove the sport away after the 2013 season. Clearing the Tax Issues The original Indian Grand Prix, which ran from 2011 to 2013, was a fan favorite, with Sebastian Vettel winning all three races.
However, the event was ruined by financial and bureaucratic issues, primarily a dispute over whether F1 should be taxed as entertainment or as a sport. This became a huge issue, eventually making the race financially ruinous for the organisations involved. Now, the Indian government is looking to fix this issue and return the championship to the country.
It seems likely that event organizers will soon catch a break as authorities look more and more prepared to either eliminate the tax burden completely, or find a way to refund the costs later. Either way, this is great news . Momentum is building quickly, with an official announcement expected to happen over the net few months.
But according to reports from the country, there’s still a lot of paperwork to be signed before anything further can be said about the project. Arvid Lindblad performs at Red Bull Moto Jam in New Delhi, India on March 1, 2026. // Predrag Vuckovic / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202603010471 // Usage for editorial use only // But things are looking optimistic, as three separate companies have already confirmed their interest in promoting the event.
“We will have an F1 race in India very soon,” Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed. “The target is to get a race at the Buddha International Circuit in the next three to six months. It will take another six months to work out the paperwork.