Mandaviya leads push for F1 revival in India, meets FMSCI officials

Taking another step in his push to revive Formula One in the country, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) to discuss a framework that would create a “strong pipeline” of drivers and technicians.

The meeting was held in the national capital recently and was also attended by sports secretary Hari Ranjan Rao, joint secretary (sports) Kunal and FMSCI council member Vicky Chandhok among others.

Mandaviya had visited the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, which had hosted F1 races from 2011 to 2013 before taxation issues caused an abrupt end to the event. “We discussed and look at the possibility of bringing Formula One and MotoGP to India. The ministry is very keen and very clear that since India is the most advancing country in technology, the best sport should come here,” Chandhok, who was at the helm of FMSCI when the races were last held, told PTI.

“They wanted to understand the challenges and they wanted to speak to FMSCI and see our organising skills. The minister and the entire ministry are very happy to support us,” he added. That Mandaviya is keen to revive the race was apparent when he held discussions with officials from the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority regarding the future of motorsports infrastructure in the country during his visit to the circuit a few weeks ago. “The discussions (with FMSCI delegation) focused on creating structured pathways for athletes, engineers, and technical professionals associated with the sport,” said a Sports Ministry source.

“Dr Mandaviya called for developing a comprehensive framework that positions motorsports at the intersection of sport and India’s rapidly growing automotive and engineering sectors,” he added.

Meeting with F1 bosses in pipeline?: It is also reliably learnt that the FMSCI has offered to facilitate a meeting between Mandaviya and the Formula One management, which is headed by former Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali.

India is trying to position itself as a global sporting hub and has already won the 2030 Commonwealth Games hosting rights in Ahmedabad, the city that is also in the race to become an Olympic host in 2036. “Expanding the range of sporting disciplines and strengthening high-performance ecosystems are key steps,” said the ministry source. During the meeting with the FMSCI delegation, the minister also discussed the prospect of building professional racing platforms for greater exposure and opportunities to Indian drivers. “With growing institutional attention and the presence of world-class racing infrastructure, motorsports can gradually regain prominence within India’s sporting landscape,” said the source, while talking about the minister’s vision. The iconic Narain Karthikeyan was India’s first Formula One driver and raced for Jordan (2005) and HRT (2011-2012) at the peak of his career.

He had finished fourth in the depleted US Grand Prix during his debut season. Karun Chandhok became the country’s second driver on the high-profile circuit, making his debut in 2010 for HRT (2010) before racing for Lotus in 2011.

“The revival effort is also being aligned with national sporting priorities. Integrating motorsports within this broader framework could help nurture talent at an early stage and build a strong pipeline of drivers, technicians, and motorsport professionals.”