The 2014 Indian Grand Prix was on Tuesday dropped following a change in the racing calendar for the coming year, according to race organisers JPSI, who said the motorsport extravaganza will now come back to country in March 2015.
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has already taken the decision to drop India from the 2014 calendar and has conveyed it to the Indian authorities.
“October-November period suits us better both weather-wise as well as it being festive season, but if Formula One Management wants us to hold our race in March, 2015 we don’t have any problem with that,” said Sameer Gaur, MD and CEO, Jaypee Sports International ltd (JPSI).
According to the pattern for 2015, the season will start with the Australian GP followed by races in Malaysia and India. The decision was arrived at during last week's Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest, where F1 team officials met with Ecclestone.
82-year-old Ecclestone had yesterday hinted that India was likely to lose its place on the 2014 F1 calendar as he intended to limit the number of races to 20.
India hosted its first Grand Prix in 2011 amidst raving reviews from the F1 community about the 5.14 kilometre-long Buddh International Circuit (BIC), clean paddock and facilities.
This year, the third edition of the race is scheduled for October 27 at Greater Noida as the 16th round of the 19-race championship.
But with Russia, New Jersey and Austria now shortlisted as additions, there are 22 venues vying for a place on the F1 calendar with teams expressing a preference for a maximum of 20 races.
It is believed that tough taxation rules in India, event's financial viability and bureaucratic hurdles also played a part in India losing the 2014 race.