No MotoGP Bharat in 2024, second edition of India race to take place in March next year

India will not be part of the MotoGP championship this year and will instead host its second race in 2025, local promoters of the race told PTI on Tuesday.

The inaugural MotoGP Bharat had taken place between 22 and 24 September last year at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, which was won by Italy’s Marco Bezzecchi.

However, MotoGP’s return to Indian shores for a second race in September this year began to look doubtful after it was reported that the race promoters had not cleared all of their dues with rights holders Dorna. The second edition of MotoGP Bharat was scheduled to take place between 20-22 September this year.

The race, instead, has been shifted to March next year following a meeting between all the stakeholders — Dorna, co-promoters Fairstreet Sports as well as the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

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”It was mutually decided to shift the race to March next year. We are looking at first or second week of March. All the stakeholders including Dorna agreed that the September weather is not conducive for the race and it is tough on the riders and marshals as experienced last year,” Fairstreet Sports CEO Pushkar Nath Srivastava told PTI.

When asked if the postponement of the race had anything to do with unpaid dues, Srivastava responded with a clear ”no”.

”All payments were being made in between and whatever is left will be paid by next month. So that was not really a factor in shifting the race to next year. We also thought of doing it in November but that would have meant four back-to-back races which would have been tough on the teams and the riders,” said Srivastava.

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More than 50,000 fans turned up at the Buddh International Circuit during the inaugural race, just enough to fill half of the facility.

”We also expect more fans to turn up in March as the weather will be better,” said Srivastava.

The current season began in Doha on 10 March and the organisers can slot the India round in the following week.

Ahead of the 2023 edition, Dorna and local promoters had signed a seven-year agreement to stage the race in India.

Uttar Pradesh government which was a sponsor last year has now become a co-promoter, raising hopes of a long-term future of the high-profile event.

The 2023 MotoGP round in India was the biggest motorsports event held in the country since the last Formula 1 race that took place in 2013. Formula 1 could only last three years in India due to financial and taxation issues.