MotoGP has secured a three-year contract to continue racing in India until 2027. The agreement brokered between Dorna Sports and the Uttar Pradesh government's Invest UP, will see the Indian Grand Prix return to the Buddh International Circuit in March 2025. Building on the success of the inaugural race in 2023, the partnership aims to boost both MotoGP's popularity and India's motorcycle industry. The 2023 Indian Grand Prix proved to be a thrilling event, with riders praising the newly resurfaced Buddh International Circuit. However, the September race date brought challenges. Extreme heat in the Delhi-NCR region led to several race marshals collapsing due to heatstroke and forced the main race to be shortened. The intense conditions even pushed one rider, Jorge Martin, to unzip his suit during the final lap to combat dehydration.
Manoj Kumar Singh, Chief Secretary-cum-Infrastructure & Industrial Development Commissioner, Government of UP, emphasized the monumental significance of this agreement: 'Bringing MotoGP to Uttar Pradesh not only elevates our state on the global sports stage but also catalyzes substantial economic growth across tourism, hospitality, and associated sectors. This event will magnetize visitors worldwide, spotlighting Uttar Pradesh's prowess in hosting world-class sporting extravaganzas."
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Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, said: 'We’re very happy to announce this new agreement made directly with the government of Uttar Pradesh. The inaugural Indian Grand Prix was a key success and brought an enormous amount of value to both MotoGP™ and our host region of UP, so it’s fantastic we are able to continue building that together into the future.
'India is an essential market for MotoGP™, with a healthy, established audience for the racing, and one we know we can increase exponentially. There are also hundreds of millions of two-wheeled vehicles used across the country every day, making it vital for our manufacturers and for the sport itself thanks to MotoGP™’s position as the pinnacle of two wheels.'
MotoGP: About Buddh International Circuit (BIC)
The track spans 4.96km and features thirteen turns—eight right and five left. It also boasts one of the longest straights in MotoGP, measuring 1,006 meters and divided into uphill and downhill sections. Originally, the MotoGP race was set to cover a distance of 118.97km over 24 laps, but extreme climate conditions led to a reduction in race length. In the inaugural MotoGP India race, Marco Bezzecchi of VR46 emerged victorious, with Jorge Martín finishing a close second and Fabio Quartararo rounding out the podium.
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With these updates, the Buddh International Circuit joins a select group of tracks capable of hosting both Formula One and MotoGP races. Other tracks in this elite group include the Circuit of the Americas in the United States, the Red Bull Ring in Austria, and the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar.
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