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

Taking another step in the drive to revive Formula 1 in the country, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) to discuss a framework to create a “strong pipeline” of drivers and technicians.

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

Mr. Mandaviya had visited the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, which hosted F1 races from 2011 to 2013 before tax issues caused the event to end abruptly.

“We discussed and examined the possibility of bringing Formula 1 and MotoGP to India. The ministry is very keen and very clear that since India is the most technologically advanced country, the best sport should come here,” said Mr Chandhok, who was the head of the FMSCI when the races were last held. PTI.

“They wanted to understand the challenges and wanted to talk to FMSCI and see our organizational skills. The minister and the entire ministry are very happy to support us,” he added.

Mr Mandaviya’s keenness to revive racing was evident in his discussions with Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority officials on the future of motorsport infrastructure in the country during a visit to the circuit a few weeks ago.

“Discussions (with the FMSCI delegation) focused on creating structured pathways for athletes, engineers and sports-related technical professionals,” a Ministry of Sports source said.

“Dr Mandaviya called for the development of a comprehensive framework that positions motorsport at the intersection of sports and India’s fast-growing automotive and engineering sectors,” he added.

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It is also reliably learned that the FMSCI has offered to facilitate a meeting between Mr Mandaviya and the Formula 1 management, headed by former Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali.

India is trying to position itself as a global sports hub and has already won the right to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, which is in the race to host the Olympics in 2036.

“Expanding the scope of sports disciplines and strengthening high-performance ecosystems are important steps,” the ministry source said.

During the meeting with the FMSCI delegation, the minister also discussed the possibility of creating professional racing platforms to provide greater exposure and opportunities to Indian drivers.

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“With growing corporate interest and the presence of world-class racing infrastructure, motorsport can increasingly come to the fore in India’s sporting landscape,” the source said while talking about the minister’s vision.

The iconic Narain Karthikeyan was India’s first Formula 1 driver and raced for Jordan (2005) and HRT (2011–2012) at the peak of his career. He finished fourth in the sold-out US Grand Prix in his first season.

Karun Chandhok became the country’s second driver on the high-profile circuit, making his debut for HRT (2010) in 2010 before racing for Lotus in 2011.

“Revitalization efforts are also being aligned with national sporting priorities. Integrating motorsport into this broader framework can help nurture talent at an early stage and build a strong pipeline of drivers, technicians and motorsport professionals.”