How Motorsports is Revving Towards a Revival in India A growing fanbase and strategic partnerships are looking to give motorsports and F1 a second chance in the country.
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One of the quintessential images of Formula One (F1) has to be that of Sebastian Vettel's bowing to his Red Bull RB9 at the 2013 Indian Grand Prix which not only marked his fourth and final title but also signalled India's exit from the F1 calendar indefinitely. Despite drawing 95,000 spectators for its 2011 debut at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC), India's motorsport scene wasn't ready at the time. 11 years later, while fans hope to see the return of the Indian Grand Prix, the country is witnessing the rise of a passionate community that represents and celebrates not just a sport but a lifestyle.
INDIA'S MOTORSPORTS JOURNEY:
India's motorsports tryst dates back to 1904 with a race between Delhi and Bombay. The sport gained structure in the 1950s, with milestones like the formation of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) in 1971, Narain Karthikeyan's F1 debut, the creation of the now-defunct Force India team in 2007, BIC hosting F1 races from 2011 to 2013, and Hyderabad's first Formula E race. Jaypee Group spent over half a billion dollars on building the BIC and paid close to USD 50 million annually to F1 to run the race for three editions. In return, they filed for bankruptcy a few years after the last race. In 2014, the Grand Prix was cancelled for a second consecutive year following tax disputes between the FIA and the Uttar Pradesh government.
Despite the challenges, experts viewed that F1 had the potential to generate around USD 170 million in revenue while employing as many as 10,000 people. Meanwhile, an ASSOCHAM report predicted that the Indian Grand Prix could generate revenues of over INR 90,000 crore by 2021 and create 15 lakh new job opportunities for technical workers. In recent years, interest in motorsports in India has surged among audiences, participants, and stakeholders.
Mahindra Group's Mahindra Racing has been competing in the FIA Formula E Championship since 2014. In 2020, India, with 31.1 million fans, was one of F1's top five markets, and Netflix's "Drive to Survive" significantly boosted the sport's popularity. Additionally, Skyscanner reported a 189 per cent jump in flight bookings for the 2024 Singapore and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from Indian travellers. "More Indians travelling abroad to experience F1 races firsthand has also been another source to increase interest around Motorsports," said Akhilesh Reddy, co-founder, Racing Promotions Private Limited (RPPL).
HOMEGROWN LEAGUES:
FMSCI has lined up key events for 2024. This year, RPPL and JK Tyre teamed up to host the Indian Racing Festival, comprising the Indian Racing League (IRL), the FIA-backed Indian F4 Championship, and JK Tyre FMSCI National Racing Championship (JKNRC). "The introduction of unique experiences, such as the country's first-ever street circuit night race and the first-ever franchise-based league in the IRL, emphasises teamwork and features a gender-neutral format that includes mandatory female drivers. This inclusiveness, combined with the franchise teams' broadening terest among new audiences, effectively broadening the appeal of motorsports across the nation," Reddy said.
India's first-night street race at Chennai bore 20,000 spectators as a testament that interesting formats could be a game-changer for motorsports in India. Notably, organisers anticipated that the event could have an economic impact much like Hyderabad E-Prix, which pumped nearly USD 84 million into city's economy. Notably, MotoGP Bharat in 2023 generated a record amount of revenue of INR 9.3 billion in business. The rise has also prompted the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Arjun Kapoor, John Abraham, and Akkineni Naga Chaitanya to make a beeline for the movement.
PARTNERSHIP PLAY:
Partnerships are a focal point in any sport. F1 and luxury brand LVMH previously struck a 10- year global partnership to enhance the fan experience and the heritage of the sport. Tata Communications has been a long-time official broadcast connectivity provider for F1.
Brands such as JK Tyres, Kingfisher, and ExxonMobil are backing youngsters and racing initiatives. "With India's motorsports scene experiencing rapid growth, IRL provides an ideal opportunity for Mobil 1 to deepen its engagement with Indian consumers and automotive enthusiasts," said Ankush Khanna, CEO, ExxonMobil Lubricants.
Players such as Paytm and FanCode are also joining the list. "We are seeing young fans get a taste of competitive racing for the first time. This will only help motorsport grow in the country…The sport has particularly resonated with the 16-25 age group and has been on an upward trajectory," said Prasana Krishnan, co-founder, FanCode, the official broadcaster for F1 in India. According to him, the country has over 60 million F1 fans alone.
THE ROAD AHEAD:
While India suffered a major setback with BIC, things are looking hopeful. GIFT City aims to become an international sporting destination by developing a F1 motor racing circuit in the International Finance Centre (IFC). MotoGP is set to return to India in 2026 and can act as a stepping stone for F1.
"It was the lack of infrastructure that confined it to certain locations but things have changed drastically over the past decade…if we had race tracks like we have cricket grounds, it'd probably be as popular as cricket," said Sourav Ganguly, co-owner, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers. He feels that promoting motorsport in India, especially with a young generation, is not a challenge. Additionally, RPPL has acquired the rights to launch F3 by 2026 and will aim to make the night street circuit race mainstream in India.
