The Uttar Pradesh government and MotoGP's commercial rights holders, Dorna Sports, have signed a formal agreement to host MotoGP Bharat in India. The grand motorsport event will be held from 2025 to 2027 at the Buddha International Circuit. MotoGP had earlier entered India via a deal with Fairstreet Sports and Dorna Sports. This year's Bharat GP will remain out of the calendar year.
The official reason for scrapping the 2024 Indian GP has been attributed to the unfavorable weather conditions in the NCR. Last year, the GP was held in September when ambient temperatures soared to nearly 40 degrees and humidity levels were around 80 percent. These conditions caused a lot of discomfort to the riders. The 2024 GP has been canceled due to 'operational considerations.' Under the new contract, the race will be held in March, which is the start of the calendar year. The weather is much more favorable at this time of the year.
"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," Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of MotoGP promoter Dorna, said in a statement.
The new contract doesn't mention Fairstreet Sports anywhere, so it remains to be seen whether they will remain a part of the proceedings. Whether the UP government appoints a local promoter also remains to be seen. The first-ever Bharat GP was witnessed by more than 1 lakh spectators when it was held in 2023.