Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Saturday that a dedicated Task Force will be established to accelerate Formula One's return to India. According to reports from Business Standard, the minister revealed this decision following a recent meeting with all stakeholders, including Formula One officials, Buddh International Circuit owners, the Adani Group, Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) representatives, and young racers. The Task Force will be constituted as soon as possible to undertake a detailed assessment of India's motorsports ecosystem and examine challenges associated with its growth. As per ANI sources, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has created this task force which monitors motor sports with a vision to bring back Formula 1 racing in the country by the end of 2028.
The Task Force will comprise four to five members representing key stakeholders. The membership will include representatives from FMSCI, the Sports Ministry, the state government (specifically Uttar Pradesh as Buddh International Circuit is located in Greater Noida), and facility owners. The panel's mandate includes evaluating international, economic, tourism, and investment benefits from hosting major motorsport events in India, identifying key priorities, infrastructure requirements, and operational needs for sustainable sector development, and submitting recommendations to the Sports Ministry. According to FMSCI President Arindam Ghosh, the meeting with Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State Raksha Khadse, senior officials and potential stakeholders in New Delhi focused primarily on bringing F1, MotoGP and a round of the WRC to India. "The Federation stressed the need to develop Indian drivers and the overall development of motorsports in India, and the FMSCI's inputs were well received," Ghosh added.
The Task Force will be given three months to submit its report from the day it begins operations, though Mandaviya did not provide a specific timeline for the entire exercise. Based on the Task Force's findings, a comprehensive policy framework will be developed to promote motorsports in India. The minister revised his previous target, stating that a Formula One race in India by 2028 is now the goal, with necessary framework to be established by next year, while special emphasis will be placed on encouraging regional and grassroots motorsport centres. FMSCI President Arindam Ghosh confirmed that efforts are on to bring Formula 1 back to India by 2030, with a round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) and MotoGP by 2028. According to ANI sources, the efforts are on to bring Formula 1 back to India by 2030, with a round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) and MotoGP by 2028.
The minister emphasized that motorsports will be positioned as an important component of the Government's 'Play in India' initiative. The government has committed to providing full support for the growth and advancement of motorsports in the country through a phased and systematic approach. India previously hosted Formula 1 races from 2011 to 2013 before the event was dropped from the calendar due to taxation and financial reasons. According to an F1 statement in December last year, India's fanbase for the sport stood at 79 million, which has grown to 98 million in less than six months. At the FMSCI Annual Awards function, 137 trophies across 17 disciplines were presented to National champions across both two-wheelers and four-wheelers, with special recognition given to international achievements including Hyderabad's Naveen Puligilla and Musa Sherif becoming the first Indian team to secure a WRC3 class podium finish.
At the FMSCI Annual Awards function in Bengaluru, all the Motorsports National champions for 2025 were honoured, with special recognition given to international achievements. Aishwarya Pissay became the first Indian woman to win a round of the FIM Women's Circuit Racing World Championship (2WRC) in Portugal last year, while Hyderabad's Naveen Puligilla and Musa Sherif of Kasargod secured a WRC3 class podium finish at the World Rally Championship round at Rally Saudi Arabia. At the Asia level, Chennai's Jagathishree Kumaresan was honoured for her third place in the Girls category at the Asian Cup of Circuit Racing in Taiwan, and Muskana Jubal won gold in the Asia Auto Gymkhana Challenge (AAGC) mixed doubles category. The youngest National champion at 9 years, Arshi Gupta of Delhi Public School, Faridabad, along with Eshanth Vengatesan of Chennai and Bengaluru's Ishaan Madesh bagged FIA president's medals for National karting, demonstrating the growing talent pipeline in Indian motorsports.
