The 2024 India MotoGP race won’t go ahead after all, with Dorna confirming it has been rescheduled to March 2025. Earlier this month, reports emerged suggesting that the Indian GP will be cancelled as a result of unpaid dues. However, Fairstreet Sports denied this at the time, instead stating the race would “go ahead as planned”.
Following a meeting involving all the stakeholders – Dorna, Fairstreet Sports and the Uttar Pradesh government – it was mutually decided to move the event to March 2025 due to weather concerns.
An official statement shared by Dorna says, “The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports announce that the Indian Grand Prix will not take place in 2024, with MotoGP postponing its return to the country to early 2025 due to operational considerations.
Following advice from the Government of Uttar Pradesh, as the state continues its long-term commitment to MotoGP, the sport will return to Buddh International Circuit in March 2025, when weather conditions are expected to be optimal for spectators and riders alike.”
- Race rescheduled due to weather concerns
- Kazakhstan replaces 2024 Indian GP
- Fairstreet Sports denies unpaid dues as reason for this change
2024 Indian GP called off
The inaugural Indian GP, held last year, saw the Buddh International Circuit host a world championship event for the first time in a decade. Despite a number of issues in the build up to the event, the track itself was praised by several riders. But with temperatures ranging from 32-35 degree Celsius and humidity levels above 80 percent, the Indian GP also ended up being one of the most gruelling races on the 2023 calendar. Even though the race distance was shortened, we saw Jorge Martin suffer from dehydration in the closing stages.
Speaking to Autocar India at the time, Amit Sandill (co-founder of Fairstreet Sports) even suggested moving the race to a later slot. So, it took many by surprise when just days later it was announced that the Indian GP would hold on to the September slot for 2024.
It is understood that organisers looked at pushing the race to November 2024. However, given the tightly-packed calendar, this wasn’t possible. The delayed Kazakhstan GP will now take over the September 20-22 slot this year.
India could be 2025 MotoGP season opener
Instead, the Indian GP could serve as the opening round of the 2025 MotoGP season. The traditional season-opening race in Qatar is expected to be pushed back due to Ramadan from February 28 to March 29.
Despite persistent rumours, Fairstreet Sports has denied that the Indian GP has been rescheduled due to unpaid dues. "All payments were being made in between and whatever is left will be paid by next month. So that was not really a factor in shifting the race to next year,” CEO Pushkar Nath Srivastava told PTI.
Dipan Sur
