The Indian Supercross Racing League is all set to kick off in October 2023, with a three-round calendar planned for the inaugural edition. With franchise-based sports like the IPL seeing tremendous popularity in India, the league will take this format and apply it to supercross racing for the first time in the world.
- First season to feature rounds in Delhi, Ahmedabad and Pune
- Brand-based teams instead of city-based leagues
Indian Supercross Racing League calendar
Supercross races are usually conducted on indoor dirt tracks, featuring steep jumps and obstacles. The first round is set to be held at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in October 2023, days after India’s first MotoGP race. This will be followed by rounds in Ahmedabad and Pune. While the first season will see only three rounds, the plan is to expand the calendar as the league gains traction.
Instead of city-based teams, there will be brand-based leagues. Supercross India co-founder Eeshan Lokhande – who is a former motocross racer – stresses this is pivotal to give the league wider reach since rounds won’t be limited to select cities. “It’ll be a brand-based league where I can have maybe four fixed cities where there is a lot of motorsport and I can keep taking the sport to newer places,” he explains.
Tyre manufacturer Ceat has come on board as the league’s title sponsor.
Indian Supercross Racing League riders, categories
There will be a total of four categories. The first of these will be the 450cc category, which is the pinnacle of supercross racing globally. For the first season, this category will be for international riders.
Then there’s a 250cc category for international riders, along with a separate 250cc category for Indian and Asian riders. This will give the Indian riders the chance to not just compete with but also learn from some of the leading supercross riders from across the world.
Finally, there will be an 85cc category for ages 11-14. Lokhande says this category will act as a training ground of sorts, to develop future 250cc riders. There are also plans to introduce a female class (comprising both Indian and international riders), but this will likely be in the third season.
The initial few years will see plenty of international riders, but Lokhande says this ratio will evolve and more Indian riders will join as supercross gains more prominence in the country. “But that’s not going to happen in the first year. You can’t create a sportsman overnight,” he adds.
A total of eight brand-based teams will compete, and each team will field two riders per category. Teams will also have one reserve rider for the Indian category.
Organisers are currently in discussions with potential teams, but Lokhande reveals the league is open to letting brands develop their own motocross bikes, instead of making it a single-spec series - “It’s the perfect R&D platform for brands.”
Watch this space for further updates on the Indian Supercross Racing League.
Dipan Sur
