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2 min readJun 20, 2026 03:51 PM IST
Buddh International Circuit where F1 Indian GP held from 2011 to 2013. (FILE)
The sports ministry is constituting a task force to fast-track the hosting of major motorsport events in India, with an eye on bringing Formula One back to the country by 2028.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Saturday that the decision was taken at a recent meeting with stakeholders, including officials from Formula One, Buddh International Circuit owners the Adani Group, representatives of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), and young racers and enthusiasts.
“We will constitute a task force to undertake a detailed assessment of the motorsports ecosystem in the country and examine the challenges associated with its growth,” Mandaviya said.
The task force will evaluate the economic, tourism and investment benefits of hosting major motorsport events in India, identify infrastructure requirements and submit recommendations to the ministry. It will have representation from FMSCI, the Sports Ministry and the relevant state government.
India hosted Formula One from 2011 to 2013 before it was dropped from the calendar over taxation and financial disputes. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali recently signalled interest in a return but stopped short of committing to a timeline.
“There is a big interest from us to return to your country,” Domenicali told FanCode. “There are the right things that we need to do: find the right promoters, the right collaboration and the right timing, which will not be in the very short term. But when we talk about five years in Formula 1, it seems very far away, but it’s not.”
Sports added to CSR priority list
Sports has also been added to the priority list of Corporate Social Responsibility activities under the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) framework.
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While promotion of sports has always been an eligible CSR activity under Schedule VII of the Companies Act 2013, it had not been accorded dedicated status under the DPE framework, leaving CSR investment in sports limited and dependent on individual priorities of Central Public Sector Enterprises.
With sports now on the priority list, CPSEs must allocate 60 per cent of their CSR funds to sports. The scope has also been widened beyond infrastructure to include coaching, training and other development activities.
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