The 2024 Indian Grand Prix, originally scheduled for mid-September, has been officially postponed by MotoGP series organizer Dorna after months of political disputes. Instead of being canceled, the race at the Buddh International Circuit will now open the 2025 season, as the traditional opening in Qatar has been delayed due to religious holidays. This change also allows for the possibility of including the postponed Kazakhstan Grand Prix on the 2024 calendar, although there are concerns about the readiness of the Sokol circuit.
Speculation that this year’s race in Delhi would be canceled has been circulating for weeks, as Dorna and race organizer Fairstreet Sports have been engaged in heated discussions over unpaid debts from last year’s event. The ongoing general election in India has further complicated the situation, with June 4 being seen as the deadline to confirm whether the race would take place as scheduled on September 22.
Although the relationship between Dorna and Fairstreet Sports has improved, there are only a few months left until the race and tickets have not even been put on sale. As part of the negotiations, it was agreed that the race would be moved to a more favorable time of year and become the opening of the 2025 season. The extreme physical conditions during the race, including high temperature, humidity, and air pollution, led the organizers to seek an earlier date in March, which offers more favorable weather conditions.
The clash between the Qatar stage at the Lusail circuit and the sacred month of Ramadan, from February 28 to March 29, raised concerns about the management of both events. However, the temporary agreement with India resolved this issue, at least for now. Furthermore, there is the possibility of having two races at the Buddh circuit in 2025, as MotoGP may choose to move its pre-season test from Lusail to the track.
Although the completion of the circuit in Kazakhstan is considered finalized, there are still pending issues that need to be resolved before the postponed race can be included in the 2024 calendar. Floods in the northern part of the country in April caused additional complications. Despite these challenges, Dorna is working to find a solution to fit the race into the calendar.
