Image Courtesy: X/MotoGP.
The provisional 2026 calendar released by Dorna Sports, the commercial rights holder of MotoGP, does not feature the Indian Grand Prix. India last hosted a MotoGP round in 2023 at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida. Despite being part of the 2024 calendar, the race was cancelled and rescheduled to March 2025, citing extreme weather conditions experienced during the inaugural event. MotoGP 2026 Calendar. (Image: MotoGP/X). The recent exclusion raises fresh concerns about the long-term viability of MotoGP in India, despite a three-year agreement between Dorna and the Uttar Pradesh government to host races from 2025 through 2027. The cancellation of the 2024 race was officially attributed to harsh weather conditions in the National Capital Region. The 2023 race, held in September, saw trackside temperatures nearing 40°C and humidity levels touching 80 percent. With India now absent from the MotoGP calendar for 2024, 2025, and potentially even 2026, the question remains: when, or even if, the premier two-wheeled racing championship will return to the country.
Later, it was pushed to 2026 due to “operational circumstances. India’s wait to host a MotoGP race just got longer. This notable absence stretches the event’s hiatus to at least three consecutive years. But now, even that revised timeline appears in doubt. The Buddh International Circuit, once touted as a fresh addition to the global racing map, now finds itself in limbo. This year’s cancellation was pegged on operational and logistical difficulties. Stay tuned to TOI Auto for latest updates on the automotive sector and do follow us on our social media handles on Facebook, Instagram and X.
