Design changes in Greater Noida’s Buddh F1 circuit ahead of MotoGP in September

The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) and Jaiprakash Associates have been directed to make changes to the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida to prepare it for the MotoGP event on 22-24 September. This will be the first international event to take place at the track in a decade. Over 30,000 tickets have already been sold.

Uttar Pradesh infrastructure and development commissioner Manoj Kumar Singh on Tuesday directed the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) and Jaiprakash Associates Limited to make necessary changes in the design of the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida and take other required measures to make the track ready for the MotoGP event slated for September 22, 23 and 24 this year.

The MotoGP event is slated for September 22, 23 and 24 this year. (HT Archive)

It is after a decade that this facility is going to host an international event and at least 62 riders from at least 20 countries are expected to take part in the MotoGP Bharat, said senior government officials.

Singh and Yeida chief executive officer Arun Vir Singh on Monday evening inspected the F1 circuit and directed teams to expedite the work.

The inspection was carried out on the instructions of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who on Friday inaugurated the ticket booking service for the event from Lucknow.

The CM has directed top officials to ensure that the event takes place without any glitches, said officials.

“We have directed the agency, Dorna Sports, to revise the design and take other required steps,” said CEO Singh. Dorna Sports, which owns the exclusive commercial and television rights of MotoGP, will conduct track inspections before commencing the necessary changes and repairs to accommodate the race.

The organisers said over 30,000 tickets have been sold since the release of the first ticket by Adityanath on Friday.

“Adityanath has said that this being a prestigious event, it will be organised on the lines of other state events such as Khelo India to promote and encourage sports in the country. UP infrastructure and industrial department commissioner Manoj Kumar Singh reviewed the design changes and other sections of the venue. We have assured the UP government that we will follow all the best industry practices for the event as we have already engaged Central Road Research Institute and IIT-Roorkee to ready the track,” said Pushkar Nath Srivastava, chief operating officer, FairStreet Sports Private Limited, which has been licensed by Dorna Sports to organise the race in India for a period of seven years.

“International bodies, FIA (for automobile) and FIM (for motorcycle) have tough standards on the technical requirements for tracks on which tier one races can be organised, pursuant to track certification. Commonly tracks are built for either car or motorcycle races. Of about 23 F1 circuits and 20 MotoGP circuits in the world, only four circuits currently are able to hold both races,” said Srivastava.

Yeida officials said for India to host the MotoGP, developing a new track would have been a very costly affair. Fairstreet Sports has worked in consultation with FIM and FIA to get the Buddh International circuit homologated, said sources.

Some extra safety barriers are to be placed for protection of bikers at some points while on some corners, kerbs are required to be added or removed. A couple of other corners need the fencing moved back for the safety of high-speed MotoGP bikes, said the organisers.