The Buddh International Circuit ( hi, बुद्ध अंतरराष्ट्रीय परिपथ) is an Indian
motor racing
Motorsport, motorsports or motor sport is a global term used to encompass the group of competitive sporting events which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles. The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of two ...
circuit situated in
National Capital Region
A capital region, also called a capital district or capital territory, is a region or district surrounding a capital city. It is not always the official term for the region, but may sometimes be used as an informal synonym. Capital regions can exis ...
at
Greater Noida
Greater Noida is a Planned community, planned city located in Gautam Buddha Nagar district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city was created as an extension to Noida, Noida area under the ''UP Industrial Area Development Act, 1976''. ...
,
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
. The track shares its name with
Gautama Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...
, as does the
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
the track is located in.
The track was officially inaugurated on 18 October 2011. The long circuit was designed by German racetrack designer
Hermann Tilke
Hermann Tilke (born 31 December 1954, in Olpe, Germany) is a German engineer, racing driver and circuit designer, who has designed numerous Formula One motor racing circuits.
Racing
During the 1980s, Tilke competed in touring car racing, mainly ...
.
The circuit was best known as the venue for the annual
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
Indian Grand Prix
The Indian Grand Prix was a Formula One race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship, which was held at the Buddh International Circuit in Sector 25 along Yamuna Expressway in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh State ...
, which was first hosted in October 2011. However, the Grand Prix was suspended for 2014 and subsequently cancelled due to a tax dispute with the
Government of Uttar Pradesh
The Government of Uttar Pradesh (ISO: Uttar Pradesh Sarkār; often abbreviated as GoUP) is the subnational government of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh with the governor as its appointed constitutional head of the state by the President of I ...
during the
Akhilesh Yadav administration.
History
2000s
In 2007, a tentative agreement to host the Indian Grand Prix was reached between the
Indian Olympic Association
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) or Indian Olympic Committee (IOC) is the body responsible for selecting athletes to represent India at the Olympic Games, Asian Games and other international athletic meets and for managing the Indian teams ...
and
Bernie Ecclestone
Bernard Charles Ecclestone (born 28 October 1930) is an English business magnate. He is the former chief executive of the Formula One Group, which manages Formula One motor racing and controls the commercial rights to the sport, and part-owns ...
, then chief-executive of the
Formula One Group
The Formula One Group is a group of companies responsible for the Promotion (marketing), promotion of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA Formula One World Championship, and the exercising of the sport's commercial rights.
The ...
. A site in Greater Noida in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh was chosen as the location of the track that would host the race. Delays in the procurement of the land and construction were reported in early 2009 owing in part to the ongoing financial crisis. The design of the track was ultimately revealed in November 2009.
The venue was slated to debut during the
2010 Formula One season
The 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 64th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. Red Bull Racing won its maiden Constructors' Championship with a 1–2 finish in 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix, Brazil, while Red Bull Racing's Se ...
, with construction scheduled to be completed in time. However, this date was pushed back and the inaugural race eventually took place
the following year.
2010s
The
first Indian Grand Prix was held at the Buddh International Circuit on 30 October 2011. It was initially scheduled to take place in December 2011. However, following scheduling conflicts with the
Bahrain Grand Prix
The Bahrain Grand Prix ( ar, جائزة البحرين الكبرى), officially known as the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix for sponsorship reasons, is a Formula One motor racing event in Bahrain. The first race took place at the Bahrain Internat ...
and its subsequent cancellation, the race was rescheduled to October. The inaugural race was won by
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing, also simply known as Red Bull or RBR and currently competing as Oracle Red Bull Racing, is a Formula One racing team, racing under an Austrian licence and based in the United Kingdom. It is one of two Formula One teams owned ...
's
Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel (; born 3 July 1987) is a German racing driver who competed in Formula One from 2007 to 2022 for BMW Sauber, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Toro Rosso, Red Bull Racing, Red Bull, Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari, and Aston Martin in Formula One ...
, who started from pole position. He also set the fastest lap and therefore race lap record that year, which stood for the following two Grands Prix.
During the
2012 Formula One season
The 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 66th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 63rd FIA Formula One World Championship, a motor racing series for Formula One cars, recognised by the Fédération Internatio ...
and the second Formula One race to take place at the circuit, Sebastian Vettel took pole once again, led every lap and went on to win the race. The fastest lap of the race was set by
McLaren
McLaren Racing Limited is a British motor racing team based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor, the second oldest active team, and the second most successful Formul ...
's
Jenson Button
Jenson Alexander Lyons Button (born 19 January 1980) is a British racing driver. He won the 2009 Formula One World Championship when he drove for the Brawn GP team. After his F1 career, he became champion of the 2018 season of the Super GT ...
.
The
following year, the Indian Grand Prix was the sixteenth race in a nineteen-race season. Sebastian Vettel started on pole and subsequently won the race. Vettel also secured his fourth consecutive
Formula One World Drivers' Championship
Formula One, abbreviated to F1, is the highest class of open-wheeled auto racing defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motorsport's world governing body. The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which a ...
at this race, beating his closest challenger,
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car in ...
's
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz (; born 29 July 1981) is a Spanish racing driver currently competing for Alpine in Formula One. He won the series' World Drivers' Championship in and with Renault, and has also driven for McLaren, Ferrari, and Mi ...
, who finished 11th. Red Bull also secured its fourth consecutive
Constructors' Championship. The fastest lap of the race was set by
Lotus'
Kimi Räikkönen
Kimi-Matias Räikkönen (; born 17 October 1979), nicknamed "The Iceman", is a Finnish racing driver who competed in Formula One between 2001 and 2021 for Sauber, McLaren, Ferrari, Lotus, and Alfa Romeo. Räikkönen won the 2007 Formula One Wo ...
. This was the last Formula One race held at the circuit.
The track was not slated to be part of the
2014 season. One reason given was the rescheduling of the Indian Grand Prix to March for 2014, which made little sense after a race in October 2013. Its appearance in the
2015 season was subsequently ruled out in mid-2014, citing contractual and taxation issues.
The owners were unable to significantly recover their investments through all three seasons the races were held, and were forced to write off losses worth at least $25.1 million. In 2016, the owners reiterated their desire to not sell the circuit to other buyers, despite its high maintenance costs, their own financial distress, and the lack of future scheduled international sporting events. The circuit has continued to host smaller local racing series and championships, including the
JK Tyre National Racing Championship
The JK Tyre National Racing Championship also known as JK-NRC is an auto racing championship series consisting of several one-make series events of open wheel single seater formula cars and saloon cars in India. This championship series is al ...
which includes
open-wheel racing
Formula racing (known as open-wheel racing in North America) is any of several forms of open-wheeled single-seater motorsport. The origin of the term lies in the nomenclature that was adopted by the FIA for all of its post-World War II single-s ...
as well as motorcycle racing, and open
track day
A track day is an organised event in which non-members are allowed to drive or ride around established motor racing circuits, or alternatively (though far less common) on closed or disused airfields. Most race tracks around the world now provide t ...
s.
Tax dispute
The Buddh International Circuit is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, subject to its local taxes as well as national customs duties. The first signs of a dispute arose in 2009: in a letter to the promoters JPSK Sports, the Indian
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is a branch of the Government of India which administers the Department of youth affairs and the Department of Sports in India. Anurag Thakur is the current Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports followed ...
denied JPSK Sports permission to remit $36.5 million in licensing fees to Formula One administration headquarters in London. The reason given, by the then
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh -
Akhilesh Yadav Akhilesh is a given name. Notable people with the name include:
* Akhilesh Das (1961–2017), educationist, professor, Indian politician and philanthropist
* Akhilesh K. Gaharwar (born 1982), Indian academic and Professor at Texas A&M University
* ...
, was the nature of Formula One, considered not to be a sport but rather entertainment, and its perceived lack of impact on the development of sports in the country. Customs fees for imported components including engines and tyres were not waived, and tax exemptions given to other sports were not offered to the organisers. Fees worth $51.3 million, meant to be paid by Jaypee Sports to
Formula One World Championship Limited (FOWC), were still pending as of
Liberty Media
Liberty Media Corporation (commonly referred to as Liberty Media or just Liberty) is an American mass media company controlled by chairman John C. Malone. The company has three divisions, reflecting the company's ownership stakes in Formula One ...
's acquisition of the Formula One Group in 2016. The government's expectation of tax revenue meant that Jaypee was prevented from paying its dues to FOWC.
In a judgement issued in April 2017, the Supreme Court of India ruled that the circuit constituted a 'permanent establishment', and as such FOWC was liable to pay taxes on any income accrued by it in India, estimated at 40% of business income. It considered royalty payments made by Jaypee to FOWC to be business income as well, subject to tax, which contradicted the original agreement between Jaypee and FOWC that stipulated that any fees would be paid free of taxes. Liberty Media was prepared to settle the due amount in July 2017, setting aside $14.8 million.
2020s
For 2022, it was planned that Buddh International Circuit would host events for the
Formula Regional Indian Championship
The Formula Regional Indian Championship is a FIA-certified Indian regional Formula 3 championship and is organized by Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd. The inaugural season will be held in 2022.
Car
The championship features Tatuus-designed and ...
and the
F4 Indian Championship
F4 Indian Championship is a single-seater motorsport series based in India. The series is run to the FIA's Formula 4 regulations and organized by Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd. The inaugural season will be held in 2023.
The winner of the series ...
, however both championships were cancelled in 2022. The circuit will also host the
Indian motorcycle Grand Prix
The Indian motorcycle Grand Prix, to be held under the name Grand Prix of Bharat is a planned motorcycle race due to form part of MotoGP from 2023 at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Previously, the Buddh ...
from
2023
Events
Predicted and scheduled events
* January 1
** In the United States, books, films, and other works published in 1927 will enter the public domain, assuming there are no changes made to copyright law.
** Croatia will adopt the eu ...
as part of the
MotoGP
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start ...
World Championship.
Design
Formula One racing's governing body, the FIA, had announced the inclusion of the Indian Grand Prix for 30 October 2011. Estimated to cost about 20 billion
($400 million) to build, the circuit has a length of and is spread over an area of
and is another creation of
Hermann Tilke
Hermann Tilke (born 31 December 1954, in Olpe, Germany) is a German engineer, racing driver and circuit designer, who has designed numerous Formula One motor racing circuits.
Racing
During the 1980s, Tilke competed in touring car racing, mainly ...
. The circuit was officially inaugurated on 18 October 2011, just about two weeks before the first race. The seating capacity is initially expected to be 110,000
with provisions to increase it to 200,000
later on.
Circuit
The circuit is part of the
Jaypee Greens Sports City
Jaypee Sports City, located on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida, National Capital Region (India), NCR, is India's first planned city developed and aimed for sports.
It's 5000 acres of area comprises various sports venues like internationa ...
,
which has increasingly delayed plans to include a 100,000 seating capacity international cricket stadium, 18-hole
golf course
A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". Th ...
, 25,000 seat
field hockey
Field hockey is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round hockey ball by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shooting ci ...
stadium and a sports academy. The circuit design incorporated feedback from the teams on how the circuit could be altered to improve overtaking. This resulted in some minor changes before 2010: the planned hairpin at turn seven was removed, and the track at turn three was widened to allow drivers to take different lines throughout the corner. More information was released in August 2010, revealing that there were plans to make the circuit one of the most challenging for drivers, with the circuit rising fourteen metres within the first three corners alone and a banked double-apex bend on the far side of the circuit. The track has since been praised by drivers, including
Lewis Hamilton
Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver currently competing in Formula One for Mercedes. In Formula One, Hamilton has won a joint-record seven World Drivers' Championship titles (tied with Mich ...
who compared it to the classic
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (), frequently referred to as ''Spa'', is a motor-racing circuit located in Stavelot, Belgium. It is the current venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix, hosting its first Grand Prix in 1925, and has held ...
.
The banked multi-apex turn 10–11–12 sequence is one of the most notable sections of the circuit. It has been likened to the long, fast Turn 8 at Turkey's
Istanbul Park
Intercity Istanbul Park ( tr, İstanbul Park), also known as the Istanbul Racing Circuit or initially as the Istanbul Otodrom, is a motor sports race track in the Tuzla, Istanbul, Tuzla district of Istanbul, Turkey. It was designed by the well ...
circuit as it is a challenging sequence that generates high tyre loadings. Unlike Turkey's Turn 8, it tightens on exit and is a clockwise right-hander. Although it is not one of the main overtaking points, it is the corner that shows F1 cars to their full cornering potential. The circuit's main straight, at , is among the longest in F1, with a key overtaking point at its end. The pitlane is also one of the longest in F1, at more than 600 metres: as in most races with pit stops, time spent in the pitlane is an important factor in determining race strategies.
Before the opening weekend, the expected lap time for a Formula One car around the track was 1 minute, 27.02 seconds, at an average speed of 210.03 km/h (131 mph). At the end of the long straight between corners 3 and 4, Formula One cars were expected to reach a top speed of about . In the inaugural qualifying session,
Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel (; born 3 July 1987) is a German racing driver who competed in Formula One from 2007 to 2022 for BMW Sauber, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Toro Rosso, Red Bull Racing, Red Bull, Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari, and Aston Martin in Formula One ...
turned in a lap time of 1 minute, 24.178 seconds, beating the predicted lap times from tyre manufacturer
Pirelli
Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is a multinational tyre manufacturer based in Milan, Italy. The company, which has been listed on the Milan Stock Exchange since 1922, is the 6th-largest tyre manufacturer and is focused on the consumer production of tyre ...
.
Scuderia Toro Rosso
Scuderia Toro Rosso (; literal translation of "Red Bull Racing Team"), commonly known as Toro Rosso or by its abbreviation STR, was an Italian Formula One racing team. It was one of two Formula One teams owned by Austrian beverage company Red ...
driver
Jaime Alguersuari
Jaime Víctor Alguersuari Escudero (; born 23 March 1990), also known as Jaume Alguersuari (), and Squire is a Spanish DJ and retired racing driver best known for competing in Formula One between and , and for being the 2008 British Formula 3 ...
posted the top speed through the speed trap, reaching .
The relatively compact circuit was due to host a
GT1 World Championship
The FIA GT1 World Championship was a world championship sports car racing series, developed by the SRO Group and regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), that was held from 2010 to 2012. It featured multiple grand tou ...
round as the season finale in December 2012, but the event was cancelled.
The circuit was due to host a
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship (also known as WorldSBK, SBK, World Superbike, WSB, or WSBK) is a silhouette-class road racing series based on heavily modified production motorcycles, also known as superbike racing.
The championship was founded i ...
round for four seasons, starting in 2013. However, the 2013 race was cancelled due to operational charges of Buddh International Circuit.
From 2014 to 2022, there were no international championships have raced at the circuit except the
Asia Road Racing Championship
The FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (known as Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship for sponsorship reason) is the regional motorcycle road racing championship for Asia, held since 1996.
This championship is part of the production-based ca ...
race in 2016. From 2023, the circuit will host the
Indian motorcycle Grand Prix
The Indian motorcycle Grand Prix, to be held under the name Grand Prix of Bharat is a planned motorcycle race due to form part of MotoGP from 2023 at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Previously, the Buddh ...
as part of the
MotoGP
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start ...
World Championship.
Reception
The reception among drivers was positive, with praise for the high-speed layout and challenging corner combinations that
Jenson Button
Jenson Alexander Lyons Button (born 19 January 1980) is a British racing driver. He won the 2009 Formula One World Championship when he drove for the Brawn GP team. After his F1 career, he became champion of the 2018 season of the Super GT ...
described as difficult to drive in a consistently quick fashion.
The circuit has been often compared by F1 drivers to the classic
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (), frequently referred to as ''Spa'', is a motor-racing circuit located in Stavelot, Belgium. It is the current venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix, hosting its first Grand Prix in 1925, and has held ...
, a track known for high speeds and the type of corner-to-corner flow that comes from natural terrain. Inaugural winner
Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel (; born 3 July 1987) is a German racing driver who competed in Formula One from 2007 to 2022 for BMW Sauber, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Toro Rosso, Red Bull Racing, Red Bull, Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari, and Aston Martin in Formula One ...
praised the track saying that "there is a lot of elevation change around the lap which adds to the fun, from as much as 8% downhill and up to 10% uphill; it's like a roller coaster. It really has emerged as one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar for the drivers."
Name and the logo
Originally known as the
Jaypee Group
Jaiprakash Associates Limited, commonly known as Jaypee Group, is an Indian conglomerate company based in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. It has business interests in engineering, construction, power, cement, real estate, hospitality, IT, spor ...
Circuit or the Jaypee International Circuit after the circuit's owners, the circuit was officially named the ''Buddh International Circuit'' in April 2011. According to Sameer Gaur, the managing director and chief executive officer of Jaypee Sports International Limited, the name 'Buddh International Circuit' has been chosen with reference to the area where the racetrack is situated –
Gautam Buddh Nagar district
Gautam Buddha Nagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh, named after Gautama Buddha. It is a part of Delhi NCR and is divided into 4 sub-divisions i.e. Noida, Greater Noida, Dadri and Jewar. Greater Noida is the administrative headquarters o ...
(also known as Greater Noida). Because of its location, naming the circuit 'Buddh International Circuit' was a logical choice for the company.
The logo consists of a stylized 'B' in the shape of a heart, which stands for 'Buddh' and 'Bharat' (the native name of India). The saffron, green and white colours used in the logo are representative of the Indian flag, while the curves in the stylized 'B' in the logo represent the lines of a racetrack.
Awards and recognition
Buddh International Circuit, which hosted India's first Formula One Grand Prix on 30 October 2011, has been awarded the '2011 Motorsport Facility of the Year' award at the Professional Motorsport World Expo 2011. BIC has also been honored with the 'Best Promoter Trophy' for the successful conduct of Formula One races in 2011 & 2012 at the FIA prize-giving gala.
Events
; Current
* December: Formula LGB 4
; Future
*
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start ...
''
Indian motorcycle Grand Prix
The Indian motorcycle Grand Prix, to be held under the name Grand Prix of Bharat is a planned motorcycle race due to form part of MotoGP from 2023 at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Previously, the Buddh ...
'' (2023)
; Former
*
Asia Road Racing Championship
The FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (known as Idemitsu FIM Asia Road Racing Championship for sponsorship reason) is the regional motorcycle road racing championship for Asia, held since 1996.
This championship is part of the production-based ca ...
(2016)
*
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
''
Indian Grand Prix
The Indian Grand Prix was a Formula One race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship, which was held at the Buddh International Circuit in Sector 25 along Yamuna Expressway in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh State ...
'' (2011–2013)
*
JK Racing Asia Series
JK Racing Asia Series, formerly known as both Formula BMW Asia and Formula BMW Pacific, was a single-seater racing series based in Asia. Formula BMW Asia was created in 2003 as a replacement for Asian Formula 2000 and was under the management of ...
(2011–2012)
*
MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship (2012–2013, 2017)
Lap records
The official race lap records at the Buddh International Circuit are listed as:
Gallery
File:Force india Buddh.jpg, Force India racing at Buddh
File:Podium winners of 2011 Indian Grand Prix.jpg, Podium winners of the 2011 Indian Grand Prix
File:Pitlane Walks - 2011 Indian Grand Prix.jpg, Pitlane walks - 2011 Indian Grand Prix
File:Alonso Buddh 2011.jpg, Fernando Alonso racing at Buddh in 2011
File:Prima T1 truck.jpg, Prima T1 truck Racing at BIC
See also
*
Madras Motor Race Track
The Madras International Circuit (MIC, previously known as Madras Motor Race Track and Irungattukottai Race Track) is a permanent motor racing circuit located in Irungattukottai, Chennai, India. It was built in the late 1980s and was inaugurat ...
*
Hyderabad Street Circuit
Hyderabad Street Circuit is a street circuit laid out on the city streets of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The track will be set up in and around the Secretariat Complex and will go through Lumbini Park, situated on the banks of Hussain Sagar L ...
Notes
References
External links
Official Website*
BIC News
{{Indian motorsports
Sports venues in Noida
Formula One circuits
Grand Prix motorcycle circuits
Motorsport venues in Uttar Pradesh
Indian Grand Prix
Jaypee Group
Racing circuits designed by Hermann Tilke
2011 establishments in Uttar Pradesh
Sports venues completed in 2011