MotoGP is gearing up for its historic debut in India, where the first-ever Indian Grand Prix will be held at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC). This exciting event promises thrilling races with riders from around the world vying for glory. Here’s everything you need to know about this momentous race.
Event Schedule
Friday: Free Practice Sessions
- Time: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM IST
Saturday: Qualifying Sessions
- Morning Session: 10:40 AM – 11:10 AM
- First Qualifying Session: 11:20 AM – 11:35 AM
- Second Qualifying Session: 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM
- Sprint Race: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Sunday: Main Race Day
- Rider Warm-Up: 11:20 AM – 11:30 AM
- Fan Parade: 11:30 AM – 12:05 PM
- Main Race (24 laps): 3:30 PM – 4:20 PM
The Venue
The Buddh International Circuit is located in Greater Noida, situated just under 50km from the national capital of India. This renowned circuit was constructed and opened in October 2011, with the design unveiled in November 2009. It was designed by the esteemed German engineer Hermann Tike, known for his work on circuits such as the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia and the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. For the MotoGP event, the track will measure 4.96km in length with a maximum width of 12m. It features 13 corners, including five left turns and eight right turns, with the longest straight between Turns 3 and 4 spanning 1.0006km. Organizers from Fairstreet Sports anticipate top speeds exceeding the world record of 366.1kmph, set by Brad Binder of Red Bull KTM earlier this year.
Teams and Riders
Eleven teams will be competing on the MotoGP grid, each fielding two riders. Here’s a list of the teams and their respective riders:
- Yamaha: Fabio Quartararo (France) and Franco Morbidelli (Italy)
- Ducati: Francesco Bagnaia (Italy) and Enea Bastianini (Italy)
- Aprilia: Aleix Espargaro (Spain) and Maverick Vinales (Spain)
- Honda: Marc Marquez (Spain) and Joan Mir (Spain)
- KTM: Jack Miller (Australia) and Brad Binder (South Africa)
- Gresini (Ducati): Alex Marquez (Spain) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Italy)
- Pramac (Ducati): Johann Zarco (France) and Jorge Martin Almoguera (Spain)
- VR46 (Ducati): Luca Marini (Italy) and Marco Bezzecchi (Italy)
- RNF (Aprilia): Miguel Oliveira (Portugal) and Raul Fernandez (Spain)
- Tech3 (KTM): Pol Espargaro (Spain) and Augusto Fernández Guerra (Spain)
- LCR (Honda): Alex Rins (Spain) and Takaaki Nakagami (Japan)
The Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit promises to be an exhilarating event as the world’s top riders compete on this iconic track. Stay tuned for an action-packed weekend of MotoGP racing!