India examines the possibility of a Formula 1 comeback at the Buddh circuit.

      "There were past tax problems."

      Formula 1 may be on the verge of making a surprise return to India after being absent for more than ten years, as the government has confirmed that initial discussions are underway to bring a grand prix back to the nation.

      As reported by the Times of India, the Buddh circuit is being evaluated as a potential venue, having last hosted Formula 1 races from 2011 to 2013. India's sports minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, is said to have recently met with officials from the group currently managing the circuit, following the Jaypee Group's bankruptcy in 2024.

      The government has encouraged the transfer of the venue to a professional sports management company for two to three years to rebuild the necessary commercial and operational framework to host a Formula 1 event.

      A ministry source informed the newspaper that previous challenges—especially tax disputes and regulatory classification—are now being reassessed. "There were tax issues in the past which prevented the hosting of F1 races," the source stated. "Those will be resolved."

      This initiative is part of a broader plan to draw major international sporting events to India in preparation for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, while also bolstering the country's long-term aspiration to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

      Formula 1's previous presence in India concluded after the 2013 season when the Uttar Pradesh state government designated the race as "entertainment" rather than sport, resulting in high taxation, import duties on vehicles, and increasing financial losses for teams and promoters. The Buddh circuit hosted the MotoGP's Bharat round in 2023, but that event was also short-lived.