India seeking a MotoGP round

INDIA may appear on a MotoGP calendar in future after a spokesman for the new Buddh International Circuit said that they are opening talks to hold a race.

The new track cost private infrastructure group, Jaypee $200m to build and a further $200m on the Formula 1 race licence fee.

Speaking to AFP, spokesman Askari Zaidi said: "In Formula One there's not much scope to make money barring the sale of tickets but there are other races which we're planning to hold, like MotoGP, and some other race organisations have contacted us."

Zaidi continued by saying Jaypee would open talks with Carmelo Ezpeleta and MotoGP, which has 18 rounds on the 2012 calendar, and was "quite hopeful that this thing will come through."

Alongside the considerably cheaper licence fee of €4m that Dorna charges, holding a MotoGP race would help the group recoup some of their losses - as India has a large MotoGP fan base and is an important market for motorcycle manufacturers.

Even if last weekend’s Formula 1 race was uneventful, the new Hermann Tilke designed circuit proved a success with the drivers, as they praised the highspeed layout of Buddh International combined with challenging corners.