Indian Grand Prix organisers play down schedule switch
The third edition of the Indian Grand Prix had been scheduled for October 27 at the Buddha International Circuit near New Delhi but organisers have been told there will be no race in 2014 as part of an expected switch to being an early season race in March 2015.
Indian Grand Prix organisers say the removal of the race from next year's Formula One calendar is part of a switch in schedule and not because of teams' unhappiness with the country's tax regulations.
The third edition of the Indian Grand Prix had been scheduled for October 27 at the Buddha International Circuit near New Delhi but organisers have been told there will be no race in 2014 as part of an expected switch to being an early season race in March 2015.
Jaypee Group spokesman Askar Zaidi said yesterday the change was required as new races are added in 2014, with the inaugural Russian Grand Prix mooted to take India's date in October.
Zaidi said the Jaypee Group had been informed of the change by F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, with next year's calendar to be formally announced in September. A switch to March would make India part of the early season Asian swing, with races also held in Bahrain, Australia, Malaysia and China.
The absence of India from the 2014 calendar and Ecclestone's comment that the reasons were "political" had sparked speculation that teams were no longer willing to visit a venue that imposes high duties on the import of F1 equipment.
