MotoGP India 2023: Riders Arrive at BIC & Give IndiaGP a Thumbs Up!

The Drama

We Indians love drama, be it our family functions or our favourite Bollywood flick, we can’t seem to have enough of it. And it was the same for the Indian MotoGP event as well. Reports started pouring in that a lot of riders and team members were left stranded because their visas hadn’t arrived and that cast a shadow of doubt over the event even taking place! Gladly the MEA stepped and ensured that all the riders and their members were able to make their way to our country. While a lot of questions were asked to Indian officials through our sources we found that it was the Visa agency hired by the MotoGP organisers who were at fault and not the Indian officials. Like how we like our Bollywood movies to end, it was a happy ending as all the riders and officials made their way to the track on Thursday.

The Euphoria

As we reached the track in the morning, we could see the paddock abuzz with energy. On a personal note, I was emotional as I walked towards the entrance of BIC (Buddh International Circuit). For someone who had been following the sport close to two decades, I never expected MotoGP to be held on Indian soil and that too so soon. I guess it’s the manifestation of us Indian MotoGP fans and also the efforts the government has taken has made sure we realised our long-awaited dream. There was loads of action as team members were busy setting up the bikes and the whole pit crew was functioning like a Swiss watch. 

I got to meet a lot of riders and none complained about the Visa issue, in fact they were having a ball of a time, quite literally. We saw MotoGP stars playing cricket and one thing is for sure, they aren’t getting any IPL contract soon! Being an Indian GP, the riders weren’t too far from dance and music. It was heartening and hilarious to see the racers dance on popular Indian songs and some riders can easily be part of a Bollywood dance number.

The Expectations

I got the opportunity to interact with a few riders and everyone was super impressed with the facilities at BIC. From the pit area to the media centre, every rider was praising the infrastructure of the track and some even questioned why there was so much negativity surrounding the Indian GP. In the second half of the day, the riders went for a walk around the track and they returned mighty impressed. While a few riders were excited about the long back straight, some were taken aback by the elevation changes, but one corner seemed to catch the fancy of most racers and that was the parabolica. 

The racers felt that the BIC has the potential to be among the most exciting tracks for racing and were hopeful that there will be many overtaking opportunities during the race. However, they wanted to reserve their final judgement after riding their MotoGP machines on the track, but the initial impressions are very positive. Having said that, a few riders did raise a few concerns about certain corners and opined that it can be modified to make the racing safer. 

But the actual fun begins on Friday as the wheels start rolling. It is going to be a spectacle for sure and I for one can’t wait to watch the action unfold. Stay tune for more updates.