Gautam Singhania Says Motorsport 'Not Practised' In India, Calls For Better Ecosystem

India's motorsport scene, despite its passionate fan base and budding local talent, continues to grapple with deep-rooted structural challenges. While the country hosts high-profile events like the Indian Racing League and has world-class facilities such as the Buddh International Circuit, the ecosystem that sustains racing remains underdeveloped compared to global benchmarks.

Talking about the subject at the NDTV World Summit 2025, Raymond Group Chairman Gautam Hari Singhania said, "The problem is if you want to be on the global scale for motorsport, you should have a country that's got an ecosystem for the sport." 

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Elaborating on the subject, he said, "For example, India's got an ecosystem for cricket.  We play cricket in the gullies; it's part of our lifestyle. Motorsport is not practiced here. Today, we probably have five license holders from India. The UK has got 70,000 licensed for this."

The lack of accessible grassroots platforms like affordable karting leagues, public tracks, and school-level engagement continues to stall early talent development. Gautam Singhania also mentioned that even promising names like Narain Karthikeyan, Jehan Daruvala, and Kush Maini have had to relocate abroad to train within established ecosystems that nurture racing talent from a young age.

"It's not that I can go racing every weekend in this country, I can go racing every weekend in the UK, whether it's the UK, whether it's the continent, wherever it is."  Gautam Singhania added.

Gautam Singhania is a prominent figure in the world of motorsport and possesses a strong enthusiasm for car racing and high-performance automobiles. He is also the founder of India's Super Car Club.

Recently, he was appointed as India's official representative to the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Motor Sports Council (WMSC) and serves in this capacity for the FMSCI (Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India).