Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says India is a priority market
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said India remains a key growth market for the sport and expressed interest in bringing back the Indian Grand Prix. He highlighted plans for deeper fan engagement, local partnerships and content initiatives aimed at Indian audiences
Hyderabad: In a candid conversation with FanCode, Formula 1 CEO and President Stefano Domenicali shared his perspective on India’s growing passion for motorsport, the potential for a future Grand Prix and the strategic importance of localised fan engagement.
Reflecting on his experiences in the country and the current state of the market, Domenicali described India as a destination with immense potential and one that will become even more important in the future.
“It is a country of magic, a country of passion, a country of colour, a country of smiles,” Domenicali said in an exclusive interaction with FanCode, the official broadcaster of F1 in India.
“India is an incredible market. First of all, because it’s huge, but it’s young. Our fans are getting younger, more diverse, and there is incredible enthusiasm. India, for us, will represent an even more important market in the future, where we have to go.”
When asked about the return of the Indian Grand Prix following recent media speculation, Domenicali emphasised the need for a sustainable, long-term approach.
“There is a big interest from us in returning to your country,” Domenicali stated. “There are the right things that we need to do – find the right promoters again, the right collaboration and the right timing, which will not be in the very short term. But when we talk about five years in Formula 1, it seems very far away, but it’s not. There is not yet a fixed date on which we can really say something, but we see the interest growing at all levels.”
“It is very important to say that we need to feel the interest from all the stakeholders in India because this is a project that, when we return to your country, has to be big. It has to be the right one, with the right level of investment and the right people, because your market is just phenomenal. I just want to guarantee that we’re going to be there for sure one day and in the right conditions.”
Domenicali highlighted that Formula 1’s current focus in India involves working closely with FanCode to reach audiences, who continue to get younger and more diverse, as well as grow the fan base through interesting collaborations, including a potential Bollywood project.
“In India, for us, it is about pushing content through our social media and trying to find new projects – like potential Bollywood projects – that can be very attractive for our fans in India. India is on our priority list as we look to strengthen our presence in the future.”
Domenicali praised the work done by FanCode and said F1 would work together with FanCode on more personalised, localised content to reach Indian audiences.
Fans can watch all the Formula 1 action live and exclusively on FanCode.
