India added to the 2013 eni FIM Superbike World Championship

Owners of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship, Infront Motor Sports have signed an agreement with Jaypee Sports International Ltd. (JPSI) to host the Indian round of the championship at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. Scheduled to be held on March 10th 2013 at the Indian circuit, it is a four year contract running from 2013 to 2016.

The eni FIM Superbike World Championship will be the first ever international motorcycle road-racing series to grace the Indian shores. While car racing fans in the country have already had a taste of Formula One racing last year, next year it will be the motorcycle fans in the country who will get to witness world class level of racing with some of the biggest names from the motorcycle road-racing world like Max Biaggi, Carlos Checa and Marco Melandri slugging it out for victory.

Maurizio Flammini, Chairman of Infront Motor Sports, declared: “After meeting the promoters of Jaypee Group last year I got the feeling that I was dealing with a highly professional and powerful corporation which will guarantee the organization of a successful race in India, even though the Buddh Circuit was still under construction at the time. This impression was indeed confirmed by the outcome of the Formula 1 race held in October last year which turned out to be one of the best races of the 2011 season. We are sure that the FIM Superbike World Championship will bring added value to BIC as well as to India, and vice-versa. It will also deliver value to all the partners supporting and following our Championship and is a very important opportunity for them to expand their brands and business in Asia.”

Paolo Flammini, Infront Motor Sports CEO, added: “The inclusion of the Indian round in the 2013 FIM Superbike World Championship calendar represents a great achievement for our series and reflects our continuous target to further extend its international presence. India today is one of the most important motorcycle markets in the world, not only in terms of existing bike sales numbers but also growth and the upgrading of the range offered to the consumer. Undoubtedly the inclusion of this event will greatly benefit all the protagonists of our series and will create significant added value for the motorcycle manufacturers.”

Speaking about the newly signed contract, JPSI Managing-Director and CEO Sameer Gaur said: “We are extremely happy to announce that besides holding the Formula One and FIA GT1 motor racing series, we will also hold a thrilling motorcycle race, the World Superbike Championship, at BIC early next year. There are many in India who are passionate about bikes. I am sure they will love to watch famed motorcycle riders compete against each other here at their own world class racing circuit.”

India will become the twenty-seventh country to host a round of the FIM Superbike World Championship, which in 2013 will celebrate the 26th year of its existence since it started in 1988. The Buddh International Circuit was inaugurated on October 11th, 2011.