World Superbikes heads to India in 2013

Infront Motor Sports has gotten the jump on Dorna (even if they are both under the Bridgepoint umbrella) and is again broadening its horizons.
The World Superbike championship promoter has signed a four year deal – from 2013 to 2016 – to host a round of the World Superbike round at the new Buddh International Circuit.

The round has been scheduled for March 10th, (one of the five months that sees good weather on the Indian continent) and which hopefully will interrupt the long month wait that is usually occurs between the traditional season opener at Phillip Island round at the end of February and the first European round at the end of March or the beginning of April.

At the present it isn’t know if an European circuit will get the axe to make room for the new round (11 of the current 14 rounds are in Europe – with three just in Italy ) or if the Infront will just add an extra round to their already busy calendar.
This will add another fly-away round for the growing championship after Infront announced last February a five year deal with Indonesian government to host a round at the Sentul circuit always in 2013.

Press release after the jump: Infront Motor Sports has signed an agreement with Jaypee Sports International Ltd (JPSI), a subsidiary of the private Indian engineering and construction conglomerate Jaypee Group, to host a round of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship calendar at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC).
The contract runs for four years, from 2013 to 2016.
Next season, the Indian Round of the championship is scheduled to take place on March 10th.
World Superbike is set to open up a new frontier in India as it becomes the first international bike racing championship to be hosted at the Hermann Tilke-designed track at Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) near Delhi.
Indian motorsport enthusiasts, who flocked to the Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix at BIC last year, now have a chance to enjoy some of the most exciting two-wheeled racing in the world.
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.
”After signing the agreement, 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.