Indian WSBK round cancelled
The Indian round of the 2013 World Superbike Championship has been cancelled.
The debut WSBK event at the Buddh International Circuit had already been pushed back to become the planned season finale on November 17, but has now been removed 'owing to operational challenges'.
The cancellation is more bad news for the circuit, which hosted India's first F1 Grand Prix in 2011, but now looks set to skip the 2014 F1 season.
Ostensibly this is due to an early 2015 race date, which would have put the 2014 and 2015 grands prix close together, but India's lengthy customs requirements have also caused logistical (and financial) headaches.
Such 'red tape' seemed to explain why WSBK's planned Indian debut was due to be held one month after the previous, Jerez, event - although the official reason for the initial date change, from round 2 to round 14, was "an insufficient period of time to properly finalise the training of the marshals and medical staff".
That seemed an unlikely issue for a circuit that already hosts F1 - although experienced marshals and medical staff may be flown in from other countries for the grand prix.
Either way, Wednesday's FIM statement gave a similar reason for the decision to cancel the World Superbike event and also refers to preparations for 2015, suggesting India will not be present on next year's schedule either:
"The FIM has announced that, owing to operational challenges, Jaypee Sports International Ltd (JPSI) and Dorna World SBK Organization (DWO) have decided to cancel the 2013 WSBK Indian Round that was scheduled to be held at Buddh International Circuit (BIC) on 17 November 2013.
"JPSI, the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) and the Indian Motorsport Marshals Club (IMMC) are working intensely together to make the Indian round as safe as possible in preparation for 2015.
"As a starting point, the BIC will play host to both the FMSCI 2-wheeler and 4-wheeler National Championship races from 13 to 14 September with fully trained IMMC Marshals officiating at the venue. JPSI has conveyed this to DWO, who appreciate the efforts being made to make it possible to host a round at some time in the future.
"FMSCI President Mr. Vicky Chandhok said: "JPSI confirms its interest in going ahead with the race in the future. We look forward to them concluding an arrangement with DWO in order to arrive at a mutually convenient date and to ensure that India has the privilege of hosting a round in the near future.""
The Indian event was due to be held on a slightly shortened 5.014km (13 turn) layout at the Buddh International Circuit, rather than the 5.14km (16 turn) F1 configuration.
The now 13-round 2013 WSBK season will thus conclude with the Spanish round, at Jerez, on October 20.
