Sports
Adani Group targets Formula 1 return to Greater Noida Circuit
Billionaire revs his engines to put India back on the racing map
NEW DELHI: The Adani Group is shifting into top gear with a bold plan to bring Formula 1 back to the Buddh International Circuit (BIC). Having recently crossed the finish line on a massive deal to acquire the embattled Jaiprakash Associates, the conglomerate now finds itself in the driver’s seat of India’s only world-class racing facility.
Leading the charge is Karan Adani, managing director of Adani Cement and Adani Ports. For him, the circuit isn’t just a leftover asset from a corporate takeover; it is a golden opportunity to prove that India can compete on the global stage.
“I’m very excited,” Karan Adani noted during a recent briefing. “Obviously the Buddh circuit comes as part of the deal. I’m very personally engaged in terms of bringing Formula 1 back into India. I think India has a lot of potential.”
The vision is simple: why should Indian fans fly to Singapore or Abu Dhabi to smell the burning rubber when they could do it in their own backyard?
In the past, India’s F1 dreams hit a proverbial brick wall of bureaucracy. A long-standing row over whether racing was a sport or entertainment led to a tax headache that saw the engines fall silent after 2013. However, the government finally seems ready to wave the green flag.
Adani’s interest in the project is fuelled by a massive Rs 14,535-crore resolution plan for Jaiprakash Associates (Jal), which received the green light from lenders in late 2025. By taking the wheel at Jal, the Adani Group gains full control of the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, effectively clearing away the private-sector financial hurdles that had previously stalled the track’s maintenance and upkeep.
Despite the hiatus, the venue remains a heavyweight in the racing world; it still holds the prestigious FIA Grade 1 certification, the highest global standard required to host Formula 1. Having successfully hosted three Grands Prix between 2011 and 2013, the circuit proved it still has plenty of life in it by recently welcoming the MotoGP Bharat in 2023.
While the tarmac at Greater Noida is still in excellent shape, getting back on the official F1 calendar is no Sunday drive. With record demand for race slots globally, Adani will need to convince the powers that be in London and Monaco that India is ready for a second lap.
If successful, the move could transform the Yamuna Expressway into a high-speed hub of tourism and prestige, turning a dormant concrete giant back into a cathedral of speed.
Sports
Sony Pictures Networks India strikes broadcast deal with LIV Golf for 2026 season
The agreement gives the rebel golf league television and streaming reach across South Asia and Central Asia, covering 14 events in 10 countries
LIV Golf has found a powerful new ally in India. Sony Pictures Networks India has struck a broadcast partnership with the rebel golf league for its 2026 season, bringing live coverage to audiences across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives, a market of staggering scale that the league has been eyeing for years.
Under the deal, Sony will carry comprehensive live coverage of all 14 LIV Golf League events across Sony Sports Network on linear television and Sony LIV on its premium OTT platform. The 2026 season spans 10 countries and five continents, and Sony’s coverage has already begun, having kicked off with LIV Golf South Africa in Saudi Arabia from March 19 to 22. The season culminates with the Aramco LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship from August 27 to 30.
The agreement also sits alongside Sony’s existing 2026 broadcast deal for The International Series, co-sanctioned by LIV Golf and the Asian Tour, which provides a pathway for professional and amateur golfers into the LIV Golf League and the Majors. Taken together, the two deals give Sony and its audiences access to the full LIV Golf ecosystem, from emerging talent to the sport’s biggest names.
That roster is formidable. Subscribers can follow Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Joaquin Niemann, Dustin Johnson, Sergio García and Tyrrell Hatton, among others, competing across 13 teams over 72-hole, four-round events played with LIV’s signature shotgun start, which sets all players off simultaneously across the course.
Rajesh Kaul, chief revenue officer and business head for sports and international at Sony Pictures Networks India, said the format was a key part of the appeal. “The league’s innovative broadcast approach accelerates pace and enhances both individual and team storylines, delivering a dynamic, action-dense viewing experience with significantly more live action than traditional golf broadcasts, all within a four-to-five-hour window,” he said, adding that the deal reinforced Sony’s commitment to delivering “mass reach and world-class sporting experiences.”
Örjan Olsson, senior vice-president for international media rights at LIV Golf, called Sony “one of India’s largest and most trusted sports broadcasters” and said securing both linear and OTT distribution “materially improves our reach, brand visibility, and long-term positioning in a crucial market.”
The deal also carries personal significance for at least one player. Anirban Lahiri, who competes for Crushers GC, called it “a big moment for golf in India.” For him, the partnership is about more than reach. “It’s also about visibility,” he said, “giving young players in India a chance to see this level of competition up close and believe they can be part of it one day.”
LIV Golf has spent four years trying to establish itself as a genuine rival to the PGA Tour, poaching big names, building team formats and seeking broadcast footholds in major markets. India, with its vast sports-hungry audience and a growing appetite for golf, is exactly the kind of market that can move the needle. Sony, with over 700 million viewers in India alone, is exactly the kind of partner that can make it happen.
The tee is set. Now LIV Golf has to deliver.
