Jaguar hope to see Hyderabad on Formula E calendar in 2023

LONDON : A proposed Formula E round in Hyderabad next year would be a dream come true for Tata-owned Jaguar and further boost the sport in India, team boss James Barclay said on Friday.

The all-electric championship this week signed a letter of intent with Telengana state for a race in the south-eastern city.

India has not hosted world championship motorsport since Formula One last raced there in 2013.

The sport has said, however, that more than 20 cities are interested in hosting a round in season nine when the next generation of cars are due.

"We are very excited about Hyderabad," said Barclay in a video conference ahead of season eight which starts with a pair of night races in Saudi Arabia on Jan. 28-29.

"India is an incredibly important market for us strategically and also one that has a massive following.

"It's been on the list for a while, we've wanted to have a race there and it's just unlocking that formula to make a race possible, with the right promoter to fund the race and put it in place and deliver it well."

British carmaker Jaguar are owned by India's Tata Motors, with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) the Formula E team's title sponsor. Indian manufacturer Mahindra also compete in the championship.

Formula One raced at the Buddh circuit near New Delhi from 2011 to 2013.

"Fingers crossed that this team in Hyderabad, that are putting the race together, can make it happen," said Barclay.

Formula E has scheduled 16 races for season eight, its biggest yet, with new rounds in Indonesia (Jakarta), Canada (Vancouver) and South Korea (Seoul).

The sporting regulations have been tweaked, with a new qualifying format featuring head-to-head knockout duels from the quarter-final stage through to a final pair competing for pole