Madras International Circuit (Irungattukottai)
Madras International Circuit (Irungattukottai) at a glance
- Location
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 3.717 km (2.31 mi)
- Turns
- 17
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt (resurfaced 2007)
- Opened
- 1990
- Owner
- Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC)
- Address
- Irungattukottai, near Sriperumbudur, opposite the Hyundai India factory on National Highway 4
- Website
- madrasmotorsports.com
Track map and layout
India's first permanent racing circuit, the full Madras International Circuit layout runs clockwise for 3.717 km (2.31 mi) with 17 turns, built on an average track width of 11 metres, widening to 12 metres at the start line. A shorter club configuration of 2.067 km (9 turns) is also used for entry-level racing, karting and driver training. Groundbreaking took place in 1988 and the circuit was inaugurated in 1990 under the Madras Motor Sports Club; it earned FIA Grade 2 certification in 2014 and was rebranded from Sriperumbudur/MMRT to its current name, Madras International Circuit, in July 2022. An adjoining CIK-approved 1.2 km karting track, the Madras International Karting Arena, opened in September 2024.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Full circuit | 3.72 km | 17-turn, 3.717 km layout used for national championship racing |
| Club/short circuit | 2.07 km | 9-turn, 2.067 km layout used for entry-level racing and training |
Events and race weekends
The circuit is the long-standing home of Indian national motorsport, hosting rounds of national car and motorcycle championships as well as the one-make MRF Challenge, one of Asia's leading junior single-seater series. It has also hosted international events including rounds of the Asia Road Racing Championship and, in past seasons, the Indian Racing League and F4 India.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRF Formula 2000 | Formula racing (one-make junior single-seater) | varies | successor to the MRF Challenge (run here since 2013); relaunched in 2022 as a domestic series within the national championship |
| Indian National Car and Motorcycle Racing Championships | National racing | varies | MMSC hosts multiple national championship rounds through the season |
Getting there and parking
Chennai International Airport is the main gateway, roughly 45 minutes' drive east of the circuit via National Highway 4. The circuit sits near Sriperumbudur, directly opposite the Hyundai India factory, and is most easily reached by road; there is no direct rail or metro link to the venue.
- Chennai International Airport (MAA) · about 45 min drive
Hotels and camping near Madras International Circuit (Irungattukottai)
Most visitors base themselves in Chennai, roughly 45 minutes away by road, which offers the widest choice of hotels; Sriperumbudur, close to the circuit, has a smaller number of business hotels serving the surrounding industrial area.
Where to look
Sriperumbudur, closest to the circuit with limited business-hotel options; central Chennai, about 45 minutes away, for the widest range of accommodation.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
The Madras Motor Sports Club runs the circuit as an active club venue and organises track days, driver training and licensing sessions for members alongside its national championship race meetings. Specific public track-day schedules and booking are managed directly through MMSC rather than a separate commercial operator.
Who runs days here
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRF Challenge (full circuit) | 1:30.323 | Yuven Sundaramoorthy | MRF Formula 2000 | 2020 |
| Formula 4 (full circuit) | 1:36.496 | Cooper Webster | F4 car | 2023 |
Spectator guide
As a national club circuit rather than a major international venue, grandstand and general viewing capacity is modest, with the main spectator areas along the front straight and paddock complex used for the biggest meetings such as MRF Challenge and national championship finals.
Weather
- November-February: the cooler, drier part of the year in Chennai and the usual window for major race meetings, daytime highs typically around 28-30°C
History of Madras International Circuit (Irungattukottai)
India's first permanent circuit
The Madras Motor Sports Club broke ground on a permanent racing circuit at Irungattukottai, near Sriperumbudur outside Chennai, in 1988, and the track was inaugurated in 1990 as India's first purpose-built permanent motor racing venue. For decades it served as the country's primary home for organised circuit racing, hosting national car and motorcycle championships on a circuit that was resurfaced in 2007 to keep pace with rising competition standards.
Growing international recognition
The circuit earned FIA Grade 2 certification in 2014, reflecting improvements to its safety and facilities, and went on to host international fixtures including rounds of the Asia Road Racing Championship and Asian Formula 3. The introduction of the MRF Challenge, a one-make junior single-seater series backed by Indian tyre manufacturer MRF, gave the circuit a recurring international-standard event and a pipeline for junior drivers moving up through global motorsport.
A modern rebrand and expanding facilities
In July 2022 the venue was rebranded from its earlier MMRT/Sriperumbudur identity to Madras International Circuit, reflecting its ambitions as a modern national motorsport hub. It went on to host the Indian Racing League and F4 India in the following seasons, and in September 2024 opened the adjoining Madras International Karting Arena, a CIK-approved 1.2 km karting circuit, broadening the site's role as a year-round motorsport training and competition centre for Tamil Nadu and India more broadly.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Madras International Circuit?+
The full circuit is 3.717 km (2.31 miles) long with 17 turns; a shorter 2.067 km club circuit is also used for entry-level racing and training.
Who owns the Madras International Circuit?+
The circuit is owned and operated by the Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC), which has run the venue since it opened in 1990.
Is Madras International Circuit the same as MMRT or Irungattukottai?+
Yes. The venue at Irungattukottai near Sriperumbudur was previously known as the MMSC circuit or MMRT and was officially rebranded Madras International Circuit in July 2022.
How do I get to the Madras International Circuit from Chennai?+
It is about a 45-minute drive from Chennai International Airport via National Highway 4, near Sriperumbudur, directly opposite the Hyundai India factory.
Can the public do track days at Madras International Circuit?+
The Madras Motor Sports Club runs track days, driver training and licensing sessions for members alongside its race meetings; availability and booking are handled directly through the club.
Other tracks nearby
- Hyderabad Street Circuit · 516 km · historic circuit (defunct)
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.