Indian Motorsports
Indian Racing League and Indian F4 return: DRC’s 2024 Indian Racing Festival Season Preview
The Indian Racing Festival returns for another thrilling season starting August 24. Young talents will look to prove themselves in India’s Premier Class.
The highest form of racing in Indian Motorsport is back. Starting from August 24th at the Madras International Circuit, Indian F4 Championship and the Indian Racing League return as a celebration of Indian Motorsport. With new venues, exciting partnerships and a thrilling format, this is shaping up-to be the greatest Indian Racing Festival yet.
The Calendar
Both Indian F4 and the Indian Racing League (IRL) will race the same circuits at the same weekends. This year, there will be five rounds, with Indian F4 racing three, and IRL racing two times each round.
The season begins in the home of Indian Motorsport: the Madras International Circuit. The MIC has hosted both events before, and is also going to be the venue for the Pre Season testing starting August 22nd. The MIC will then host the first round starting August 24th.
The caravan will then make camp at the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit, a street circuit which will host the first ever night race in India. The historical second round starts August 31.
Following the night race, we will race for the first time at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore.
And while the venues of the next two rounds are unannounced, it is strongly implied that the Buddh International Circuit will host one of the rounds.
The Machinery
Both Categories are Spec Series, meaning that each car has the same chassis, engine and components to ensure parity amongst the competition.
The Indian F4 championship will use the standard Mygale M21-F4 chassis manufactured by Mygale for the junior F4 categories. The engine will be provided by Alpine power units. MP Motorsport will be acting as the technical support for the championship. The Dutch organization has had a lot of success in junior categories such as F2, F3 and regional formula championships.
The Indian Racing League will feature the Wolf GB08s. The car has an Aprilia RS-V4 engine that produces 220 bhp with double air intake. It also features FIA homologated components and has aerodynamics that allow for good chasing and closer racing.
The Format
The Indian F4 will feature three races per weekend with two qualifying sessions. The Fastest Laps in the first Qualifying session will decide the grid for Race 1. Race 2 will be reverse grid of the top 6 from Race 1’s final result. The Second Qualifying session will be considered for setting the grid for the final race. This format rewards not only pace, but consistent pace, with a single driver capable of securing both Poles on qualifying.
The Indian Racing League is divided into teams. Each team can run two cars, with two Indian Drivers and two international driver. At-least one of the four drivers must be female to promote equality. Each car gets two drivers, with each driving in one of two competition days. Each day features a practice session, a qualifying session and a 25 minute + 1 Lap race, without mandatory pitstops. Driver A will take the car on Saturday, and B on Sunday. The Pole and the Fastest Lap will provide a single point in both the Drivers’ and Team’s Championships.
Notable Drivers
The Indian Racing Festival has produced a handful of very talented drivers, and has also hosted some very prominent ones.
Akshay Bohra, who placed overall third in the Indian F4 standings last year, has been tearing it up internationally. He went on to win in the Le Castellet round of the Italian Formula 4 championship, while also taking pole position in Mugello.
The biggest draw for IRL will be Neel Jani. The sportscar legend, who has won Le Mans in both GT and Prototype categories, will race for Hyderabad Blackbirds. Partnering Jani in Hyderabad will be Akhil Rabindra, another driver who has proven himself internationally.
Sohail Shah and Raoul Hyman will also continue to race the same car, and defend their title.
Stories to look forward to
The Indian F4 championship introduced a shootout challenge, the winner of which will receive a fully sponsored seat for the season. The winner of the inaugral shootout challenge, Gaincarlo Artho will try to impress and perhaps gather some silverware.
Pressure will be on for the Indian drivers to deliver a championship at home as well. The stakes are high for everyone, because the champion earns a seat in the next season of FRIC free of cost.
In the IRL, focus will be on Bangalore Speedsters to defend their team’s title. Laura Camps (Hyderabad Blackbirds) will look to join Sarah Moore as a female race winner. Sohail Shah and Raoul Hyman of the Goa Aces will also try and defend their title. Neel Jani and Akhil Rabindra will contest their claim to the title as well.
New sponsors, partners and broadcasters
The IRF has joined with Kingfisher as a presenting partner. The Chief Marketing Officer, Vikram Bahl has been vocal about his support for the growth of Motorsport in India.
After streaming the races on youtube for the past seasons, Indian Racing Festival have also struck deals with Star Sports to broadcast on television, along with Fancode as their OTT broadcasters. Fancode already offers F1 broadcasts, along with F1TV in India. The races will be aired on the Star Sports Select 2 channel on televisions, and online on Fancode.
Follow DRC on socials and the DRC website for Live Updates on to Indian Racing Festival.
Rehan Khan, an 11-year-old karting sensation from Chennai, has been selected for the prestigious Champion of the Future Academy Program.
2025 will mark the second full season of the international series. The Champions of the Future Academy Program spans six weekends. Introductory two days will be set for round 1 for the drivers to get acquainted with the material and officials and six double header race weekends, four of which being in Europe and two outside of the European Union. The aim of the Academy program is to increase the inclusion into professional kart racing through the arrive and drive concept. Promoted and hosted by RGMMC, the events will take place on high level circuits all around the world.
As a student at Don Bosco Egmore school, Rehan has already made an indelible mark in Indian motorsports, becoming the only driver to hold the fastest lap time record at every FMSCI-approved track in his class across India.
Rehan’s exceptional talent has now earned him a place in the globally recognized Champion of the Future Academy Program, where he will join 36 other karting prodigies from around the world. This opportunity will allow him to further develop his skills and compete in Europe.
With an impressive track record in India, Rehan has shattered records and demonstrated unwavering consistency in his performances.
The Champion of the Future Academy Program offers young drivers the training and exposure needed to compete at the highest level of motorsport.
CHAMPION OF THE FUTURE ACADEMY – CALENDAR 2025
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all my sponsors for believing in me and supporting my journey. Your trust and encouragement have played a vital role in helping me achieve my dreams, and I promise to continue striving for success both on and off the track,” Rehan said.
As he embarks on this exciting new chapter of his career, Rehan is determined to build on his success in India and continue to raise the bar as he prepares to compete on the European circuit.
Akshay Bohra has bagged his first win in 2025 and his first win in the Formula Regional category after placing first in Race 2, Round 4 of the Formula Regional Middle East Championship 2025 at Yas Marina Abu Dhabi.
Akshay, who recently won the Euro 4 Champion, making him the first Indian to win a European single-seater title made his step up to Formula Regional (Formula 3) cars this year.
READ MORE: Akshay Bohra steps up to FRECA and FRMEC in 2025
FRMEC 2025
The 2025 season of Formula Regional Middle East Championship or FRMEC kicked off in Yas Marina. The championship hosted 2 rounds in Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi before travelling to Dubai for Round 3 at the Dubai Autodrome.
Akshay Bohra faced a challenging start to his campaign. In Round 1, he suffered two DNFs in three races, while Round 2 was plagued by a general lack of pace—something he acknowledged himself. Having scored just three points in his first six races, Akshay headed to Dubai looking to make a strong comeback at a circuit he enjoys racing on.
In Race 1 at Dubai, Akshay finished P11—just one place short of securing reverse grid pole for Race 2. However, in Race 2, he demonstrated much stronger pace, keeping up with the more experienced drivers and climbing to P7 overall, P3 in the Rookie category. A post-race penalty for a competitor promoted him to P6 overall, marking a step in the right direction.
Race 3, however, proved to be difficult. On Lap 1, he had to take avoiding action due to an incident ahead, dropping to the back of the grid after starting P14. The race saw multiple safety car interventions, limiting his chances to recover positions, and he eventually finished P18.
First win in Formula Regional
The championship returned to Yas Marina for Round 4, marking its final visit to the venue for the season. Having gained significant mileage at the circuit from pre-season testing and the earlier rounds, Akshay was eager to capitalize on his experience.
The weekend began on a positive note, with Akshay finishing P6 in Free Practice. In Qualifying 1, he set a lap time of 1:50.675, placing him P10 on the grid—seven-tenths off the leader. However, technical issues in Qualifying 2 prevented him from setting a lap time, meaning he would start Race 3 from the back of the grid.
Race 1 saw a steady drive to P10, which crucially placed him on pole position for the reverse grid Race 2.
In Race 2, Akshay made a strong start, holding onto the lead on Lap 1 before the safety car was deployed due to an incident on track. Unfazed, he maintained his composure at the restart, defending his position against pressure from more far experienced drivers such as FIA Formula 3 driver Nikita Bedrin in the closing stages. In a calm and controlled drive, Akshay secured his first victory in the championship—a landmark moment in his Formula Regional career.
Round 4 wrapped up with Race 3, having started back of the grid, Akshay Bohra made up 10 places to come home at 16th in a race with long Safety Car interventions.
This win marks a significant step forward for Akshay as he continues his climb up the junior formula ladder. With growing confidence and improved performances, it could be the first of many victories to come.
Follow Akshay Bohra on Instagram to get constant updates about his career. Follow us at Desi Racing Co to get updates from the world of motorsports.
Indian Motorsports
Goa Street Circuit Set to Become India’s Newest Motorsport Destination
Goa Tourism gives Principal approval to the Goa Street Circuit. The new Street Circuit will make a debut during the 2025 Indian Racing Festival.
Racing Promotions Private Limited (RPPL), the organizer of the Indian Racing League (IRL) and the FIA Formula 4 Indian Championship (F4IC), has announced a new street track in India – the Goa Street Circuit.
After breaking the news on Sunday, February 9, 2025, RPPL confirmed that the Goa Street Circuit has received principal approval from Goa Tourism. The track will make its debut in 2025 as part of the Indian Racing Festival (IRF), which is set to run from August 24, 2025, to November 17, 2025.
A New Addition to India’s Growing Racing Calendar
The new Street Circuit joins the Hyderabad Street Circuit and the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit (CFRC), making it the third street track in India.
“The Indian Racing Festival 2025 is set to redefine motorsports in India, pushing the boundaries of speed, skill, and spectacle like never before. This season, we are thrilled to bring the high-octane action to the vibrant streets of Goa, a destination synonymous with energy, passion, and world-class experiences,” – Mr. Akhilesh Reddy, Chairman & Managing Director of Racing Promotions Pvt. Ltd. (RPPL).
Goa Aces to Race at Home for the First Time
Goa Aces by JA Racing, a team competing in the Indian Racing Festival and owned by Bollywood icon John Abraham, will race on home soil for the first time since the team’s inception in 2019.
“Motorsport is thrilling, intense, and electrifying – just like Goa! I am beyond excited to bring the Goa Aces to our home circuit. The Goa Street Race will be one of the most exciting races of the season, and I can’t wait to see the energy, passion, and speed take over the streets.” – John Abraham, team owner of Goa Aces by JA Racing.
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