The world motorsport body FIA has strongly endorsed 11-year-old Indian racer Atiqa Mir, highlighting her as a rising star redefining the future of the sport. Atiqa, the first Indian backed by the F1 Academy, has achieved significant success in European karting series, including a pole position and top-10 finishes in FIA European Championship rounds.
The Sports Ministry has provisionally recognised the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) as a National Sports Federation (NSF), a move aimed at promoting motorsport and facilitating Formula 1's return to India. This recognition requires FMSCI to amend its constitution to comply with governance acts, and a Task Force is being established to assess the benefits and challenges of hosting major motorsport events.
TVS Motor Company has launched the TVS Apache Junior Programme, a new initiative to identify and train young racing talent aged 10-14 years. The programme, conducted at the Madras International Karting Arena, provides structured training using purpose-built TVS Apache RR 200 Mini motorcycles, aiming to create a clear pathway for aspiring riders into professional motorsport.
Mahindra Racing has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Formula E, extending its participation until at least the Gen4 era in 2030, despite other major manufacturers exiting the championship. CEO Frederic Bertrand highlights this as a continuation of Mahindra's strategy to use electric racing as a technology laboratory, focusing on software, hardware, and human capital development that feeds into its wider automotive business and showcases Indian manufacturing prowess on a global stage.
Mahindra Racing has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Formula E, extending its participation until at least the Gen4 era in 2030, despite other major manufacturers exiting the championship. CEO Frederic Bertrand highlights this as a continuation of Mahindra's strategy to use electric racing as a technology laboratory, focusing on software, hardware, and human capital development that feeds into its wider automotive business and showcases Indian manufacturing prowess on a global stage.
Jamie Chadwick, a triple W Series champion, believes that increasing female participation at grassroots levels is crucial for women to reach the top echelons of motorsport. She highlights the importance of creating welcoming environments for young girls in karting and addresses the historical disparity, noting that it has been 50 years since a woman last raced in Formula One. Chadwick is confident that new initiatives will lead to a higher quality of female drivers in the coming years, despite the overall growth in talent across the sport.
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited (MFRL) is hosting the F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 Time Trials in New Delhi, a talent hunt offering aspiring racers a chance to enter professional motorsport with a significant prize pool and a driver development fund.
Formula E is entering its Gen4 era with ambitious plans to close the performance gap with Formula One, aiming for near-F1 speeds on several tracks by the end of the next four-season cycle. The all-electric series anticipates Gen4 cars reaching 335 kmph with significant lap time improvements, driven by advanced technology and high efficiency. Despite manufacturer exits, co-founder Alberto Longo asserts continued interest, while CEO Jeff Dodds believes electric racing could eventually surpass F1 in performance, bolstered by new partnerships like Disney+ to boost awareness.
Four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen has signed a contract extension with Red Bull Racing until the end of 2030, ending speculation about his future. Despite recent performance clauses and links to other teams, Verstappen expressed his commitment to Red Bull, citing the team as a "second family."
The Sports Ministry has provisionally recognised the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) as a National Sports Federation (NSF). This status makes FMSCI eligible for financial grants and is a significant step in the government's efforts to bring Formula 1 racing back to India, with a Task Force also being formed to explore hosting major motorsport events.
Eleven-year-old Indian karting sensation Atiqa Mir has achieved impressive top-10 finishes in Round 4 of the FIA European Championship, becoming the youngest Indian to do so. She secured ninth and J10th place in heat races, qualifying P11 just 0.13 seconds off the fastest time. Her father, Asif Mir, believes she exceeded expectations and is poised for a full championship challenge next year.
The Indian Sports Ministry, led by Minister Manuskh Mandaviya, is establishing a dedicated Task Force to explore the revival of Formula One racing in India. This initiative follows a meeting with key stakeholders, aiming to assess the challenges and benefits of hosting major motorsport events, with a target of bringing F1 back by 2028. The Task Force will recommend a comprehensive policy framework to support motorsports growth, leveraging India's significant F1 fanbase.
Indian rally duo Naveen Puligilla and Musa Sherif secured a comfortable victory in the ARC3 class and an impressive fourth overall finish at the 2026 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, moving up to second in the ARC3 championship standings.
Is this one car with options, or three distinct vehicles? Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com finds out.
India's government is working to resolve tax and regulatory hurdles to bring Formula One back to the Buddh International Circuit on the outskirts of New Delhi in 2028, more than a decade after the race was dropped.
Mahindra Racing CEO Frederic Bertrand has stated that while Indian reserve driver Kush Maini has the potential to become a Formula E driver, the team will not compromise its competitive ambitions for nationality.
Indian rally driver Naveen Puligilla and co-driver Musa Sherif are set to compete in the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, the third round of the FIA African Rally Championship. The duo, known for their previous podium finishes in WRC3 and ARC3 categories, will drive a Ford Fiesta and aim for another strong performance on the demanding mountain stages.
The More Than Equal initiative, co-founded by David Coulthard, is actively supporting young female drivers like Alexia Danielsson, 17, who are competing in junior series with the ultimate goal of reaching Formula One, a feat no woman has achieved in 50 years.
FMSCI President Arindam Ghosh announced plans to bring Formula 1 back to India by 2030, and a round of the World Rally Championship and MotoGP by 2028, following a meeting with the Sports Ministry. The federation is focused on developing Indian drivers and promoting motorsports in the country.
Indian cricket captain Shubman Gill has received a prestigious invitation to watch Wimbledon from the Royal Box, joining an exclusive group of Indian cricketers. He also recently attended his first British Grand Prix as a VIP guest, experiencing two major global sporting events in England.
Hero MotoCorp celebrated the 10th anniversary of its MotoSports Team Rally, highlighting a decade of achievements in global rally-raid. The event saw the launch of the "India's Next Dakar Hero" programme, a five-year partnership extension with Dakar Rally organisers, and the induction of young Indian racer Shlok Ghorpade, reinforcing the company's commitment to Indian motorsport talent.
Indian racer Kush Maini secured his first feature race podium of the 2026 Formula 2 season, finishing third at Silverstone. Starting third, Maini briefly led the race and battled intensely before securing his position, marking a significant achievement in his fourth F2 season.
Eleven-year-old Indian racing prodigy Atiqa Mir demonstrated exceptional talent by securing pole position in the Champions of the Future Academy Program Round 3 in Viterbo, Italy, out-qualifying two Mercedes F1 junior drivers.
Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad, who has Indian ancestral roots, attributes the rise of young athletes like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi across global sports to advancements in technology and better access to information from an earlier age.
Nine-year-old Arshi Gupta of Delhi Public School, Faridabad created history by becoming the first-ever female racer to win a National Karting Championship title.
Bengaluru's Hemanth Muddappa of Mantra Racing has been declared the 2025 National Champion in the premier unrestricted class after the Indian Motor Sports Appeals Court (IMSAC) restored his title from the final round of the MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship.
British lawn mower racing season kicks off in West Sussex, offering thrilling grassroots motorsport action as fans get their fix during the Formula One break.
The luxury carmaker plans to drive growth through local assembly of the MINI Countryman, expansion into 10 new cities and a broader product portfolio.
Max Verstappen returned to the Formula One podium for the first time this season on Sunday but the Red Bull driver, third in Canada, left no doubt about his unhappiness with new rules he considers to be anti-racing.
Indian karting prodigy Atiqa Mir achieves a significant milestone, becoming the highest-ranked female racer in her category in the latest FIA International Kart Ranking (IKR).
Indian racer Arjun Maini delivered a standout performance in Qualifying 2 for the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, finishing ahead of four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen in one of the toughest GT3 grids in world motorsport.
Indian racer Arjun Maini delivered a standout performance in Qualifying 2 for the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, finishing ahead of four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen in one of the toughest GT3 grids in world motorsport.
India's Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is pushing to revive Formula One racing in the country, focusing on creating a strong pipeline of drivers and technicians. Discussions with the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) have centered on developing a comprehensive framework to integrate motorsports with India's automotive and engineering sectors.
Eleven-year-old Atiqa Mir is exceeding expectations in her first year of karting in Europe, competing in the 12-14 age category and holding her own against older, male competitors.
Indian racer Kush Maini completed his first official Formula 1 test of the season with BWT Alpine F1 Team at the Circuit Zandvoort, driving the Alpine A521 as part of the Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme.
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming Formula One, with teams like Williams and Red Bull using AI for race strategy, data analysis and operations as tech partnerships and sponsorship revenues surge.
Williams driver Alex Albon has expressed his support for India's efforts to bring Formula One back to the country, stating it would be 'fantastic' and he would be 'excited' to be part of it.
TSI Racing, with Dean Mascarenhas and Gagan Karumbaiah, is set to debut in the FIA World Rally Championship's WRC3 class at Rally Islas Canarias, marking a return to the global stage for the Indian team.
Atiqa Mir, an 11-year-old Indian racing prodigy, achieved a historic P2 finish at the World Series Karting (WSK) Euro Series in Italy, marking the highest-ever race finish by an Indian in her category.
Gaurav Gill marked his return to rally action with a dominant performance at the 49th South India Rally, showcasing his skill and precision.
