Positioned at the intersection of sport, technology, and play, Kabuni introduces a world-first approach to training: delivering real-time, personalised coaching through advanced AI technology, enabling players of all levels to improve their performance anytime, anywhere.

Alongside the global launch, Kabuni has unveiled its Super Coaches – a roster of legendary cricketers including Sourav Ganguly, Shane Watson, AB de Villiers, and Shreyas Iyer – who will play a central role in inspiring and developing the next generation of players through interactive challenges and youth tournaments.

At the heart of the platform is a simple yet powerful ambition: to put a world-class cricket coach in every player’s pocket, democratising access to high-quality coaching and transforming how athletes learn and develop across the globe. Built by parents with a deep understanding of the challenges facing modern families and the impact of screen time, Kabuni is on a mission to encourage people to play more and scroll less by replacing passive screen time with active, shared experiences that build skills and connection.

Founder Nimesh Patel created Kabuni to help young people reconnect with sport and unlock their potential, inspired by his own upbringing and the transformative role sport played in his life. The platform is designed to empower the next generation while supporting parents, teachers, and coaches in fostering more active lifestyles.

Kabuni’s proprietary platform, Kabuni PlayOS, analyses live play in real time and assesses elements such as timing, balance, alignment, footwork, and sequencing to deliver instant, actionable feedback. Powered by deep performance data from the world’s leading cricketers, Kabuni gives players access to insights previously only available inside elite academies, turning every training session into a high-quality coaching experience.

India, as home to one of the largest and most passionate cricket communities in the world, has been selected as the launch market, providing the ideal platform to scale the technology and build momentum for international growth. After an initial testing phase in India and via partnerships with major governing bodies, the platform will be rolled out globally later this year.

This announcement coincides with the launch of the national campaign “Do You Want to Play for a Legend?”, which will give 12–16-year-old players across India the opportunity to compete for a place on teams led by the iconic Super Coaches. Participants will train using the Kabuni platform, take part in nationwide trials, and compete for selection in final squads that will progress to a national youth tournament at an iconic cricket venue.

Kabuni’s founder, Nimesh Patel, commented: “For too many young cricketers in India, the biggest barriers are access to high-quality coaching, competitive pathways, and consistent development. Kabuni is designed to change that. By combining AI-powered coaching with new youth competitions, we’re creating a platform where every young player can train, improve, and be recognised – wherever they are, whatever their background.

“India is just the beginning. What we’re building here is a blueprint for the future of sport, one that we believe can scale globally, unlocking potential and creating opportunities for the next generation of athletes everywhere.”

By making elite-level coaching affordable and widely available, the platform supports players regardless of background or ability, while enhancing, not replacing, the role of coaches. With the platform able to support a range of initiatives from school programmes to national competitions, Kabuni is designed to unlock potential at scale and create new opportunities for young athletes to develop, compete, and succeed.

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PUNE: The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has pledged its full support to help establish the Pune Grand Tour (PGT) as the world’s fourth Grand Tour and position Pune as a leading global sports tourism destination.

During a special presentation of the organizing team of PGT before the UCI Management Committee in Lake Garda, Italy, the world governing body for cycling praised the Pune Grand Tour for delivering a race of a quality comparable to the finest cycling events in the world and expressed amazement that an event of such a big scale and international standard was successfully conceived, planned, and executed within just six months.

The UCI also lauded the exemplary discipline displayed by the more than 2.5 million spectators (the largest for any sporting event in India) who attended the five-day event and commended the police and district administration for ensuring exceptional safety and security arrangements despite the unprecedented crowds.

Recognizing the race as the first genuine opportunity to create a future Grand Tour outside Europe, UCI President David Lappartient extended the organization’s full cooperation to support the event’s long-term growth, including expertise in urban mobility planning and assistance in strengthening grassroots cycling development programs across India. The Pune Grand Tour received a significant boost on the global cycling stage as the UCI endorsed the event’s long-term vision and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting its growth.

A delegation comprising Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi, Cycling Federation of India (CFI) Secretary General Maninder Pal Singh, and Bajaj Auto Director Abhinav Bindra was invited by UCI President David Lappartient to present the remarkable journey and future roadmap of the Pune Grand Tour, whose inaugural edition was successfully held in January 2026.

Sharing the key outcomes of the presentation and subsequent interaction with the UCI Management Committee, Jitendra Dudi said, “The UCI Management Committee not only appreciated the quality and execution of the race, but also approved the upgrade of the Pune Grand Tour to UCI 2.1 Status, marking a major milestone in the event’s international recognition. The committee also gave its consent for the 2027 edition to be held between January 26 and January 31, allowing the event to incorporate three national holidays, while leaving the final scheduling decision to the Pune district administration.”

(UCI 2.1 status is a Class 1 stage race classification that attracts a higher caliber of teams, allowing up to 50 per cent of the participants to be elite UCI World Teams. It also features larger prize purses, more UCI ranking points, and stricter organizational standards.)

Representing the unique partnership between government, federation, and corporate stakeholders that delivered the inaugural edition of the race, the delegation of PGT outlined Pune’s ambition to establish the Pune Grand Tour among the world’s premier cycling events during the presentation to the UCI Management Committee.

During the 90-minute presentation, Jitendra Dudi detailed the development of the Pune Grand Tour from its conceptualization in the summer of 2025 to its successful execution within a span of just six months. He highlighted the extensive infrastructure efforts involving more than 1,200 engineers and a workforce of over 10,000 personnel who upgraded over 400 kilometer long roads across the Pune district to meet international UCI standards.

Dudi presented a long-term vision for the event with the ultimate goal of transforming the Pune Grand Tour into road cycling’s fourth Grand Tour alongside the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España, featuring elite competitions for both men and women.

He credited the visionary leadership, strategic guidance, and strong support of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the late Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, for playing a pivotal role in bringing the event to fruition.

Speaking on the occasion, Maninder Pal Singh outlined the Cycling Federation of India’s strategy to build upon the country’s recent successes in track cycling and create a robust athlete development pathway aimed at winning cycling medals at the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Abhinav Bindra reaffirmed Bajaj Auto’s long-term commitment to the Pune Grand Tour and its broader vision of nurturing grassroots cycling and community sports development throughout the district.

The governing body further recognized the Pune Grand Tour as the first genuine opportunity to create a future Grand Tour outside Europe and described it as a true “people’s race.”

The presentation was attended by senior cycling administrators from across the world, reflecting the growing international significance of the Pune Grand Tour. UCI President David Lappartient also announced that he would personally attend the race next year.

The strong endorsement from world cycling’s governing body represents a major step forward in Pune’s emergence as a global cycling destination and reinforces the city’s ambition to host one of the most prestigious road cycling events in the world.

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PUNE: The first anniversary of Pune-based SportsVista Foundation, established to provide financial assistance to needy and promising emerging table tennis players aged 10 to 16, was recently celebrated.

About a year ago, the SportsVista Monthly Scholarship Scheme was launched by awarding scholarships to two table tennis players from Kolkata — Ankolika Chakraborty and Sreosree Chakraborty. Within just one year, the number of scholarship recipients has increased to six players.

The new additions include M. Siddhant from Bengaluru, Titash Chatterjee from Kolkata, Rajvardhan Tiwari from Barshi in Solapur district, and Ariv Dutta from Kolkata. The anniversary event was recently held at Deccan Gymkhana.

Among those present at the event were Aniket Koparkar, Sujata, and Sunil Babras, Assistant Secretary of the Table Tennis Federation of India, Yatin Tipnis, and the supporters of the SportsVista Monthly Scholarship Scheme, including Rajendra Tapadia, Jai Shankar, Sameer Mali, Ashutosh Agashe, Malhar Patekar, Viraj Mulye, along with all scholarship-winning players and their coaches.

SportsVista Foundation was established by Shiv Chhatrapati Award winner, former international table tennis player and national coach Sunil Babras; former international table tennis player and member of the national table tennis team selection committee, and Shiv Chhatrapati Awardee Aniket Koparkar; and Shiv Chhatrapati Award winner and former international table tennis player Sujata Babras, to support needy and emerging table tennis players.

Speaking on the occasion, Sunil Babras said, “Under the scheme, financial assistance ranging from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month is provided for one to two years. Along with this, guidance and mentorship necessary for improving performance is also offered. Our primary focus is on helping players in the 10 to 16 age group, especially those who do not receive financial support from any source other than their parents.”

At the very beginning of the initiative, Ankolika Chakraborty joined the SportsVista Monthly Scholarship Scheme, and within one year, she jumped from 25th to 6th place in the international rankings in the Under 15 girls category. Aniket Koparkar informed that all scholarship recipients are currently ranked among the top five players in their respective categories at the national level.

In the national rankings, Ankolika Chakraborty holds the top position in the Under-15 girls category. Ariv Dutta is ranked first in the Under-13 boys category, Titash Chatterjee is ranked second in the Under-13 girls category, Rajvardhan Tiwari is ranked second in the Under-11 boys category, M. Siddhant is ranked third in the Under-13 boys category, while Sreosree Chakraborty is ranked fifth in the Under-13 girls category.

Sujata Babras said that the foundation aims to increase the number of scholarship recipients from the current six to twelve within the next year. Apart from the monthly scholarship scheme, with the support of Atul Bapat of Apex Sports, they will also provide free sports equipment to 24 needy players.

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In an incident-packed and highly strategic race, driver Nyck de Vries delivered a clinical performance to secure the win.

The triumph marks a monumental turning point for the Indian team, showcasing the immense pace of the Mahindra powertrain package. De Vries, who kicked off the day by topping both Free Practice sessions, converted a front-row start (P2) into a dominant race-winning performance, masterfully navigating safety cars, full-course yellows, and heavy energy management.

​Starting second behind polesitter Dan Ticktum, de Vries drove a calculated early phase, cleverly banking energy while maintaining pressure on the leader.

​Mahindra’s strategy team executed a flawlessly timed pitstop and Attack Mode deployment, launching de Vries into clean air at the front of the pack.

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This moment also comes in the same year the Freediving Association of India (FAI) was formed by Archana Sankaranarayanan, an 11-time national record holder. Earlier this year, FAI became an Observer Member of AIDA International as AIDA India, giving Indian freedivers official representation at the global level.

Under AIDA India, three athletes will represent India at the 2026 World Apnea Pool Championship:

• Archana Thiagarajan – India’s leading freediver, holding all national records in both pool and depth disciplines, and the first Indian to compete at a World Championship in Wakayama, Japan (2025).
• Akshay Thatte – India’s first Freediving Instructor Trainer, leading pool freediver, and four-time national record holder.
• Vachan H U – Advocate, national record holder, and the first athlete to compete officially under AIDA India.

Along with the athletes, Archana Sankaranarayanan has been selected as the first Indian Assistant Judge at the World Championship. She will return to Duna Arena in Budapest in a new role, not as an athlete, but as an official judge. She previously competed at this same venue during the 2024 nOxyCup, where she set a national record for India.

Speaking about her journey, Archana Sankaranarayanan said, “It’s been a difficult yet rewarding journey. Competing was one part, but building the sport, creating systems, and growing the freediving community in India has been a completely new experience.”

This year also highlights strong support from the Indian diving community, with three homegrown brands supporting Team India. Surface Interval has provided performance merchandise, Stay Salty Club has supported with ocean-inspired enamel pins, and AZEN has contributed embroidered post-dive ponchos.

As Team India prepares for this historic championship, Archana Sankaranarayanan is also highlighting the work of Manjhi, an NGO co-founded by Kashina Kareem and led by Shivani Sharma, which works with women and adolescent girls to build leadership and fight gender-based violence and inequality. Her connection with Manjhi began during the GP Birla Fellowship for Women Leaders, which played a key role in shaping her journey in building AIDA India.                        

2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for freediving in India, and the team hopes this moment will bring more awareness and participation for the sport in the country.

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DEAD SEA (JORDAN): The Jordan Rally roared into life at the Hover-Up park by the Dead Sea on Thursday evening.

Seventeen crews competing in the third round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) were joined at the start ceremony by another 10 teams solely tackling the second and third rounds of the Jordan national series. They all will tackle a dozen gravel special stages on Friday and Saturday in the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea areas.

The new Hover-Up Park hosted the pre-event press conference and ceremonial start for the first time. Nestled in the sandy valley to the north of the Dead Sea, adjacent to a section of the Baptism Site and Suwayma special stages, the latest addition to Jordan’s already rich motor sporting history is a new drag racing track that also caters to off-roading and track days.

It provided the perfect backdrop to the start of the Jordan Rally, which is being held under the patronage of H.R.H. Prince Feisal Al-Hussein, Chairman of Jordan Motorsport.  

Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah is bidding for an 18^th victory in the Hashemite Kingdom with Spanish co-driver Candido Carrera, but also has to keep one eye on the Drivers’ Championship.  He currently trails his cousin Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya by 12 points.

Al-Attiyah said, “It’s nice to be here again. It’s a difficult race and one of the most beautiful. After winning Oman, we went back to Qatar and were leading until we had a problem with a wheel rim. It was a mistake by the manufacturer. We lost a lot of points but we are here and well prepared. I have won here 17 times. I enjoy my life, and I enjoy this event a lot. The stages are nice and the new Rawda stage will be new for everyone. It’s also easy to get a puncture there.

We need to be clever to get full points because we don’t know what will happen with Lebanon and Cyprus, and then the last race will be in Saudi Arabia. This is part of the WRC, and more points will be available at that race. Winning here will make it easier for us at the end of the year.”

Oman’s Abdullah Al-Rawahi has consistently matched the Qatari on stages in recent seasons, and he too needs as many points as possible after a difficult start to the year.  Al-Rawahi is currently 19 points off the championship lead.

The Omani said, “It’s always a good feeling to be back at the place where I actually started rallying in the Middle East championship. These are some of the toughest stages in the region, very technical, and the competition is high. We have been close to him (Al-Attiyah) for the last two years. We have taken another step forward and have been working really hard with the team to get the best setup.

Hopefully, this time we get it right. The last stage, the Power Stage, is tough and quite rough in places. There are some tarmac sections, but it is narrow and tricky, and the pace notes need to be really precise. It’s going to be tough, especially with the heat.”

Al-Rawahi was the first driver to post a time in Thursday morning’s 4.83km Shakedown stage. He stopped the clocks in 3min 05.0sec, 12.4 seconds quicker than Hamza Bakhashab on his first of a maximum of two runs. Both drivers were markedly quicker on their second passes, with Al-Rawahi topping the times by 5.2 seconds with a run of 2min 58.8sec.

Al-Attiyah and Al-Atya both sat out the shakedown opportunity, but Sheikh Bader Al-Fayez and Bassel Abu Hamdan took advantage to finalise the set-up on their Škoda Fabia RSs.

The two QMMF-entered Peugeot 208 Rally4s were closely matched, with Rashid Al-Muhannadi getting the better of young Mohammed Al-Marri by just 1.3 seconds, although Al-Marri did improve more on his second pass to set the fifth quickest time. Al-Muhannadi teamed up with French co-driver Florian Barral as a late replacement for Szymon Gospodarczyk.

Only 11 of the 17 FIA crews took advantage of the shakedown opportunity.

Leading Jordanian hope Shaker Jweihan knows that his only realistic hope of a podium is if several of his Rally2 rivals hit problems over the course of the next two days. He is dominating the FIA MERC2 category and is relishing the challenge of achieving a hat-trick of category wins.

Jweihan said: “We are definitely feeling confident. We won the national rally here four weeks ago, and that was similar to day one of the rally. The R5 cars are going to pull a lot of rocks on the track in front of us, and that is going to be a problem. There should be some type of grading between the two loops because we will have a lot of loose rocks. The Power Stage is technical and new for everyone. The result will come down to that last stage!”

Competitors will tackle two passes through three stages on Friday. The first run through Shuna (15.25km) gets proceedings underway at 09.49hrs, and this is followed by rapid-fire sprints through Baptism (11.24km) from 10.39hrs and Ma’in (16.87km), starting at 11.30hrs.

After a return to the Dead Sea for a midday service and regroup, the three stages are repeated in the afternoon from 13.49hrs, 14.39hrs, and 15.30hrs.

2026 Jordan Rally – shakedown times:

1. Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMA)/Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia R5 Rally                            2min 58.8sec

2. Hamza Bakhashab (KSA)/Lorcan Moore (IRL) Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2                              3min 04.0sec

3. Bassel Abu Hamdan (KSA)/Firas Elias (LBN) Volkswagen Polo Rally 2                               3min 21.3sec

4. Sheikh Bader Al-Fayez (JOR)/Joseph Matar (LBN) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2                        3min 26.7sec

5. Mohammed Al-Marri (QAT)/Pierre Delorme (FRA) Peugeot 208 Rally 4                          3min 37.8sec

6. Hamadeh Uda (PAL)/Zeid Abu Zeid (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X*                                 3min 38.3sec

7. Shadi Shaban (JOR)/Samer Issa (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX                                        3min 38.6sec*

8. Mohammed Al-Shorafa (JOR)/Samer Sfeir (LBN)Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX                      3min 40.1sec

9. Rashid Al-Muhannadi (QAT)/Florian Barral (FRA) Peugeot 208 Rally 4                             3min 44.2sec

10. Sami Fleifel (JOR)/Ameer Nassif (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X                                      4min 14.4sec

11. Farah Zakaria (JOR)/Dolyne Schlink (LBN) Can-Am Maverick X3                                     4min 27.2sec

*denotes not registered for the MERC

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MUMBAI: The Esports Foundation (EF) and JioBLAST have today announced a strategic partnership to launch India Rising: Road to EWC, a national competition pathway and a festival hosted in India ahead of the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), the world’s largest esports and gaming event. The future vision of the partnership beyond 2026 will be formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop the ecosystem, beginning with India Rising: Road to EWC as a long-term flagship property connected to EWC in India.

Delivered in collaboration with Jio (for use of its digital platforms) and Chess.com, India Rising will feature international nationwide open qualifiers for Chess, culminating in a grand finals held on LAN at the fan festival, with the winner advancing to the EWC 2026 Chess main event, held in Riyadh from August 11-15, 2026. While the 2026 edition introduces Chess as its inaugural competitive title, building on India’s global strength in the game, India Rising: Road to EWC is designed to scale in future years, expanding into multiple esports formats and fan-centric experiences as the platform continues to evolve. 

All titled Indian players will be invited to the closed qualifier section of India Rising, with more than 10,000 grassroots players across the country expected to sign up for open registration.

The festival will be held offline in Mumbai, where attendees can experience the India Rising Chess finals alongside creator programming, entertainment, and interactive fan experiences. Additional exhibition matches in VALORANT and Moba Legends: 5v5! will form part of the program, which will bring together competitive esports and live entertainment, featuring live music, cosplay, comedy, interactive gaming zones, and dedicated creator areas for fan engagement.

“The Esports World Cup’s purpose is to unite the global gaming community, and that means investing in regions shaping the future of the industry,” said Mohammed Al Nimer, Chief Commercial Officer of the Esports Foundation. “India is central to that vision. With hundreds of millions of players, it is home to leading chess talent, elite championship Clubs to digital platforms redefining how fans engage with esports. Through partnership with JioBlast, we are creating new opportunities for Indian players to compete at the highest level, while bringing the EWC closer to its fans in the country.”

Charlie Cowdrey, CEO, JioBLAST, said: “India has the second biggest gaming base and one of the most passionate gaming communities in the world, but what has been missing is a clear and credible pathway from India into the biggest global stages. Partnering with the Esports World Cup to build India Rising: Road to EWC will change that. Starting with Chess.com in 2026, this is about opening the door for Indian talent, building stronger connections between players, fans, and publishers, and creating an ecosystem that can grow with the market over time. We are proud to be building it with the Esports Foundation and are excited for what this will become in the future years together.”

India is one of the world’s leading Chess nations, led by a new generation of Grandmasters including Gukesh Dommaraju, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Nihal Sarin, and Arjun Erigaisi. India was represented at the Esports World Cup 2025 by Sarin and Erigaisi, competing for S8UL and Gen.G, respectively, reflecting the country’s impact at the highest level of competition. India is one of the fastest-growing gaming markets globally, expected to surpass 500 million players in 2026, with player spending projected to exceed $1 billion. The market is predominantly mobile, with approximately 95% of players on mobile devices.

Avadh Shah, Country Director – India, Chess.com, said: “India is one of the most exciting chess communities in the world, with incredible depth of talent across both the grassroots and elite levels. We’re proud to partner on India Rising: Road to EWC to help create a truly open and competitive pathway for players across the country. We’re looking forward to delivering a world-class experience by combining our massive platform with the scale of Jio and the global stage of the Esports World Cup.” 

JioBLAST will lead the design and delivery of India Rising, including competition, festival, and content. The initiative establishes a structured route from grassroots participation in India to global competition at the EWC. Given India’s evolving regulatory ecosystem, JioBLAST continues to engage with regulators.

Chess returns to EWC this summer with a $1.5 million prize pool following its debut last year, where Magnus Carlsen (Team Liquid) won the inaugural title. The competition expands to a 21-player field, with a play-in stage and qualification routes including the India Rising pathway alongside Champions Chess Tour and Chess.com events.

Official Trailer Launch Film

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AHMEDABAD: Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited (MFRL) announced the appointment of star athlete Shreyas Iyer as the official brand ambassador for the F1® Program in India. Held under an agreement granting Mumbai Falcons the rights to host an official Formula 1®-sanctioned sim racing competition, the F1® Sim Racing India Open 2026 will establish a national competitive platform for emerging talent across the country. The appointment reflects Mumbai Falcons’ approach to building a sporting culture and infrastructure that spans across sporting disciplines.

Shreyas Iyer has established himself as one of Indian cricket’s most consistent match-winners and a leader across formats. Off the field, he occupies a growing space in youth culture, with an audience that extends well beyond traditional cricket fans. His strengths and achievements represent high performance, adaptability, and a direct connection with India’s digital-native sporting generation, making him a fitting face for the Championship.

“Sport has always been about finding your edge and staying disciplined enough to act on it. When I heard what Mumbai Falcons is building in terms of a real pathway that takes young Indians from where they are today to where they could go, I didn’t need much convincing. This is the kind of initiative I would have wanted access to growing up, and I’m proud to be part of what’s coming,” said Shreyas Iyer, Brand Ambassador for the F1® Program in India led by Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited.

Speaking about the brand ambassadors’ announcement, Ameet Gadhoke, Managing Director, Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited, said, “We built Mumbai Falcons on the belief that India has world-class sporting talent; the potential, however, has been constrained by structural deficiencies. Partnering with Formula 1® to bring the F1® Sim Racing India Open 2026 to life is yet another significant initiative in that direction. Shreyas represents exactly the kind of athlete we had in mind when shaping this initiative, displaying sporting excellence and discipline paired with authentic resonance with the emerging demographic, the younger aspiring generations. The platform we’re about to launch is something India has not seen in this space before. The full scope of this initiative will be announced shortly.”

The Championship will be contested on F1® 25, the official game of the FIA Formula 1® World Championship, featuring the same circuits, competitive formats, and team liveries as the global series. Registrations will commence on 30th April, 2026, through the MFRL App, available on the Play Store and Apple App Store. Participants will be able to compete across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox. The online Qualifiers in the coming months will lead to city-based simulator rounds, culminating in a national final in Mumbai in November.

The upcoming initiative is its most ambitious nationwide project to date, designed to connect Indian youth to a global-format competition through a clearly defined pathway

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MUMBAI: Formula 1® and Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited announce the launch of India’s first Official F1® Sim Racing Championship. Held under an agreement that grants Mumbai Falcons the rights to host an official Formula 1® sanctioned sim racing competition, the F1® Sim Racing India Open 2026 will establish a national competitive platform for emerging talent across the country. The Championship is designed to create a structured pathway from virtual competition to professional motorsport, offering young drivers a credible first step into the wider racing ecosystem. This also marks the first time Formula 1® has introduced a programme of this nature, exclusively for India.

The announcement comes at the perfect time, as conversations around bringing Formula 1® back to India gain momentum and fan interest in the sport continues to surge. With e-sports now officially recognised under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, initiatives like the F1® Sim Racing India Open 2026 connect India to the global driver pathway of F1®, tapping into a rapidly growing motorsport ecosystem.

Conducted under an agreement granting Mumbai Falcons the rights to host an official F1-sanctioned sim racing competition in India, the Championship will be played on F1®25, the official game of the FIA Formula 1® World Championship, featuring identical circuits, competitive formats, and team liveries as the global series. Registrations are set to commence on 30th April, 2026, on the MFRL App (available on Play Store and Apple Store). Participants will be able to compete via PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox. Online qualifiers in the coming months will lead to city-based simulator rounds, culminating in a national final in Mumbai in November.

On this occasion, India’s first Formula 1®Driver, Narain Karthikeyan, commented, “India has long been central to the global growth story of Formula 1®. With 78.8 million fans and a generation raised on F1®gaming, the time is right to introduce an official, competitive Sim Racing Championship here. Mumbai Falcons are the ideal partner, having invested years in building India’s motorsport pipeline. This initiative is unique, globally exclusive, and will set a new benchmark for talent development.”

“When we founded Mumbai Falcons in 2019, our ambition was to place India firmly on the global motorsport map and build a pipeline for world-class talent. Mumbai Falcons became the first Indian team to win an FIA-accredited international racing Championship. We have also supported the early careers of future Formula 1®stars. Partnering with Formula 1®to bring the F1®Sim Racing India Open 2026 to life is yet another significant initiative in that direction,” said Ameet Gadhoke, Managing Director, Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited.

Mumbai Falcons brings to this programme a track record that few organisations in the world can match. The team has previously supported the early careers of drivers who went on to reach the pinnacle of the sport, including Jehan Daruvala, Kush Maini, Arthur Leclerc, Dino Beganovic, Sebastian Montoya, Rafael Camara, James Wharton, Freddie Slater, Kean Nakamura Berta, Oleksandr Bondarev, Kimi Antonelli, Arvid Lindblad, and Oliver Bearman. It is this foundation of proven talent identification and development that positions Mumbai Falcons to build and deliver India’s first scalable motorsport pipeline.

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MUMBAI: Indian motorsport continues to gather global momentum, and at the heart of that surge stands Mumbai Falcons Racing League (MFRL), leading the charge in developing world-class racing talent from India. The team delivered a statement performance at the 2025-2026 UAE ROTAX MAX Championship, securing two championship titles, five top-three finishes, and the overall Teams’ Championship, underlining its role as a premier platform nurturing India’s next generation of international racing talent.

Leading the charge, Tyla Harris clinched the DD2 Championship with 1123 points, while Maurits Knopjes dominated DD2 Masters with 941 points. Together, they established Mumbai Falcons’ authority at the top tier of competition in one of the Middle East’s most competitive karting championships.

For India, the most compelling story lies in the rise of its young drivers. Mitansh Jain emerged as Junior Max Vice-Champion, delivering a season defined by consistency, composure, and front-running pace. His 960-point campaign firmly positioned him as one of the most promising Indian racers on the global karting stage.

Close behind, Arhaan Koreishi secured third overall in Junior Max, showcasing remarkable progression through the season. His late-season surge not only earned him a podium finish but also reinforced the depth of Indian talent within the Mumbai Falcons program. Adding to the team’s multi-category success, Nathan Kappen finished third overall in Senior Max, completing a championship campaign that saw Mumbai Falcons excel across divisions.

Further reinforcing this success, the team also celebrated title victories in the IAME UAE Championship, where Mitansh Jain was crowned IAME UAE Champion under the Juniors category, while Rayan Koreishi secured the Vice Championship under the IAME UAE Seniors category. These achievements also earned the team a coveted ticket to the IAME World Finals.

Anjum Shaikh, Team Principal of MFRL’s Karting Programme, shared, “This season reflects the level of consistency and performance we expect as a team competing at the highest level. At the same time, seeing Indian drivers step up and secure podium finishes in such a competitive field is a clear signal that India is ready to produce the next generation of global racing stars. Indian motorsport is entering a defining phase, and we remain committed to building stronger, more structured pathways that can consistently deliver excellence.”

MFRL’s overall performance at the championship reflects a structured, high-performance ecosystem built in India for a world-stage competition. Across the season, Mumbai Falcons demonstrated not just winning ability but depth, resilience, and consistency—qualities essential for developing future champions.  The significance of these achievements extends beyond the standings. The UAE Rotax Max Championship serves as a gateway to the Rotax MAX Championship Grand Finals, placing Mumbai Falcons drivers within the global talent pipeline. Competing—and succeeding—at this level signals India’s growing influence in international karting.

Mumbai Falcons has steadily positioned itself as a launchpad for young drivers, combining international exposure, technical excellence, and race-winning capability. With Indian drivers like Jain and Koreishi delivering standout performances against a highly competitive international grid, the message is clear: India is no longer an emerging presence in global karting; it is becoming a force.

As the 2025–2026 season concludes, Mumbai Falcons continues in its endeavour to actively shape India’s racing future and build a pathway for the country’s brightest young talents to become tomorrow’s global stars.

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