Indian Racing Festival 2025 Begins with Driver Draft in Mumbai

The Indian Racing League (IRL) conducted its first official driver draft at the Taj Lands End in Mumbai, selecting 24 drivers across six franchises for the 2025 season.

Each team selected four drivers following a structured format: one international driver, one emerging international or Indian-origin talent, one domestic Indian driver, and one female driver. The draft was attended by franchise owners, league officials, and media representatives.

Season Details

The 2025 season will begin in August and feature races across multiple cities in India, including permanent circuits and urban street tracks. The draft marks the first structured driver selection process in Indian motorsport.

Akhilesh Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director of Racing Promotions Pvt. Ltd. (RPPL), stated that the draft establishes a foundation for motorsport in India that is "inclusive, structured, and deeply competitive."

The event concluded with a media interaction session involving team management, owners, and press representatives.

Racing Promotions Pvt. Ltd., founded by Akhilesh Reddy, Armaan Ebrahim, and Aditya Patel, organizes the Indian Racing Festival and operates India's FIA-recognised racing ecosystem.

Team Lineups

Speed Demons Delhi (Owner: Arjun Kapoor)

• Alister Yoong (Malaysia) - Asian single-seater competitor, son of former F1 driver Alex Yoong
• Sai Sanjay (India) - Domestic circuit championship performer
• Shahan Ali Mohsin (India) - Former F4 SEA champion
• Caitlin Wood (Australia) - W Series and GT World Challenge competitor

Hyderabad Blackbirds (Owner: Naga Chaitanya)

• Jon Lancaster (UK) - Former GP2 winner and Le Mans podium finisher
• Akshay Bohra (India) - F4 competitor in Europe and UAE
• Mohamed Ryan (India) - F4 and sim-racing competitor
• Gabriela Jilkova (Czech Republic) - Sim and GT racing competitor

Goa Aces (Owner: John Abraham)

• Raoul Hyman (UK/SA) - Two-time IRL champion and F3 veteran
• Akash Gowda (India) - National series podium finisher
• Chetan Surineni (India) - Domestic competitor
• Fabienne Wohlwend (Liechtenstein) - W Series and Ferrari Challenge competitor

Kolkata Royal Tigers (Owner: Sourav Ganguly)

• Tom Canning (UK) - British GT Champion
• Sohil Shah (India) - F4 India podium finisher
• Sandeep Kumar (India) - National championship winner
• Alexandra Hervé (France) - F4 and Eurocup competitor

Kichcha's Kings Bengaluru (Owner: Sudeep Kichcha)

• Neel Jani (Switzerland) - Le Mans winner and former F1 test driver
• Ruhaan Alva (India) - F4 India front-runner
• Kyle Kumaran (India) - National karting and F4 competitor
• Jem Hepworth (UK) - British endurance and GT racing driver

Chennai Turbo Riders (Owner: Keerthivasan)

• Aqil Alibhai (Kenya) - Formula 4 UAE race winner
• Shibin Yousaf (India) - Indian circuit racing performer
• Tijil Rao (India) - Single-seater competitor
• Laura Camps Torras (Spain) - Ferrari Driver Academy alumna