Exciting Action at the Indian Racing Festival 2026: F4 Championship Highlights

The Indian Racing Festival 2026 brought thrilling action to the F4 Indian Championship at Kari Motor Speedway. With Luviwe Sambudla of Goa Aces JA Racing clinching two victories and Bhuvan Bonu from Hyderabad Blackbirds winning the other race, the weekend was filled with excitement. Aris Kyriakou maintained his championship lead, while Sambudla's wins brought him closer to the top. The event marked a significant milestone with the 50th race in the series. As the championship heads to Chennai for the next round, fans are eager to see how the standings will evolve.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 21, 2026, 00:01 IST

Thrilling Weekend at Kari Motor Speedway

The Indian Racing Festival (IRF) 2026 showcased an exhilarating second round of the F4 Indian Championship at Kari Motor Speedway (KMS) in Coimbatore this past Sunday.

During this three-race event, the Goa Aces JA Racing team, owned by actor John Abraham, celebrated two wins thanks to driver Luviwe Sambudla, while Bhuvan Bonu from Hyderabad Blackbirds took home the victory in the remaining race. Notably, Race 2 marked a significant milestone as it was the 50th race in the F4 series since its launch, according to a press release.

Aris Kyriakou from Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru maintained his lead in the championship standings, achieving three podium finishes over the weekend, while Sambudla's two wins brought him closer to the top.

Race Highlights

-RACE 1 | Sambudla Secures Second Win of the Season

Luviwe Sambudla of Goa Aces JA Racing dominated Race 1, leading from start to finish to earn his second victory of the season. Aris Kyriakou finished in second place, while Ntiyiso Mabunda from Speed Demons Delhi achieved his first podium of the season in third. Mahlori Mabunda from Godspeed Kochi took fourth place.

The race experienced a brief interruption due to a safety car deployment after Mathias Alexander Forland from Ahmedabad Apex Racers collided with Aditya. Sambudla maintained his lead after the restart and recorded the fastest lap of the race.

-RACE 2 | Bonu Triumphs from Reverse-Grid Pole

Bhuvan Bonu of Hyderabad Blackbirds successfully converted his reverse-grid pole position into a win in Race 2. The race featured a collision at Turn 1 involving Aaron Mehta from Kolkata Royal Tigers and Sambudla, resulting in Sambudla retiring after getting stuck in the gravel due to damaged steering.

Mahlori Mabunda initially crossed the line in second but was penalized five places, dropping him to seventh. Ntiyiso Mabunda was elevated to second, with Kyriakou finishing third. Enzo Rujugiro from Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru and Aaryan Narola from Goa Aces JA Racing rounded out the top five.

-RACE 3 | Sambudla Completes a Winning Weekend

After his Race 2 retirement, Sambudla bounced back to secure his second win of the weekend in Race 3. Kyriakou finished in second, while Swarnav Das from Kolkata Royal Tigers completed the podium in third.

Sai Aditya from Chennai Turbo Riders made an impressive start from the 10th position, while Aaryan Narola had to retire due to a puncture. Aaron Mehta also faced retirement due to brake issues.

With two rounds completed, Kyriakou leads the championship with 93 points, closely followed by Sambudla with 88 points. Bonu holds third place with 51 points, while Mahlori Mabunda and Aaron Mehta are in fourth and fifth with 46 and 42 points, respectively.

The F4 Indian Championship will continue at the Madras International Circuit (MIC) in Chennai for the next round, with four rounds remaining in the season.