Indian Racing Festival 2025 Kicks Off With Historic Driver Draft in Mumbai

The 2025 season of the Indian Racing Festival (IRF) added another significant milestone to its journey today, with the first-ever official Driver Draft for the Indian Racing League (IRL). Hosted at the iconic Taj Lands End in Mumbai, the event brought together franchise owners, league officials, and media to mark the formal beginning of a season that promises high-stakes competition, global talent, and deeper fan engagement. The event was designed to introduce greater structure and transparency to the process of building teams – a first for Indian motorsport and to reiterate IRF’s vision of creating a league that is both inclusive and performance-driven.

In a thrilling session earlier in the evening, 24 drivers were selected across six city-based franchises for the upcoming IRL season. Each team picked four drivers, creating a balanced and competitive lineup that includes an experienced international driver, an emerging international or Indian-origin talent, a domestic Indian driver, and a female driver. The selection was not only symbolic but also strategic, with teams building their rosters around driving styles, track experience, and data-backed performance indicators.

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The final grid features accomplished names like Neel Jani - former Formula 1 test driver and Le Mans winner, Jon Lancaster - with a background in GP2 and endurance racing, and Raoul Hyman - a two-time IRL champion of Indian origin who returns with strong fan support. On the Indian side, young talents such as Ruhaan Alva, Sohil Shah, Sai Sanjay, & Akshay Bohra bring proven speed and sharp racecraft, while female racers like Fabienne Wohlwend, Gabriela Jilkova, and Caitlin Wood round out the grid with international experience across W Series, F3, and GT formats.

The draft was followed by a joint press conference where all six team owners including public figures from Indian cinema and sport took the stage to reveal their teams and discuss their vision for the league. Team owners & key personnel from the franchises were present during the event, as teams finalised upon their picks. Each owner, along with their technical teams, worked closely to build a roster tailored to both competitive goals & regional identity. This high-engagement approach signals a new level of dedication and investment from franchise owners, not only in the sport but in shaping the narrative around their teams.

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“This brings our collective vision to life when it comes to the Indian Racing Festival 2025,” said Mr. Akhilesh Reddy, Chairman and Managing Director of Racing Promotions Pvt. Ltd. (RPPL), the organisation behind IRF. “With this driver draft, we’re building a new foundation for motorsport in India – one that’s inclusive, structured, and deeply competitive. The Driver Draft for IRL 2025 celebrates talent, promotes competence, and builds serious anticipation for the racing season. What we’re doing here is building a sport for India, by India, with the world watching.”, he added.

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Each franchise from Delhi’s Speed Demons to the newest entrant, Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru now heads into the season with a race-ready lineup. The 2025 season will begin in August and will feature races across multiple cities, including permanent circuits and urban street tracks throughout India.