18 years after becoming the very first Indian team to compete in the World Rally Championship (WRC), TSI Racing is returning to the pinnacle of rallying this year. The team will be competing in the WRC3 class, fielding two-time Indian National Rally Champion (INRC) Dean Mascarenhas and co-driver Gagan Karumbaiah. The two will make their WRC debut at Rally Islas Canarias on April 23-26.
- Dean Mascarenhas to make WRC debut
- TSI Racing’s 2026 WRC champaign will kick off with Rally Islas Canarias in April
- Will participate in multiple rounds this season
TSI Racing enters 2026 WRC
PH Sport to prep Ford Fiesta Rally 3 for the team.
TSI Racing has confirmed that it will participate in multiple WRC rounds this season, starting with April’s Rally Islas Canarias in Spain – one of the most technical tarmac events on the WRC calendar. Mascarenhas will be driving a Ford Fiesta Rally 3 car prepared by PH Sport, who have come onboard as a technical partner. The firm has prepared and serviced cars for some of the biggest names in rallying, including Sebastien Loeb, Sebastien Ogier, Thiery Neuville and Dani Sordo.
For 2026, PH Sport will handle all preparation and on-event servicing of the car. But that partnership extends beyond just the car. The firm’s expertise in managing rally operations will be invaluable to the drivers and TSI Racing crew on ground.
“When TSI Racing approached us, what stood out immediately was the seriousness of their intent. This isn’t a team that’s come to make up the numbers – they’ve done their homework, they’ve built their programme properly, and Dean is a driver with genuine pace. We’re proud to be part of this chapter for Indian motorsport, and we’ll make sure the Ford Fiesta Rally 3 is prepared to the same standard we’d give any driver on our roster,” said Bernard Piallat, founder of PH Sport.
TSI Racing won’t compete in 2026 INRC
TSI Racing took a clean sweep in the INRC last year, winning the overall teams’, drivers’ and co-drivers’ titles. However, the calendar for the 2026 season hasn’t been announced as of yet, and the championship’s promoter Blueband Sports recently announced that the season “is on hold until further notice”.
In light of this, TSI Racing has opted to not participate in the INRC this year and instead focus its efforts on its WRC outings. "The decision to step back from the 2026 INRC season was not one we took lightly. A rally programme, at any level, requires months of planning, and without clarity on the calendar, responsible preparation simply isn't possible. Our focus this year is the WRC, and we intend to give that the full attention it deserves. We remain deeply committed to Indian rally and to the INRC, and we hope to return to the domestic championship in a position where we can plan and compete properly,” said Mohan Nagarajan, Chairman of Sidvin Energy Engineering, which is backing TSI Racing.
