Kannada film star Kichcha Sudeepa has acquired the Bengaluru franchise in the Indian Racing Festival, which includes the F4 Indian Championship and the Indian Racing League. The franchise-based format has attracted some big names from the entertainment and sports industries, with John Abraham (Goa), Sourav Ganguly (Kolkata), Naga Chaitanya (Hyderabad) and Arjun Kapoor (Delhi) also on board as team owners.
1. 2025 Indian Racing Festival to feature six franchise teams
2. Five rounds this season
2025 Indian Racing Festival starts in August
Six teams competing this year
With Super Licence points up for grabs, the F4 Indian Championship has emerged as an increasingly attractive step in the single-seater ladder for international and domestic talent. For young racers abroad, it gives them a chance to earn Super Licence points for a much lower cost than racing in Europe. For drivers in India, it gives them the opportunity to learn from and compete against international-level talent. The championship runs the FIA-homologated Gen 2 Mygale F4 car, which is used in the French F4 championship.
The Indian Racing League, meanwhile, uses the Wolf GB08 Thunder single-seater, powered by an Aprilia RSV4 engine. Here, each team has to field two cars and four racers, and it is mandatory for each team to have one female driver.
The 2025 season will get underway in August and feature five rounds. A total of six teams will be competing, including Sudeepa’s new team, officially called ‘Kichcha’s King Bengaluru’.
“Racing, like cinema, is pure adrenaline. It’s about timing, control, instinct, and above all, heart. Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru is my tribute to the spirit of this city, its talent, its grit, and its youth,” said Sudeepa. “Motorsport is ready for its mainstream moment in India – and I’m here to fuel that fire from the South.”
Earlier this year, Indian Racing Festival organiser RPPL also confirmed that it is working on plans to host a round on the streets of Goa. In February 2025, the Department of Tourism, Goa, gave primary approval for a Goa street circuit. However, it seems unlikely that this will be part of the 2025 calendar.
Watch this space for more updates.
Dipan Sur
