Formula 1 Returns to India as F1 Sim Racing India Open Crowns Its First National Champion

Formula 1 marked its return to India with the F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, as Mumbai's 10-year-old, Vihaan Joshi emerged as the Under-15 category champion at the National Finals held at the NSCI Dome. Agastya Crasto, also of Mumbai, finished second, while Hridaan Sanadhya from Pune secured third place, completing the podium in the junior category. Organised by Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited (MFRL) in partnership with Formula 1, the India Open brought together some of India's most promising young sim racing talent following a nationwide qualifying process. The Under-15 National Finals featured 20 shortlisted drivers competing across tracks on the current F1 calendar including:

- Albert Park Circuit (Australia)

- Bahrain International Circuit (Bahrain)

- Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (Canada)

- Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Spain)

- Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (Mexico)

- Yas Marina Circuit (UAE)

Vihaan, a student at Podar ORT International School in Mumbai, topped the field throughout the qualifying stages and carried his form into the finals where he maintained his hot streak winning five out of the six races to be crowned the champion.

The Under-15 championship forms part of MFRL's wider One in a Billion initiative, which aims to identify and develop promising Indian racing talent. The top-performing junior racers will have an opportunity to progress into MFRL's karting programme, providing a pathway from sim racing to real-world motorsport.

The Open category of the National Championship will also conclude today, with 20 shortlisted drivers competing for the senior title. The top two finishers will earn the opportunity to represent India at the Cup of Nations, which will take place from 7 to 9 November. The Cup of Nations will bring together sim racing competitors from around the world in an international team championship, with India taking on some of the leading names in global sim racing.

The event represents an important step in MFRL's ambition to build a sustainable talent pipeline for Indian motorsport, with the long-term objective of helping India produce its next Formula 1 driver in the coming decade.

Top 10 Drivers: F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 (Under-15)

1. Vihaan Joshi - 134 points

2. Agastya Ivan Crasto - 108 points

3. Hridaan Sanadhya - 76 points

4. Yuvaan Ahirao - 75 points

5. Aarav Gupta - 67 points

6. Riyansh Sharma - 64 points

7. Kaiwaan Irani - 34 points

8. Dev Bamb - 24 points

9. Jujhaar Singh Johar - 12 points

10. Atharva Hemani - 12 points

About Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited

Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited (MFRL) is one of India's most ambitious high-performance sporting organisations, focused on building a world-class ecosystem for talent development, competition and global sporting excellence. Founded in 2019, MFRL has emerged as a pioneering force in Indian motorsport with a vision to create structured pathways for young Indian athletes to compete at the highest level. MFRL is the current Formula Regional Middle East Trophy Teams' and Drivers' champion and the UAE4 Series Drivers' Champion.

Mumbai Falcons has earned recognition as the first Indian team to win an FIA-accredited single-seater Championship, securing both the Drivers' and Teams' titles at the 2022 Formula Regional Asian Championship. The team has also competed in leading international Championship s including the Formula Regional Middle East Championship and F4 Middle East Championship, while supporting grassroots motorsport in India and its involvement in sim racing talent pathways.

Beyond motorsport, MFRL is expanding into a broader high-performance sports ecosystem, including cricket through its ownership of SoBo Mumbai Falcons in the T20 Mumbai League. Across every sporting venture, Mumbai Falcons combines data, discipline, innovation and athlete-first development to help shape India's next generation of champions.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)

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