F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 heads to Delhi, offers Rs 2 crore prize pool
Time Trials will be held at Bharat Mandapam from July 30 to August 1, with winners progressing to zonal qualifiers and a chance to earn support through Mumbai Falcons Racing's Rs 3 crore driver development programme.
As conversations around Formula 1's potential return to India continue, Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited (MFRL) has announced that the Delhi leg of the F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 will be held from July 30 to August 1 at Bharat Mandapam, marking the first activation of its kind in the national capital.
The Delhi Time Trials form part of Mumbai Falcons Racing's nationwide talent identification initiative aimed at discovering the country's next generation of motorsport talent. Aspiring racers will compete on professional-grade Formula 1 simulators, with successful participants advancing to the Zonal Qualifiers before fighting for a place in the National Final in Mumbai.
The F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 carries a total prize pool of Rs 2 crore, while the overall winner will also earn a place in Mumbai Falcons Racing's 'One in a Billion Hunt – Agla Star', which comes with a Rs 3 crore Driver Development Fund designed to help young drivers begin their journey into professional motorsport.
According to the organisers, the initiative is intended to build a structured grassroots pathway for aspiring racers at a time when interest in Formula 1 is growing rapidly across the country. Delhi has been chosen as a key venue owing to its large youth population, with the National Capital Region expected to contribute a significant number of participants.
The competition will be conducted on F1 25, the official game of the FIA Formula One World Championship. Participants across PlayStation, Xbox and PC platforms are eligible to enter, while the Delhi Time Trials will see all competitors race on identical professional-grade simulation rigs to ensure a level playing field.
Speaking about the initiative, Ameet Gadhoke, Managing Director, Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited, said the objective extends beyond sim racing and is focused on creating a sustainable pipeline of Indian motorsport talent.
"For India to succeed on the world's biggest motorsport platforms like Formula 1, we must first build a strong pipeline of talent and create greater awareness of the sport at the grassroots. That's what the F1 Sim Racing India Open is designed to do. The trials give aspiring racers the opportunity to experience professional F1 simulators first-hand. More importantly, it allows them to discover their potential and decide if they want to pursue a structured motorsport journey, progressing through the zonal and national stages of the championship and, ultimately, earning the opportunity to take their first steps into professional karting," he said.
The championship is part of MFRL's broader F1 India Programme, which also includes the One in a Billion Hunt and the Flagship Partner School initiative. Together, these programmes aim to identify promising drivers and provide them with a pathway from sim racing to competitive karting and, eventually, professional single-seater racing.
Founded in 2019, Mumbai Falcons Racing has established itself as one of India's leading motorsport organisations. The team became the first Indian outfit to win an FIA-accredited single-seater championship by securing both the Drivers' and Teams' titles in the 2022 Formula Regional Asian Championship. It currently competes in international series such as the Formula Regional Middle East Championship and F4 Middle East Championship while also investing in grassroots motorsport and sim racing talent development in India.
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As conversations around Formula 1's potential return to India continue, Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited (MFRL) has announced that the Delhi leg of the F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 will be held from July 30 to August 1 at Bharat Mandapam, marking the first activation of its kind in the national capital.
The Delhi Time Trials form part of Mumbai Falcons Racing's nationwide talent identification initiative aimed at discovering the country's next generation of motorsport talent. Aspiring racers will compete on professional-grade Formula 1 simulators, with successful participants advancing to the Zonal Qualifiers before fighting for a place in the National Final in Mumbai.
The F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 carries a total prize pool of Rs 2 crore, while the overall winner will also earn a place in Mumbai Falcons Racing's 'One in a Billion Hunt – Agla Star', which comes with a Rs 3 crore Driver Development Fund designed to help young drivers begin their journey into professional motorsport.
According to the organisers, the initiative is intended to build a structured grassroots pathway for aspiring racers at a time when interest in Formula 1 is growing rapidly across the country. Delhi has been chosen as a key venue owing to its large youth population, with the National Capital Region expected to contribute a significant number of participants.
The competition will be conducted on F1 25, the official game of the FIA Formula One World Championship. Participants across PlayStation, Xbox and PC platforms are eligible to enter, while the Delhi Time Trials will see all competitors race on identical professional-grade simulation rigs to ensure a level playing field.
Speaking about the initiative, Ameet Gadhoke, Managing Director, Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited, said the objective extends beyond sim racing and is focused on creating a sustainable pipeline of Indian motorsport talent.
"For India to succeed on the world's biggest motorsport platforms like Formula 1, we must first build a strong pipeline of talent and create greater awareness of the sport at the grassroots. That's what the F1 Sim Racing India Open is designed to do. The trials give aspiring racers the opportunity to experience professional F1 simulators first-hand. More importantly, it allows them to discover their potential and decide if they want to pursue a structured motorsport journey, progressing through the zonal and national stages of the championship and, ultimately, earning the opportunity to take their first steps into professional karting," he said.
The championship is part of MFRL's broader F1 India Programme, which also includes the One in a Billion Hunt and the Flagship Partner School initiative. Together, these programmes aim to identify promising drivers and provide them with a pathway from sim racing to competitive karting and, eventually, professional single-seater racing.
Founded in 2019, Mumbai Falcons Racing has established itself as one of India's leading motorsport organisations. The team became the first Indian outfit to win an FIA-accredited single-seater championship by securing both the Drivers' and Teams' titles in the 2022 Formula Regional Asian Championship. It currently competes in international series such as the Formula Regional Middle East Championship and F4 Middle East Championship while also investing in grassroots motorsport and sim racing talent development in India.
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As conversations around Formula 1's potential return to India continue, Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited (MFRL) has announced that the Delhi leg of the F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 will be held from July 30 to August 1 at Bharat Mandapam, marking the first activation of its kind in the national capital.
The Delhi Time Trials form part of Mumbai Falcons Racing's nationwide talent identification initiative aimed at discovering the country's next generation of motorsport talent. Aspiring racers will compete on professional-grade Formula 1 simulators, with successful participants advancing to the Zonal Qualifiers before fighting for a place in the National Final in Mumbai.
The F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 carries a total prize pool of Rs 2 crore, while the overall winner will also earn a place in Mumbai Falcons Racing's 'One in a Billion Hunt – Agla Star', which comes with a Rs 3 crore Driver Development Fund designed to help young drivers begin their journey into professional motorsport.
According to the organisers, the initiative is intended to build a structured grassroots pathway for aspiring racers at a time when interest in Formula 1 is growing rapidly across the country. Delhi has been chosen as a key venue owing to its large youth population, with the National Capital Region expected to contribute a significant number of participants.
The competition will be conducted on F1 25, the official game of the FIA Formula One World Championship. Participants across PlayStation, Xbox and PC platforms are eligible to enter, while the Delhi Time Trials will see all competitors race on identical professional-grade simulation rigs to ensure a level playing field.
Speaking about the initiative, Ameet Gadhoke, Managing Director, Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited, said the objective extends beyond sim racing and is focused on creating a sustainable pipeline of Indian motorsport talent.
"For India to succeed on the world's biggest motorsport platforms like Formula 1, we must first build a strong pipeline of talent and create greater awareness of the sport at the grassroots. That's what the F1 Sim Racing India Open is designed to do. The trials give aspiring racers the opportunity to experience professional F1 simulators first-hand. More importantly, it allows them to discover their potential and decide if they want to pursue a structured motorsport journey, progressing through the zonal and national stages of the championship and, ultimately, earning the opportunity to take their first steps into professional karting," he said.
The championship is part of MFRL's broader F1 India Programme, which also includes the One in a Billion Hunt and the Flagship Partner School initiative. Together, these programmes aim to identify promising drivers and provide them with a pathway from sim racing to competitive karting and, eventually, professional single-seater racing.
Founded in 2019, Mumbai Falcons Racing has established itself as one of India's leading motorsport organisations. The team became the first Indian outfit to win an FIA-accredited single-seater championship by securing both the Drivers' and Teams' titles in the 2022 Formula Regional Asian Championship. It currently competes in international series such as the Formula Regional Middle East Championship and F4 Middle East Championship while also investing in grassroots motorsport and sim racing talent development in India.
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