Teen Prodigy Shane Chandaria Clinches Formula 4 Indian Championship Title at Madras International Circuit

Rookie sensation caps off breakout season by becoming youngest F4 champion

Rakesh Thapliyal

Chennai: The third season of the FIA-certified Formula 4 Indian Championship, which is part of the Indian Racing Festival, culminated in a thrilling finale at the Madras International Circuit in Chennai on December 14 as Shane Chandaria became the youngest title winner at the age of 15.

Having entered the 2025 season as a fresh-faced rookie, Kenya’s Chandaria finished it as the indisputable champion. It was the first championship win of his young career. The Chennai Turbo Riders carried a 24-point lead at the top going into the fifth and final round this weekend. However, he had a challenge on his hands as his more experienced rivals were closing in and a tricky track and trying conditions awaited at the Madras International Circuit.

But Chandaria, nicknamed ‘Baby Samurai’, was up to the task and made most of the head start to clinch the championship in Race 1 itself. Starting the first race of the day in pole position, the teenager completed the 23 laps in 26 minutes, 23.059 seconds. Though he finished second behind Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru’s Sachel Rotge, who clocked 26:22.674, the top 2 finish was enough to seal the title.

Even after the championship was wrapped up, Frenchman Rotge and Chandaria, as they so often have this season, were once again locked in battle in Race 2 despite the reverse grid pushing them at the back of the track, they fought off competition and staged some daring overtaking moves towards the end to finish on the podium. While 16-year-old Luviwe Sambudla of Goa Aces JA Racing won the race, Rotge, who pulled off a double overtake in the last lap, finished second and Chandaria third to leave their indelible mark on the season.

Chandaria and Rotge dominated the 2025 Indian F4 Championship, finishing first and second respectively. The third position was taken up by seven-time Indian National Karting Champion Ishaan Madesh. Chandaria’s team Chennai Turbo Riders, meanwhile, won the Teams’ Championship.

The F4 championship confirmed Chandaria’s status as one of the more exciting driving talents. The Kenyan, with an Indian heritage, started in the sport at the tender age of five. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength. He dominated the Kenya National Karting Championship, earning Rookie of the Year honours in 2021 and the National Championship title in 2022.

He moved to UK to race in the British Karting Championship in 2024 and transitioned to single-seaters through the Formula Global Shootout Program (FGSP). During Round 2 in Chennai, he made history as he became the first Kenyan to win an FIA Formula 4 race.

F4 is a motor racing championship for formula racing cars that adhere to FIA Formula 4 regulations. It is a feeder series, serving as the first step in single-seater racing pyramid. Not

only does it give young drivers a taste of international competition, but also awards the all-important Super Licence points, which are needed to make the cut for F1. In this year’s F4 Indian Championship, the drivers competed in Ligier JS F422 cars which are powered by an Alpine 1.3-litre turbocharged engine.

About the Indian Racing Festival

The Indian Racing Festival (IRF) is a premier motorsport event designed to captivate the growing motorsport fan base in India. The Indian Racing League (IRL) and the Formula 4 Indian Championship (F4IC) are the two championships under the Indian Racing Festival banner. Notably, the Indian Racing League is FMSCI (Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India) approved, adding a level of prestige and official recognition to the competition. The Indian Racing League (IRL) is India’s only 4-wheel racing league and the world’s first gender-neutral racing championship series, promoting inclusivity and competitive spirit. IRL features six city-based teams competing in a dynamic franchise-based competition. The FIA-certified Formula 4 Indian Championship has begun to attract young and aspiring drivers from around the world and the country. It creates an opportunity for young drivers in their single-seater journey with minimal investment from their end. The drivers gain Super License points, and the Indian talent gets to do this at home instead of going abroad.