Indian Racing Festival announces 2026 calendar, BIC and Navi Mumbai to host final rounds

The Indian Racing Festival has announced its 2026 calendar, with Buddh International Circuit hosting Rounds 4 and 5 on October 31-November 1 and November 28-29. Navi Mumbai will stage the season finale as a night race on December 5-6.

Hyderabad: The Indian Racing Festival (IRF) has announced its complete 2026 calendar, with Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida set to host Rounds 4 and 5 on October 31–November 1 and November 28–29 respectively, before the Festival culminates in the season finale as a night race at the highly anticipated Navi Mumbai Street Circuit on December 5–6.

The two venues will bring contrasting dimensions to the remainder of the 2026 season, taking the Festival from a renowned permanent racing facility to an urban street-racing environment.

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Rounds 4 and 5 of the IRF 2026 season will mark the first appearance of India’s homegrown marquee racing league at the iconic Buddh International Circuit, with FIA-level racing returning to the venue after a 13-year gap.

The circuit, which previously hosted the Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix, will once again welcome top-level single-seater racing, providing a high-profile permanent racing venue for the championship’s key stages and adding another major chapter to the season.

Meanwhile, the highly anticipated Navi Mumbai Street Circuit will host the grand finale of the 2026 Indian Racing Festival as a night race near Palm Beach Road. Staged under lights, the dedicated 3.69 kms street circuit will bring high-speed racing into an urban setting, taking the championship beyond a traditional permanent circuit and bringing the racing experience directly to audiences in the city.

This race format will mark the Festival’s second night race, following its first-ever night race in Chennai in 2024, bringing the action closer to audiences in a dynamic urban setting.

Speaking on the announcement, Mr. Akhilesh Reddy, Chairman & Managing Director, Racing Promotions Pvt. Ltd. (RPPL), said, “The 2026 Indian Racing Festival calendar reflects our ambition to take Indian motorsport into new spaces while continuing to raise the bar for the quality of racing and the experiences we create for fans. The Buddh International Circuit and Navi Mumbai are two developments that we have envisioned for a long time, and after all the hard work that has gone into bringing them together, we are delighted to finally share them with our fans.”

“Motorsport is growing rapidly in India, and we are fortunate to have an incredible fanbase that continues to support the Festival and the sport. Bringing the Festival to BIC and taking the season finale to the streets of Navi Mumbai represents another important step in expanding the following for motorsport in the country,” he said .