ISRL Season 3 auction sees record Rs 4.5 crore spent by six franchises

The Indian Supercross Racing League spent a record ₹4.5 crore at its Season 3 riders' auction, with six franchises bidding for international and Indian talent. Luke Clout fetched the highest bid, while 16-year-old Muhammad Athar Alghifari emerged as the youngest signing.

Hyderabad: The Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL), the world’s only franchise-based supercross platform, delivered a spectacle off the track with its Season 3 riders’ auction. From intense bidding wars to fresh faces entering the big league, the auction demonstrated how Supercross in India is evolving into a global platform for professional athletes and star power.

ISRL is the only motorsport property in the world where athletes enter a formal bidding and auction system, creating a unique fusion of sport, commerce and entertainment.

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Riders from Australia, Europe, the USA, Indonesia, Japan and the South Asian circuit dominated proceedings, keeping team owners on their toes and cementing ISRL’s position as the fastest-growing motorsport property in the country. France, the USA, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia led the charge at the auction, commanding top bids, with 13 riders being selected across teams.

The four categories for Season 3 are 450cc International, 250cc International, 250cc India Asia Mix and 250cc Group ‘A’ Foreign Bikes Only – Indian Futures. ISRL Season 3 will continue to provide opportunities for domestic talent, with 30 Indian riders registered in the Indian Futures and 250cc India Asia Mix categories. The new Indian Futures category, in particular, will provide a dedicated platform for emerging Indian riders to develop their skills through international-level competition.

“ISRL is not just building a racing league; we are creating a new sports economy for India where athletes, teams, brands and fans all converge. The Season 3 auction has shown the world that India is ready to back motorsport at scale, and this is just the beginning of our global journey,” said Eeshan Lokhande, Director, Indian Supercross Racing League.

Luke Clout commanded the auction’s highest bid at ₹21,46,000, making him the most sought-after rider of the night.

Rugved Barguje stole the spotlight among the Indian riders, securing a contract worth ₹6,50,000, one of the highest amounts ever paid for an Indian rider at an ISRL auction.

Indewheelers Motorsports have retained their Season 2 riders, France’s Calvin Fonvieille in the 250cc International category and Thailand’s Witsarut Salangam in the 250cc India Asia Mix category, for Season 3.

The bidding for Rugved Barguje, Thanarat Penjan, Anthony Bourdon and Luke Clout sparked the most dramatic exchange of the night, with competing franchises making relentless successive bids.

At just 16, Muhammad Athar Alghifari from Indonesia became the youngest athlete to be signed by Gujarat Trailblazers in the 250cc India Asia Mix category, signalling a generational shift in the league.

PBG Ducati Legacy Racing secured Matt Moss, Reid Taylor and Jack Nunn.

A record ₹4,50,00,000 (four crore fifty lakh) was spent by the six franchise teams, underlining the growing commercial strength of ISRL through the auction.