Luviwe Sambudla leads F4 Indian Championship as Aaron Mehta makes history

Luviwe Sambudla took the F4 Indian Championship lead after winning two races in Round 3 at Chennai’s Madras International Circuit. Kolkata Royal Tigers’ 15-year-old Aaron Mehta made history by becoming the youngest race winner in the championship’s history

Hyderabad: The Madras International Circuit in Chennai witnessed thrilling wheel-to-wheel battles, dramatic recoveries and a historic breakthrough as Round 3 of the F4 Indian Championship, part of the Indian Racing Festival 2026, delivered three action-packed races on October 22 and 23 in challenging wet-weather conditions.

Goa Aces JA Racing’s Luviwe Sambudla emerged as the weekend’s standout performer, claiming two victories and a third-place finish to take the championship lead, while 15-year-old Aaron Mehta of Kolkata Royal Tigers made history by becoming the youngest race winner in the championship’s history.

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Sambudla turned a five-point deficit into a 21-point championship advantage, moving to 138 points, ahead of Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru’s Aris Kyriakou, who had 117. Across the 3.717-kilometre circuit, Sambudla showcased exceptional pace and racecraft, winning the opening two races from sixth on the grid before completing his weekend on the podium. Speed Demons Delhi’s Ntiyiso Mabunda was equally impressive, finishing second in all three races, while Mehta delivered a composed performance under pressure to secure his maiden victory in the final race.

The opening race saw Kyriakou take the early lead, with Mehta initially keeping pace and Sambudla making up two places on the opening lap. As the wet conditions tested the field, Sambudla worked his way past Mehta for second before capitalising on a loss of rear grip from Kyriakou on lap nine to seize the lead. Ntiyiso Mabunda, who started 10th for Speed Demons Delhi, produced an impressive recovery drive, overtaking Mehta and Kyriakou to move into second, while Goa Aces JA Racing’s Aryan Narola also joined the fight at the front.

With rain returning to the circuit, Sambudla pulled clear to win by 9.606 seconds, setting the fastest lap in 1:48.647. Ntiyiso Mabunda completed a remarkable climb from 10th to second, with Narola finishing third. Mehta crossed the line fourth, while Kyriakou had to settle for fifth. Speed Demons Delhi’s Krishay Gutte finished sixth as the highest-placed Indian driver. The result handed Sambudla a 10-point championship lead and shifted the momentum decisively in his favour.

Sambudla carried that form into the second race, once again starting sixth under the reverse-grid format. Working his way through the field, the Goa Aces JA Racing driver secured his second consecutive victory in 33:22.590 after 13 laps, but the contest proved considerably closer. Ntiyiso Mabunda maintained the pressure throughout, finishing just 1.211 seconds behind the winner, while Sambudla recorded the fastest lap in 1:50.071.

Ntiyiso Mabunda’s second consecutive runner-up finish underlined his consistency, while Kyriakou recovered to third for Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru after his difficult opening race. Narola maintained fourth for Goa Aces JA Racing, followed by Gutte of Speed Demons Delhi, who again led the Indian contingent, and Mehta in sixth for Kolkata Royal Tigers. With the top six separated by just 5.414 seconds, the race highlighted the increasingly competitive nature of the field. Sambudla’s second victory extended his championship advantage over Kyriakou to 14 points heading into the final race.

The weekend’s defining moment came in the third race, as Mehta converted pole position into a breakthrough victory. The Kolkata Royal Tigers teenager held his nerve through a race punctuated by incidents, a red flag and a safety car intervention before resisting a late charge from Ntiyiso Mabunda to win by just 0.546 seconds.

Mehta initially retained the lead as Narola of Goa Aces JA Racing challenged strongly through the opening corners. However, the slippery conditions soon caught several drivers out, with Kyriakou of Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru running wide into the grass and becoming stranded in a deep puddle, while Swarnav Das of Kolkata Royal Tigers also slid off the circuit. The incidents prompted a red flag to allow the stranded cars to be recovered, with the field subsequently resuming behind the safety car. Kyriakou and Das were forced to restart from the back of the field, while Narola resumed in 13th place.