Formula 1 launches India's first official sim racing championship with Mumbai Falcons

Formula 1 has officially partnered with Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited (MFRL) to launch the country’s first sanctioned F1 sim racing competition, marking a significant step in India’s growing motorsport and e-sports landscape.

Titled the F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, the championship introduces a structured and officially recognised competitive platform for Indian gamers and aspiring racers. It is the first time Formula 1 has rolled out a programme of this scale exclusively for India, underlining the country’s rising importance in the sport’s global expansion strategy.

The competition will be conducted on the official F1 25 game, mirroring real-world racing conditions with identical circuits, formats and team liveries from the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. Participants can compete across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox platforms, with registrations opening on April 30 via the MFRL app.

The championship will unfold in multiple stages, beginning with online qualifiers, followed by city-based simulator rounds, and culminating in a national final scheduled to take place in Mumbai in November.

The initiative comes amid renewed discussions about bringing Formula 1 back to India, alongside a sharp rise in the sport’s popularity. With e-sports now formally recognised under India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, the championship aims to bridge virtual racing with real-world motorsport pathways.

Commenting on the launch, Narain Karthikeyan said the timing was ideal, citing India’s growing fan base and a new generation familiar with F1 gaming. He emphasised that the programme would create a credible entry point into professional motorsport while setting a new benchmark for talent development.

MFRL Managing Director Ameet Gadhoke highlighted the organisation’s long-term vision of building a global-standard motorsport ecosystem from India. He noted that the partnership with Formula 1 aligns with the team’s broader ambition of creating a structured pipeline for young talent.

Since its inception in 2019, Mumbai Falcons has established itself as a key player in international junior racing series. The team was the first Indian outfit to win an FIA-accredited single-seater championship and has supported the early careers of several rising stars, including Jehan Daruvala, Kush Maini and Oliver Bearman, among others.

With the F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, both Formula 1 and Mumbai Falcons aim to tap into India’s rapidly expanding gaming community while laying the foundation for a scalable, merit-based pathway into professional racing.

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