Chennai: Shane Chandaria won the third season of the FIA-certified Formula 4 Indian Championship, which is part of the Indian Racing Festival, and became the youngest title winner at the age of 15, here at the Madras International Circuit.
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 the 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 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 and despite the reverse grid pushing them at the back of the track, they fought off the 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.
(IANS)
