Indian Racing Festival lights up streets of Goa

Goa is known for a lot of things, but of late motorsports and related activities are on the rise in this place, ably supported by the Government. So this weekend saw the Indian Racing Festival, supported by sponsors bring F type racing to a street circuit set up by the new Manohar International Airport in Goa.

Streets of Speed as Goa roads become street circuits!

At the heart of the spectacle lay a tailor-made FIA-grade street circuit measuring 2.064 kilometres. Featuring 12 turns carved into the airport’s expansive layout, the track had been designed to encourage close racing, late braking and constant position battles, which set the stage for an intense weekend of competition. The Goa Street Race formed Round 4 of the Indian Racing League. With only narrow margins separating the leading teams, every lap around the Goa circuit proved decisive in shaping the title narrative.

All the teams competed in identical Ligier JS F422 machinery, powered by a 1.3-litre turbocharged Alpine engine. The combination of equal performance and a tight street layout promised wheel-to-wheel racing, where driver skill and team strategy were likely to outweigh raw speed.

One of the defining features of the Indian Racing League is its inclusive team structure. Each outfit fields four drivers: an experienced international racer, an emerging global talent, an Indian driver and a female competitor. The format is designed not only to raise competitive standards but also to nurture homegrown talent and promote gender representation at the highest level of Indian circuit racing. Six teams with their celebrity owners participated in this race. John Abraham leads Goa Aces JA Racing, while Arjun Kapoor backs Speed Demons Delhi. Cricket icon Sourav Ganguly fronts Kolkata Royal Tigers, with Naga Chaitanya owning Hyderabad Black Birds. Southern representation continues with Kichcha Sudeep and Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru, while Dr. Swetha Sundeep Anand heads Chennai Turbo Riders.

Day 1

On the first day, representing Goa Aces JA Racing, Raoul Hyman produced a composed drive to win Race 1 in 24:03.490, giving the home team a memorable triumph on debut at the Goa street circuit. Starting behind pole-sitter Aqil Alibhai of Chennai Turbo Riders, Raoul Hyman of Goa Aces JA Racing seized the lead early and resisted sustained pressure throughout the race. Alibhai finished second in 24:06.800, just 3.310 seconds adrift, while Ishaan Madesh of Speed Demons Delhi completed the podium in 21:44.818 (The race was red flagged in the last minute of the 25 minutes scheduled and the results were reclassified as per the drivers positions on the track.)

Race 2 belonged to Alister Yoong of Speed Demons Delhi, who capitalised on early chaos to take the lead and secure victory in 27:50.811. Starting further back, Sohil Shah of Kolkata Royal Tigers delivered one of the best drives of the weekend, slicing through the field to finish second in 27:51.119, just 0.308 seconds behind Yoong. Ruhan Alva of Kichcha’s Kings Bangalore completed the podium in 28:23.984.

Day 2

On Sunday, strong crowds, rising local fandom and with a vibrant race atmosphere, the Goa street circuit once again showcased the growing appeal of motorsport in India. The on-track highlight saw Raoul Hyman and Fabienne Wohlwend guide Goa Aces JA Racing to a memorable relay-format victory with a combined time of 42:11.779. Team owners John Abraham (Goa Aces JA Racing), Kichcha Sudeep (Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru), Naga Chaitanya (Hyderabad Black Birds) and Sourav Ganguly (Kolkata Royal Tigers) were present at the venue, adding star presence to a weekend that blended sport, entertainment and destination appeal.

Raoul Hyman laid the foundation with a clinical opening stint, setting the fastest lap of 53.527s and steadily stretching his lead on the tight street circuit. Executing a clean run through traffic, Hyman entered the mandatory swap window (19–22 minutes) in control and handed over the car with nearly a 20-second cushion, putting Goa Aces JA Racing firmly on top.

Fabienne Wohlwend’s stint quickly turned into a pressure test when a safety car erased the lead and bunched up the field. The Liechtenstein driver responded with a strong restart, defended confidently and rebuilt her gap despite pressure from Ruhaan Alva. She maintained control to the chequered flag, becoming only the second female race winner in the championship’s history.

Pole-sitters Kolkata Royal Tigers (Tom Canning & Sohil Shah) retired early after a wheel issue. The win marks Goa Aces JA Racing’s 10th victory in the Indian Racing Festival and reinforces how teamwork and composure are decisive on a street circuit where fortunes can change instantly.

Key Results:

1st: Goa Aces JA Racing (Raoul Hyman & Fabienne Wohlwend) – 42:11.779

2nd: Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru (Sachel Rotge & Ruhaan Alva) – 42:12.759

3rd: Speed Demons Delhi (Alister Yoong & Caitlin Wood) – 42:16.601

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