Young Talents Star as IAME Series India Makes Spectacular Debut in Coimbatore

Coimbatore, India, May 31, 2026: The inaugural round of the IAME Series India delivered thrilling action and fierce competition at CoASTT Kartomania in Coimbatore on Sunday, as some of the country’s most promising young karting talents showcased their skills in a highly competitive season opener.

With packed grids and intense battles across the Senior, Junior and Mini categories, the championship got off to a memorable start, underlining the growing strength of grassroots motorsport in India.

Momentum Motorsports Dominates Junior Category

The Junior class witnessed a strong showing from Momentum Motorsports drivers, with Chennai youngsters Adithya Prathap and Rehan Khan Rasheed sharing top honours across the day’s races.

Adithya Prathap emerged victorious in the points-scoring Super Heat after a hard-fought contest, while teammate Rehan Khan Rasheed produced an equally impressive performance to claim victory in the Final.

Both drivers faced stiff competition throughout the day, highlighting the depth of talent in the Junior category.

Aaruthran Prabu and Shiv Neel Impress in Mini Class

The Mini category provided some of the closest racing of the weekend.

Coimbatore’s Shiv Neel, son of former Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan, topped the Super Heat after race winner Aaruthran Prabu of Karkrew Motorsports received a time penalty for infringements, dropping him to second place in the classification.

However, Aaruthran bounced back strongly in the Final race to secure victory and reinforce his reputation as one of India’s brightest young karting prospects. The youngster had already earned international recognition after winning a gold medal at last year’s Asia-Pacific competition in Sri Lanka.

Starting from pole position, Shiv Neel controlled much of the 13-lap Final before being overtaken in the closing stages by Kolhapur’s Ayansh Patil of MSPORT. Despite missing out on victory, Shiv Neel’s performance was one of the standout stories of the opening round.

Swarnav Das Cruises to Senior Class Double

In the Senior category, Pune racer Swarnav Das of Momentum Motorsports proved untouchable throughout the weekend.

Das dominated both the Super Heat and Final races, comfortably securing a double victory while facing little challenge from his rivals. His commanding performance establishes him as an early championship favourite heading into the next round.

Road to Macau Begins

The IAME Series India serves as a crucial pathway for aspiring Indian racers seeking international exposure.

At the conclusion of the championship, the top two finishers in each category will earn the opportunity to represent India at the prestigious IAME Asia Finals, scheduled to take place at the historic Macau International Circuit in December.

The international event is regarded as one of Asia’s premier karting competitions and offers young drivers a valuable platform to showcase their talent on the global stage.

Round 2 Scheduled for June 28

Following a successful debut event, the IAME Series India will return to CoASTT Kartomania in Coimbatore for Round 2 on June 28.

With championship points now on the board and international qualification opportunities at stake, competitors will be eager to build momentum as the season progresses.

The results (Provisional):

Seniors – Super Heat (14 laps): 1. Swarnav Das (Pune, Momentum Motorsports) (11mins, 13.821secs); 2. Raunak Surej (Kozhikode, Kartkrew Motorsports) (11:31.897); 3. Balaprasath (Coimbatore, Momentum Motorsports) (11:45.827).

Finals (16 laps – 2 finishers): 1. Swarnav Das (12:31.404); 2. Raunak Srek (12:54.487).

Juniors – Super Heat (14 laps): 1. Adithya Prathap (Chennai, Momentum Motorsports) (11:13.821); 2. Rehan Khan Rasheed (Chennai, Momentum Motorsports) (11:15.358); 3. Yasvinraam Rajamanickam (Chennai, Momentum Motorsports) (11:27.999).

Finals (16 laps): 1. Rehan Khan Rasheed (12:38.306); 2. Arjun Prasad Srihari (Coimbatore, NKRA with KKM) (12:55.235); 3. Adithya Prathap (Chennai, Momentum Motorsports) (12:58.208).

Mini – Super Heat (12 laps): 1. Shiv Neel (Coimbatore, NKRA with KKM) (10:11.110); 2. Aarathran Prabu (Kumaraburam) (10:19.755); 3. Ayansh Patil (Kolhapur, MSPORT) (10:20.896).

Finals (13 laps): 1. Ayansh Patil (11:19.265); 2. Shiv Neel (11:21.249); 3. Rudra Gokulnath (UK, NKRA with KKM) (11:30.158).