The third season of the FIA-certified Formula 4 Indian Championship, part of the Indian Racing Festival, concluded with a spectacular finale at the Madras International Circuit in Chennai on December 14, where Shane Chandaria emerged as the youngest champion at just 15 years old.
Entering the 2025 season as a rookie, Chandaria from Kenya finished as the undisputed champion, marking his first championship victory. Leading by 24 points before the fifth and final round, he faced competition from seasoned rivals on a challenging track under difficult conditions at the Madras International Circuit.
Nicknamed ‘Baby Samurai’, Chandaria rose to the occasion, leveraging his early advantage to win the championship in Race 1. Starting from pole position, he completed the race’s 23 laps in 26 minutes, 23.059 seconds. Although he finished second to Sachel Rotge of Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru, who clocked 26:22.674, his top-two finish was sufficient to secure the title.
Even after clinching the championship, Rotge and Chandaria continued their rivalry in Race 2. Despite both starting from the back due to the reverse grid, they fought off their competitors and executed bold overtakes towards the end to secure podium finishes. The race was won by 16-year-old Luviwe Sambudla from Goa Aces JA Racing, with Rotge finishing second and Chandaria third, leaving a lasting mark on the season.
Chandaria and Rotge captured the top two spots in the 2025 Indian F4 Championship, while seven-time Indian National Karting Champion Ishaan Madesh took third. Additionally, Chandaria’s team, Chennai Turbo Riders, won the Teams’ Championship.
The F4 championship solidified Chandaria’s reputation as an exciting talent. The Kenyan, who has Indian roots, began his racing journey at the young age of five. Since then, he has progressed through the ranks, dominating the Kenya National Karting Championship and earning Rookie of the Year in 2021 followed by the National Championship title in 2022.
In 2024, he moved to the UK to compete in the British Karting Championship and transitioned to single-seaters via the Formula Global Shootout Program (FGSP). During Round 2 in Chennai, he became the first Kenyan to win an FIA Formula 4 race. The F4 series, established under FIA regulations for formula racing cars, serves as an entry-level platform to the world of single-seater racing, enabling young drivers to gain international experience and earn crucial Super Licence points needed for F1 eligibility. In this year’s F4 Indian Championship, competitors raced in Ligier JS F422 cars, equipped with an Alpine 1.3-litre turbocharged engine.
