Gaming
Formula 1 and Mumbai Falcons launch India’s first official F1 sim racing championship
Nationwide competition creates pathway from virtual racing to pro motorsport
MUMBAI: Formula 1 has teamed up with Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited to launch India’s first officially sanctioned F1 sim racing competition, marking a new step in the country’s growing motorsport ecosystem.
The championship, titled F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, will offer a structured national platform for sim racers, with participants competing on the official F1 25 across multiple stages. The competition will begin with online qualifiers, followed by city-based simulator rounds, before culminating in a national final in Mumbai this November.
Open to players across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox, registrations for the event will begin on 30 April via the Mumbai Falcons app. The format mirrors real-world racing, featuring official circuits, team liveries and competitive structures aligned with the global series.
Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan said the initiative arrives at a time when interest in the sport is surging in India, adding that a structured sim racing platform could help identify and nurture the next generation of talent.
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited managing director Ameet Gadhoke noted that the championship aligns with the team’s long-term goal of building a strong motorsport pipeline in the country and placing Indian talent on the global stage.
The launch also reflects broader momentum in esports, especially after its recognition under India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. By bridging gaming and real-world racing, the initiative aims to offer aspiring drivers a credible entry point into professional motorsport.
With interest in Formula 1 steadily rising and conversations around its return to India gaining pace, the new championship could become a proving ground for future racing stars.
Gaming
S8ul wins India qualifier for Pokémon Unite Worlds 2026
Fourth qualification; to compete for $500,000 in San Francisco 28–30 Aug.
MUMBAI: If consistency were a power-up, S8ul would be permanently maxed out. S8ul has once again stamped its authority on India’s Pokémon Unite scene, clinching the India Qualifier for the World Championship Series 2026 and booking a spot at the global finals in San Francisco. The win marks a record fourth appearance for S8ul at the world championship, more than any other Indian team. Even more telling: across five Indian qualifiers held so far, the team has now won four, underlining a grip on the title that looks less like dominance and more like routine.
The road to qualification was clinical. Playing a double-elimination format, S8ul swept past Anti Secure, GodLike and Team QML with identical 2-0 victories in the upper bracket. The final hurdle, however, demanded nerve. In a best-of-five grand final, they edged out Revenant XSpark 3-2 in a tightly fought series.
Led by captain Manmohan Singh (All Might), alongside Anklesh Satelkar (Novaa), Darshan Nate (Kai), Naitik Jain (Wolf) and Md Sarim Hasan (Qing), the team combined composure with adaptability two traits that have become their trademark in high-pressure matches.
For their victory, S8ul secured $15,000 (approximately Rs 14.1 lakh) from the qualifier’s $25,000 prize pool (around Rs 23.5 lakh). The bigger prize, however, awaits, a shot at the $500,000 (roughly Rs 4.7 crore) global pool at the World Championships, scheduled from August 28 to 30.
The result adds to what has already been a packed trophy cabinet in 2026. S8ul’s BGMI roster lifted the BGIS 2026 title, its Valorant squad won VCSA Split 1, and its Apex Legends team delivered a top-five finish at the ALGS 2026 Championship, the best-ever by an Indian organisation. Even beyond esports, Grandmaster Nihal Sarin’s Menorca Open win adds to the collective momentum.
With selection as one of 40 global Club Partners by the Esports Foundation for the Esports World Cup 2026, S8ul is now eyeing qualification across 13 titles, ranging from Apex Legends and BGMI to Street Fighter 6 and Trackmania.
For now, though, all roads lead to San Francisco. And if past form is any indicator, S8UL won’t just be showing up, they’ll be showing up to win.
