Gaming
Saatchi & Saatchi India turns gamers into drivers with Renault Kiger challenge
MUMBAI: Saatchi & Saatchi India has given car launches a fresh spin with a gamified on-ground activation for the all-new Renault Kiger, designed to bring the brand’s “Rethink Performance, Rethink Kiger” positioning to life. The campaign turned bystanders into players, transforming a digital billboard into a live gaming experience that showcased the Kiger’s speed, agility, and responsiveness.
Conceptualised by Saatchi & Saatchi India and executed by Digitas India, the activation ran from 23rd to 29th September at Dlf Cyberhub, Gurugram. Participants simply scanned a qr code to sync their smartphones as controllers and navigated a fast-paced, one-minute virtual course, complete with sharp turns and obstacles that mirrored the Kiger’s dynamic capabilities.
To fuel the buzz, RJ Naved joined the challenge, inviting fans to beat his high score, a move that lit up social media. The activation trended as the 4th most talked-about topic on X, generated over 500,000 views, and drove strong engagement through influencer collaborations.
“With the new Kiger, we wanted to shift the conversation from design to performance,” said Saatchi & Saatchi India chief creative officer Kartik Smetacek. “The playable billboard combined the reach of outdoor with the interactivity of gaming, an eye-catching way to make people experience performance rather than just hear about it.”
Renault India VP – sales & marketing Francisco Hidalgo Marques added, “Innovation for Renault isn’t just in our cars, but in how we connect with people. Under the ‘Rethink’ umbrella, this activation turned a product showcase into an immersive gaming experience that redefined how consumers engage with the brand.”
Following its on-ground success, the Kiger Challenge hit the digital racetrack, rolling out as playable ads online, allowing users to test their reflexes and experience the car’s performance anywhere, anytime.
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.
