iWorld
Tata Open Maharashtra onboards ShareChat, Moj to promote tournament
Mumbai: The Tata Open Maharashtra on Tuesday announced its partnership with social media platform ShareChat and short video app Moj. The tennis tournament has started at Balewadi Stadium in Pune on 31 January and the event will go on till 6 February.
This partnership will allow ShareChat and Moj communities to access engaging content around the sport, with a special category titled ‘Tata Open Maharashtra’ to be created under the sports tab in ShareChat, said the statement.
Tata Open Maharashtra tournament director Prashant Sutar said that the partnership will aim to reach out to a much larger audience, especially millennials and Gen Z. “The tournament has always attracted the audience with the participation of top names from the world and enjoys a great viewership in India. We are delighted to have a partnership with ShareChat and Moj for creating exciting content around the tournament to engage more audience,” he added.
The fourth edition of Tata Open Maharashtra is organised by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association. Star Sports Select channel and Disney+ Hotstar are broadcasting the tournament on its network.
“We are delighted to partner with Tata Open Maharashtra and give ShareChat and Moj communities the opportunity to witness a prominent tennis tournament. ShareChat & Moj are the perfect platforms to revel in sports and connect with tennis fans pan India,” commented ShareChat and Moj senior director of content strategy and operations Shashank Shekhar.
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.
