Indian Racing Festival 2026: BIC returns, Navi Mumbai to host night-race finale

The Indian Racing Festival will return to Buddh International Circuit after 13 years before concluding its 2026 season with a night race on the streets of Navi Mumbai.The Indian Racing Festival returns to Buddh International Circuit after 13 years, before heading to Navi Mumbai for a night-race finale in December.New Delhi,Oct 7, 2026 12:17 ISTThe Indian Racing Festival (IRF) will return to Buddh International Circuit (BIC) later this year, with the 2026 season set to conclude with a night race on the streets of Navi Mumbai. The festival has confirmed its remaining calendar, with BIC hosting two rounds before the championship heads to the new Navi Mumbai Street Circuit for its finale.The F4 Indian Championship and Indian Racing League will race at BIC in Greater Noida on October 31-November 1 and November 28-29. The season will then conclude in Navi Mumbai on December 5-6, with the 3.69km street circuit hosting a night race near Palm Beach Road.FIA-level racing returns to Buddh International CircuitThe BIC rounds will mark the Indian Racing Festival's first appearance at the circuit. The venue, which previously hosted the Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix, will see FIA-level racing return after a 13-year gap.The F4 Indian Championship is an FIA-certified single-seater series that forms part of the FIA's single-seater pathway, while the Indian Racing League features Indian and international drivers in a gender-neutral racing championship. Navi Mumbai to host IRF's second night raceThe 2026 season finale will take the championship to a dedicated 3.69km street circuit in Navi Mumbai. The race will be held under lights near Palm Beach Road, bringing the series into an urban environment rather than a conventional permanent circuit.It will be the second night race staged by the Indian Racing Festival, following its first such event in Chennai in 2024.IRF 2026 season so far The F4 Indian Championship has completed its first two rounds at Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore. Aris Kyriakou leads the championship after two rounds with 93 points, ahead of Goa Aces JA Racing's Luviwe Sambudla on 88 points.Kyriakou scored two second-place finishes and a win in the opening round, while Sambudla took two victories in Round 2. Hyderabad Blackbirds' Bhuvan Bonu won the remaining race at the second round.The next round will take place at the Madras International Circuit in Chennai on October 22-23. The Chennai weekend will also mark the Indian Racing League's entry into the 2026 season.Indian Racing Festival 2026 calendarRoundDatesVenueF4 Indian Championship Round 3 / Indian Racing League Round 1October 22-23Madras International Circuit, ChennaiF4 Indian Championship Round 4 / Indian Racing League Round 2October 31-November 1Buddh International Circuit, Greater NoidaF4 Indian Championship Round 5 / Indian Racing League Round 3November 28-29Buddh International Circuit, Greater NoidaF4 Indian Championship Round 6 / Indian Racing League Round 4December 5-6Navi Mumbai Street CircuitThe BIC and Navi Mumbai rounds will be streamed live on JioHotstar and Star Sports.Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine - Ends