Navi Mumbai to host night street race on Dec 5-6 as Indian Racing Festival finale

The Indian Racing Festival (IRF) has released the full schedule for its 2026 season. The last race of the season will be held in Navi Mumbai. A night street race will be run on December 5 and 6 on the proposed Navi Mumbai Street Circuit near Palm Beach Road. High-speed motorsport will be seen on the city's roads for the first time.

Before the Navi Mumbai finale, the IRF will hold two rounds at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida. These will be played from October 31 to November 1 and from November 28 to 29, 2026. The Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix was earlier held at the venue. FIA-level racing is returning there after 13 years.

The Navi Mumbai race will be run on a 3.69-km temporary street circuit. It will be a big challenge for drivers, as a street circuit is tighter and more difficult than a permanent racing track. Held under lights at night, the race will give fans a very different motorsport experience.

Street racing in cities such as Singapore, Las Vegas, Monaco and Baku has boosted tourism, the hotel business and the local economy around the world. On similar lines, racing in Navi Mumbai is expected to benefit the city's tourism and entertainment sector.

Akhilesh Reddy, chairman and managing director of Racing Promotions Private Limited (RPPL), expressed enthusiasm about the schedule. He said the 2026 calendar is important for taking Indian motorsport to a new height. According to Reddy, racing at both the Buddh International Circuit and Navi Mumbai had long been a dream, and he is happy to have included both in the season's schedule.

The 2026 season of the Indian Racing Festival began at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore, where the first two rounds of the F4 Indian Championship were held. In the first round, Aris Kiriakou finished runner-up twice and won the third race. In the second round, Luxix Sambudla of Goa Aces JA Racing won two races. The remaining race was won by Bhuvan Bogi of Hyderabad Blackbirds.

After two rounds, Kiriakou leads the points table. The next round of the F4 Indian Championship will be held on October 22-23 at the Madras International Circuit in Chennai. The Indian Racing League (IRL) will make its debut in the 2026 season at the same round.

The IRF 2026 schedule is as follows: October 22-23, 2026, Madras International Circuit, Chennai; October 31 to November 1, 2026, Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida; November 28-29, 2026, Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida; and December 5-6, 2026, Navi Mumbai Street Circuit.

The addition of Navi Mumbai and the Buddh International Circuit is expected to widen the reach of Indian motorsport and draw new fans to the sport. The BIC and Navi Mumbai races will be broadcast live on Lives tar and Star Sports.