Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 7 (ANI): India marked a significant milestone in its motorsport journey, earning a place in Cup of Nations, which will see 18 international teams compete for the global championship in Mumbai from November 7-9 2026, organised by Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited (MFRL) in partnership with Formula 1.

Representing the country on this prestigious international platform will be Karl Verghese and Siddharth Sathgare, following Karl Verghese's crowning as the National Champion in the Open Category at the F1 Sim Racing India 2026. The development marks an important step in India's emergence on the global sim racing stage and its ambition to nurture homegrown talent capable of competing against the world's best, as per a press release. 

Verghese finished with 150 points, while fellow Mumbaikar Siddharth Sathgare secured second place with 96 points and Chennai's Amith Kutti finished third with 91 points. The podium finishers maintained their distance from the rest of the pack throughout the six-race competition, with an intense contest between them. However, Karl remained unbeaten across all six races to establish his dominance in the category. 

In the Under-15 category, 10-year-old Vihaan Joshi from Mumbai was crowned champion after winning five of the six races. Agastya Ivan Crasto, also from Mumbai, finished second, while Hridaan Sanadhya from Pune secured third place. The landmark occasion also witnessed the presence of Indian cricketers Shardul Thakur and Angkrish Raghuvanshi who presented prizes to the podium finishers from both categories. 

With the national champions crowned, the F1 Sim Racing India Open now moves into its international phase with the Cup of Nations, taking place from 7 to 9 November. Karl Varghese and Siddharth Sathgare will represent India against a field comprising of 18 teams of the world's top sim racing divers, many of whom are part of F1 Sim Racing outfits including Ferrari, Aston Martin, Red Bull, and Alpine. The competition will follow a double-elimination format, providing Indian racers an opportunity to test themselves against established international talent.

The F1 Sim Racing India Open is part of MFRL's larger ambition to build a sustainable talent pipeline for Indian motorsport. Through its One in a Billion initiative, MFRL aims to make the sport more accessible, identify promising talent, and create structured opportunities for Indian racers. Fans in Mumbai can experience the Cup of Nations live at the NSCI Dome, with tickets available through District by Zomato. The championship is also streamed live on the official YouTube channel of  Mumbai Falcons for fans across the world. 

Top 10 Drivers: F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 (Open)1.    Karl Verghese - 150 points2.    Siddharth S - 96 points3.    Amith Kutti - 91 points4.    Dinesh Srivatsa - 56 points5.    Yug Sharma - 52 points6.    Ajitesh Chandran - 49 points7.    Lakshya Sethi - 30 points8.    Anvay Mali - 17 points9.    Harshawardhan Mahajan - 16 points10.    Rahul Sridhar - 15 points. (ANI)