Aaruthran Prabhu tops Under-10 karting; Kairav, Rehan, Rudra claim class wins
Synopsis
A last-lap lunge by UK-based Rudra Gokulnath denied Aaruthran Prabhu — a reigning FIA-Asia Pacific gold medallist — the overall Mini/Under-10 combined Finals win, but Aaruthran still topped his class. With the five-round India Series finale set for Bengaluru on 31 August, championship battles across all four categories remain wide open.
Key Takeaways
Aaruthran Prabhu (Kartkrew Motorsports) swept practice, Heat, Super Heat, and Finals to win the Under-10 class at Rounds 3 and 4 of the India Series on 2 August .
Rudra Gokulnath (NKRA with Momentum) claimed the Mini class Finals win with a last-lap pass on Aaruthran in the 12-lap race.
Rehan Khan Rasheed (Momentum Motorsports) dominated the Junior class , winning the Super Heat and Finals despite a brief challenge from team-mate Adithya Pratap.
Kairav Roberson (MSPORT) was unbeaten in the Senior class , outpacing rival Armaan Dhawan (Leap Frog Racing) in both Super Heat and Finals.
Shiv Neel , son of India's first Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan , finished fourth in Mini class and sixth overall after winning Round 3.
The India Series concludes on 31 August at Meco Kartopia , Bengaluru .
Aaruthran Prabhu (Kartkrew Motorsports) dominated the Under-10 karting class at Rounds 3 and 4 of the five-round India Series, sweeping the official practice, Heat, Super Heat, and Finals to cap a commanding weekend campaign. The event, held on 2 August, also saw class victories for Kairav Roberson, Rehan Khan Rasheed, and Rudra Gokulnath across the Senior, Junior, and Mini categories respectively.
Aaruthran and Rudra Deliver Wheel-to-Wheel Thriller
The Mini and Under-10 categories, run on a combined grid, produced the weekend's most gripping racing. Aaruthran Prabhu, a gold medallist at the FIA-Asia Pacific Motorsports Championship in Sri Lanka last year, held the lead through most of the 12-lap Finals race, defending his position with composure. However, on the final lap, Rudra Gokulnath (NKRA with Momentum) — UK-based and racing in the Mini class — executed a deft pass to snatch the overall Finals win, avenging his Super Heat defeat to Aaruthran. Aaruthran, despite the last-lap lunge, clinched the Under-10 class title for the round, the two categories having been contested concurrently.
Rehan Khan Rasheed Commands Junior Class
Rehan Khan Rasheed (Momentum Motorsports) of Chennai was the standout performer in the Junior class, clocking the quickest times across the weekend before converting that pace into Super Heat and Finals victories. His only moment of vulnerability came in the Final, when team-mate Adithya Pratap briefly moved ahead, but Rehan regrouped to reclaim the lead in the closing stages and seal a composed win.
Kairav Roberson Outpaces Armaan Dhawan in Senior Class
In the Senior class, Kairav Roberson (MSPORT) of Chennai was in a class of his own, winning both the Super Heat and the Finals. His closest challenger, Armaan Dhawan of Delhi (Leap Frog Racing), was unable to match Roberson's pace across either session.
Shiv Neel's Weekend Ends in Disappointment
Shiv Neel — son of Narain Karthikeyan, India's first Formula One driver — had been the dominant force in Round 3, winning the Mini class. But the Finals proved a reversal of fortune: Shiv Neel finished fourth in the Mini class and sixth overall on the combined grid, a result that will sting given his earlier form. He did recover to claim second overall in the Super Heat combined grid, finishing first in the Mini class at that stage.
What's Next for the India Series
The five-round India Series reaches its conclusion on 31 August at the Meco Kartopia circuit in Bengaluru, with championship standings across all classes still to be settled.
Point of View
Cross-class racing that junior motorsport needs to build public interest — Aaruthran versus Rudra on the last lap of a 12-lap final is a genuine story. Yet the event's broader reach remains constrained: without consistent media coverage and a clear pathway to national-level single-seater programmes, even a FIA-Asia Pacific gold medallist risks racing in relative obscurity. The India Series has the talent; the infrastructure question is whether the ecosystem around it can match the ambition.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Under-10 karting class at India Series Rounds 3 and 4?
Aaruthran Prabhu (Kartkrew Motorsports) won the Under-10 class, sweeping the practice, Heat, Super Heat, and Finals on 2 August. He is also a gold medallist at the FIA-Asia Pacific Motorsports Championship held in Sri Lanka.
Who is Rudra Gokulnath and why is his win notable?
Rudra Gokulnath is a UK-based kart racer competing under the NKRA with Momentum banner. He claimed the Mini class Finals win with a last-lap pass on Aaruthran Prabhu in the 12-lap race, overturning his Super Heat defeat to deliver a notable result.
Who is Shiv Neel and how did he perform this weekend?
Shiv Neel is the son of Narain Karthikeyan, India's first Formula One driver. After winning the Mini class in Round 3, he had a disappointing Finals outing, finishing fourth in Mini class and sixth overall on the combined grid.
Where does the India Series karting season conclude?
The five-round India Series concludes on 31 August at the Meco Kartopia circuit in Bengaluru. Championship standings across all classes — Under-10, Mini, Junior, and Senior — remain to be decided.
Who won the Senior and Junior karting classes at Rounds 3 and 4?
Kairav Roberson (MSPORT) of Chennai won the Senior class, taking both the Super Heat and Finals ahead of Armaan Dhawan (Leap Frog Racing) of Delhi. In the Junior class, Rehan Khan Rasheed (Momentum Motorsports) of Chennai won the Super Heat and Finals, recovering from a mid-race challenge by team-mate Adithya Pratap.
