Shiv Neel Karthikeyan sweeps Mini class at IAME India Series Round 3 in Chennai
Synopsis
Narain Karthikeyan's son Shiv Neel is writing his own motorsport story. The Coimbatore youngster swept both Mini class races at the IAME India Series Round 3 in Chennai, showing the same controlled aggression that defined his father's career — while Rehan Khan's Finals comeback and Aaruthran Prabhu's Under-10 double made it a landmark day for Indian junior karting.
Key Takeaways
Shiv Neel Karthikeyan (Coimbatore, NKRA with KKM) won both the Super Heat and Finals in the Mini class at IAME India Series Round 3 on 1 August in Chennai .
Rehan Khan Rasheed (Chennai, Momentum Motorsports) recovered from a Super Heat defeat to dominate the Junior Finals from pole position.
Armaan Dhawan (New Delhi) and Kairav Roberson (Chennai) traded wins in the Senior category , with Dhawan taking the Finals by 0.145 seconds .
Aaruthran Prabhu (Kumbarapuram), FIA Asia-Pacific gold medallist, swept the Mini Under-10 segment with a double.
All results are provisional , subject to post-race scrutiny; Round 4 takes place on 2 August at the same venue.
Shiv Neel Karthikeyan, son of India's first Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan, delivered a dominant double on 1 August at the Madras International Karting Arena (MIKA) in Chennai, winning both the Super Heat and Finals in the Mini class at the third round of the IAME India Series karting championship, organised by the Madras Motor Sports Club.
Shiv Neel's Commanding Double
Racing under the NKRA with KKM banner and representing Coimbatore, Shiv Neel clocked 09:22.918 in the Super Heat (10 laps) and 11:13.089 in the Finals (12 laps), edging out Rudra Gokulnath (UK, NKRA with Momentum) and Eeshan Swaroop (Bengaluru, Kartkrew Motorsports) in both outings. His performances were marked by controlled aggression and consistent pace throughout the race day.
Rehan Khan Bounces Back in Junior Finals
Rehan Khan Rasheed of Chennai, racing for Momentum Motorsports, delivered one of the day's most compelling comebacks. Starting the Finals from P2, Rehan blasted off the line to build a lead that grew with every lap, finishing in 11:55.505 over 14 laps. The win was redemption for his Super Heat defeat, where he conceded the lead to Abhishikt Barse (Pune, Crest Motorsports) on the final lap. Barse and Adithya Pratap (Chennai, Momentum Motorsports) completed the Junior Finals podium in second and third respectively.
Senior Category: Dhawan and Roberson Trade Wins
In the Senior category, Armaan Dhawan (New Delhi, Leap Frog Racing) and Kairav Roberson (Chennai, MSPORT) split the day's spoils. Roberson took the Super Heat with a lights-to-flag victory, clocking 11:45.380, but Dhawan reversed the result in the Finals, holding off Roberson by just 0.145 seconds in a tight finish to clock 13:28.933. Madhusudhan (Chennai, Kartkrew Motorsports) was a consistent third in both races.
Mini Under-10: Aaruthran Prabhu Dominates
Aaruthran Prabhu of Kumbarapuram (Kartkrew Motorsports), the reigning gold medallist at the FIA Asia-Pacific Championship in Sri Lanka, swept the Mini Under-10 segment, winning both the Super Heat (09:20.580) and Finals (11:13.415). Ayansh Patil (Kolhapur, MSPORT) and Saakhir Joseph Nagpal (Haryana, Peregrine Racing) rounded out the Finals podium.
About the IAME India Series
Founded in 1968, IAME (Italian American Motor Engineering) is a global leader in high-performance kart racing engines. The IAME Series operates as an internationally standardised championship across regions including the UAE, Sri Lanka, Morocco, and Europe, with India now part of that global circuit. All results from Round 3 are provisional, subject to post-race scrutiny.
The fourth and final round of the series at MIKA is scheduled for Sunday, 2 August, with championship standings expected to tighten further across all classes.
Point of View
And the presence of internationally competitive young drivers like Aaruthran Prabhu (FIA Asia-Pacific gold medallist) alongside legacy names like Karthikeyan signals that India's feeder series is gaining genuine depth. The question is whether domestic infrastructure — tracks, funding pathways, and federation support — can match the ambition these young drivers are already demonstrating.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shiv Neel Karthikeyan?
Shiv Neel Karthikeyan is the son of Narain Karthikeyan, India's first Formula One driver. He races in the Mini class of the IAME India Series karting championship, representing NKRA with KKM and based out of Coimbatore.
What happened at IAME India Series Round 3 in Chennai?
The third round of the IAME India Series was held on 1 August at the Madras International Karting Arena in Chennai. Shiv Neel Karthikeyan won the Mini class double, Rehan Khan Rasheed took the Junior Finals, and Armaan Dhawan won the Senior Finals, while Aaruthran Prabhu swept the Mini Under-10 category.
How did Rehan Khan Rasheed win the Junior Finals?
Rehan Khan Rasheed started the Junior Finals from P2, blasted off the line, and built a lead that grew with each lap to win in 11:55.505. The win came after he had lost the Super Heat to Abhishikt Barse on the final lap.
Who is Aaruthran Prabhu?
Aaruthran Prabhu is a young kart racer from Kumbarapuram competing with Kartkrew Motorsports. He is the gold medallist at the FIA Asia-Pacific Championship held in Sri Lanka and dominated the Mini Under-10 segment at Round 3 with wins in both the Super Heat and Finals.
When is the next round of the IAME India Series?
The fourth round of the IAME India Series is scheduled for Sunday, 2 August, at the same venue — the Madras International Karting Arena (MIKA) in Chennai.
