When Mahaveer Raghunathan entered the world of motorsports, he would by no means have anticipated the roller-coaster experience he was about to endure — each on and off the observe. Beginning his journey in karting in his hometown of Chennai, transferring by means of Components 2, and even test-driving an F1 automotive, it initially appeared that issues have been going to be clean crusing for the 26-year-old.
However what adopted was one thing Raghunathan may by no means have predicted. The Indian driver discovered himself on the heart of huge on-line trolling throughout his F2 stint with MP Motorsport in 2019. Raghunathan collected quite a few penalty factors that season, even getting banned after accumulating 9 in the course of the French Grand Prix. To make issues worse, he completed final within the standings with only a single level to his identify.
This led folks on social media and different platforms to mockingly name him the “GOAT of motorsports” and “Lord Mahaveer.” However as they are saying, the comeback is all the time stronger than the setback. Immediately, Raghunathan finds himself competing within the Italian GT Championship with AF Corse within the Professional-Am class — and having fun with success.
Raghunathan capped off his 2025 season within the GT Championship with a P1 end in Race 2 and an general P6 within the standings. India Immediately caught up with the Indian driver, the place he opened up about his journey, how he bounced again from the huge trolling he confronted, and his Components 1 ambitions.
THE START
Raghunathan stated he began racing on the age of 11 with karting and was the primary particular person in his household to be hooked on the joys of pace. Like many younger boys in India, he was fascinated by automobiles and motorsport from an early age.
“I began racing on the age of 11, so it was 2010 by karting. Earlier than that, I did my education in Chennai and I accomplished my education in Chennai. I am the primary particular person from my household to start out racing as a result of others have been all professionals, so I am the primary technology to come back into motorsports.”
“Earlier than coming into karting, I used to be very eager and really desirous about automobiles and simply mainly something about pace, whether or not it is on automobiles or bikes. In order that’s how I discovered the eagerness in motorsports and I began karting from there. Now, my entire life is round racing,” stated Raghunathan.
When requested concerning the second he determined to make racing his life, Raghunathan pointed to his podium end on the Amaron Karting Problem.
“Once I began karting, I first competed within the Amaron Karting Problem, and I received a podium end the primary time of asking after I competed for that, which is extremely aggressive as a result of it was a nationwide degree championship. In order that’s after I actually wished to pursue racing and put in my full effort and pursue this utterly,” stated Raghunathan.
F2 TURBULENCE
Often, folks shrink back from speaking concerning the darkest durations of their lives — particularly after they have been made to appear to be the worst driver to ever sit behind the wheel of a single-seater. However that’s the place the resilience of Raghunathan shines by means of.
The Indian driver had no hesitation in opening up about that section of his profession and defined how he managed to deflect the adverse power.
“It was very difficult, however I all the time knew that when I began performing effectively, it will utterly change and all of the negativity would develop into positivity. So I used to be all the time centered on doing effectively and enhancing myself and performing effectively on observe, as a result of as soon as that begins occurring, all the things will change utterly.”
“And all through my profession, there have all the time been ups and downs, so I knew that if that half was not good, it will be good subsequent yr or the subsequent season. So I did not take it very significantly as a result of, , that was only one yr. Throughout my racing profession, which has been for 15 years, in order that one yr shouldn’t be going to outline me or something, so I did not fear about it an excessive amount of, to be sincere,” stated Raghunathan.
Raghunathan additionally defined why issues went unsuitable for him in Components 2, saying it stemmed from his choice to skip Components 3 fully. The soar meant he lacked the expertise and capability to deal with the technical and psychological challenges of driving an F2 automotive, which finally led to errors on observe.
“Yeah, the primary factor was I did not have expertise earlier than within the FIA Components 3, within the Grand Prix weekends, so it was the primary time. I used to be doing simply LMP. I did LMP3 and AutoGP earlier than, after which to have a break in 2018 and transfer to F2 was a really massive step. So it was simply, I did not have the expertise, and there was additionally very restricted observe time in F2 as a result of you have no testing allowed.”
“You simply have one observe, and then you definately go into the qualifying and races. So it was simply having expertise and coping with the stress and the dearth of observe time and getting used to the automotive effectively. As a result of I used to be not used to the automotive, I did not have the capability to take care of different issues, so I made quite a lot of errors.”
“So it was simply having the expertise and yeah, going by means of that section. If I might performed Components 3 earlier than, it might have been a lot simpler. However to get a possibility in F2 in a race seat, it’s extremely exhausting. So I simply received it that point, so I used it and I needed to, yeah, as a result of it’s extremely uncommon to get a possibility in Components 2, so I went for it,” stated Raghunathan.
The 26-year-old additionally stated he started specializing in his weaknesses after his F2 struggles, decided to rebuild himself into a greater and extra full racer.
“I used to be simply specializing in my weaknesses and the place I used to be making errors and simply concentrating on myself to enhance my efficiency. Since that is the one factor I can management and I’ve management of, so I used to be simply specializing in what driving errors or errors I made and what I have to do higher and never make these errors once more. In order that was the primary factor. I did not suppose an excessive amount of about anything, since I do know as soon as this adjustments, all the things will change once more. In order that was the primary focus,” stated Raghunathan.
THE F1 CHECKRED DREAM
The discharge of the F1 film that includes Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes was a revelation for motorsport fans throughout the globe — a narrative of redemption that resonated with many, together with Raghunathan.
Regardless of the challenges of his F2 expertise, Raghunathan went on to check drive the Alfa Romeo Sauber automotive in 2021 and later for McLaren a few years after that. When requested if he envisions a Hayes-esque return to the very best degree of motorsport, the 26-year-old stated that has all the time been his one true dream.
So now, due to my efficiency, I can get good alternatives in different motorsport disciplines or different classes and like FIA WEC or in different championships with prime groups. So then it is simpler to carry out effectively. As a result of my purpose is to go to FIA World Endurance Championship then after which transfer to Components One. So this yr has been a part of the comeback and, uh, sure. I hope to maintain the momentum happening.
The Indian driver has a transparent roadmap for his return to Components One, together with his subsequent goal being a spot in an F1 driver growth program, adopted by competing within the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).
“The following step will likely be to be a part of an F1 driver growth program with an F1 group. That would be the subsequent step. After which an important step could be to race within the FIA World Endurance Championship as a result of they provide a number of tremendous license factors. So it is the identical automotive GT3, which I drove right here in Italian GT. So if I do effectively, I can get the factors after which transfer to Components One,” stated Raghunathan.
Raghunathan is decided to proceed his journey — to drive by means of each problem and cross the checkered flag on his solution to reaching his Components One dream.
“My major purpose for 2025 was to do effectively and win races in Italian GT and win the championship right here, however we simply missed it by 4 factors ultimately.”
“So to convey my profession again on observe and get good alternatives, this was the primary purpose. The following purpose is to discover a good championship subsequent yr. Hopefully FIA WEC, if not a very good championship, and even Italian GT if I can compete once more with a prime group like AF Corse. And now the purpose is simply Components One.”
“So to maneuver in direction of that, I am planning all the things. However sooner or later, I do not know as a result of all races, all motorsport championships are nice, so I do not know which I’ll compete. However now the purpose is to go to Components One,” stated Raghunathan.
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