Life for Vishakh B revolves around the rev and roar. On tarmac and dirt tracks.
Long before he took the wheel, he stood on the sidelines, studying the rally circuit and its podium finishers. Today, he stands among them, having topped the 2025 Indian National Rally Championship 3 series that culminated some days ago.
A techie at Infopark in Kochi, Vishakh’s entry into racing began with a teenage dream. “This was a field I yearned to be a part of for a very long time. I was always trying to find a way to get into the hot seat,” he says.
“In 2017, I learned about some rally events through social media and attended one of them at the CIAL ground. From there, I got in touch with the organisers and finally figured out how to participate in championships.”
Vishakh began with local events — short, high-intensity races. “Autocross has a massive following in Kerala. That’s where I started. I first participated in my Maruti Zen,” he says.
Soon, he began prepping for bigger endurance rallies. In 2019, Vishakh bought a rally-spec Maruti Suzuki Esteem to push a notch higher. “I did this to get first-hand experience in a race-ready machine,” he says. “I went on to win several Autocross club events in Kerala with that mean beast.”
Next, he upgraded to a Volkswagen Polo. “Polos are iconic in the rally world,” he says. I bought one and began practising, but that’s when the pandemic hit. So I missed out on action in 2020.”
His plans were delayed, but not derailed. “Since 2021, however, I have been burning rubber in every INRC championship round,” he says.
The INRC, organised by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India, has been the country’s premier rally series since 1988. “Normally, a championship season runs from April to March. The final round of the 2025 season just crossed the finish line this March, and the 2026 Championship is set to begin this April,” Vishakh explains.
Racing in single gear
Rallying is a race against the clock. “Competitors don’t start together. Each car starts with a gap of about two minutes. The winner is decided based on overall timing,” he says.
“Drivers earn points from each round. If I win all the stages in a rally, I can get up to 35 points, and these points decide the overall champion.”
The 2025 season began in April with the South India Rally in Chennai, and it tested him early. “A clutch failure on the second day could have ended my race,” he recalls. “But I pushed through, driving the final stages in a single gear to finish as the first runner-up.”
When it comes to rally racing, Vishakh adds, the goal is to somehow cross the finish line. “No matter what the circumstance, it should be completed,” he says.
In July, he missed Round 2 at the Rally of Coimbatore due to a medical emergency involving his father. “But since I won in all the other rounds, I got top points compared to other competitors,” he says.
The missing notes
Vishak’s comeback began in November at the Robusta Rally of Kodagu in Coorg, where he finished as first runner-up in INRC3 and second runner-up overall.
“The round came with its own challenges. At one stage, we misplaced the pacenotes with vital info at a service station,” he recalls.
“My co-driver, Chiranth Jain, had to read out details from photographs of the pages on his mobile phone. Imagine doing that in a swerving, bumpy race car. Looking back, it added to the thrill.”
The momentum carried into the K1000 Rally in Bengaluru last December. Despite dealing with jammed brakes, Vishakh won in Category 3 and finished as second runner-up overall.
By 2026, he was in complete control. He dominated Round 5 at the Rally of Highlands in Indore in January and sealed the title at the Rally of Maharashtra in Nashik in February. Winning both rounds in the INRC3 category gave him the points he needed to become the 2025 National Champion.
A team effort
Though he is the one behind the wheel, Vishakh is quick to credit his team. “Co-driver selection is also crucial. Chiranth put up a great show,” he says.
“Support from the service team in Coimbatore — Chettinad Sporting — also played an important role.”
Off the track, his strength comes from home and office. Balancing a full-time role at Techgentsia Software Technologies with a national racing career is no easy task. “The support from my CEO, Joy Sebastian, and the whole team has been immense,” he says.
“Most importantly, my parents, brother, my partner, her parents, my son — my whole family — have been my pillars of strength. They share my excitement and that gives me a big boost.”
For youngsters interested in rallying, Vishakh suggests Autocross as the ideal entry route.
“One can use their own cars for this. It is pretty easy on the pockets too, with participation cost coming up to `4,000 per entry. When it comes to championships, though, the cost could go up to Rs 3–4 lakh,” he says.
And, what next for Vishakh? “More speed,” he laughs. “I am raring to rev up at the 2026 national championship starting in April.”