Race car enthusiasts sat with bated breath as the third season of the FIA-certified Formula 4 Indian Championship, which is part of the Indian Racing Festival, culminated in a thrilling finale at the Madras International Circuit in Chennai. While the Chennai Turbo Riders carried a 24-point lead at the top going into the fifth and final round over the weekend, Shane Chandaria became the youngest title winner at 15 years of age.
Having entered the 2025 season as a rookie, Kenya’s Shane finished as the indisputable champion and won his first championship. However, Shane had a challenge on his hands as his more experienced rivals were closing in, while a tricky track and trying conditions awaited him at the circuit.
Nicknamed ‘Baby Samurai’, Shane was up to the task and made the most of the head start to clinch the championship in Race 1. Starting the first race of the day in pole position, the teenager completed the 23 laps in 26 minutes, 23.059 seconds. Even after the race wrapped up, Frenchman Satche Rotge and Shane, as they so often have this season, were once again locked in battle in Race 2. Despite being pushed to the back of the track by the reverse grid, they fought off competition and staged some daring overtaking moves towards the end to finish on the podium. While 16-year-old Luviwe Sambudla of Goa Aces JA Racing won the round, Satche, who pulled off a double overtake in the last lap, finished second and Shane third, leaving their indelible mark on the season.
The F4 championship confirmed Shane’s status as one of the more exciting driving talents. The Kenyan of Indian origin started in the sport at the tender age of five. Since then, he has continued to improve. He moved to the UK to race in the British Karting Championship in 2024 and transitioned to single-seaters through the Formula Global Shootout Program (FGSP). “Winning the Indian F4 Championship is the biggest moment of my career thus far. Winning this title has not only opened the doors to more opportunities and put my name on an international map, but it has also made me confident that I can do it,” said Shane. “A lot of hard work and preparation went into securing this championship. I had to be constantly grinding. With each race, the realisation and necessity to work grew, as my title rivals and I, both had the desire to win. I had to put in countless hours on the simulator and push through gym sessions for this,” he added.
Speed is his biggest strength, and systematic training has led him to bag podium finishes. “Outright pace, often being the fastest in the session, and almost always being in pole position, with 7/8 qualifying sessions on pole, helped me. This allowed me to start at the front and stay there. I was proud to have been fast and consistent at every track, which played a huge role in the title fight. I always work backwards. I first look at the past weekend and see where I need to improve. Next, I make a detailed plan on the activity and the amount of time needed. Then I schedule it into my week plan. I always like to focus on improvements first before going back and practising my strengths,” Shane explained.
Shane’s coach, Dino, and his mechanic, Wan, have an equal share in his success as they helped him develop the ability to outsmart seasoned campaigners. “Dino has been more than a coach to me this year. He taught me everything, from technique to the championship mentality. He gave me all his knowledge, and this ultimately helped me grow and fight for the title. Wan was my mechanic this year, and he did a phenomenal job; he made sure everything was working well! He helped me and gave me really strong advice, and we were in this one together. We shared the wins and losses as one,” said Shane.
His immediate goal is to be part of the French F4. “The next step in my career is the French F4 in 2026. It is really exciting to be racing at tracks that are even used in F1. After that, I want to go through the ranks to get to F1; so Formula Regional, F3, F2 and F1,” he signed off.