While most of us were learning to ride bicycles, Mahaveer Raghunathan was dreaming of racing in Ferraris.

Born and raised in Chennai, Mahaveer (26) didn’t follow the usual playbook. No cricket academies, no engineering entrance coaching; just a deep love for speed and a heart set on something wildly unconventional: professional racing.

What started as a childhood fascination with cars soon became a full-blown mission to compete on the world’s biggest tracks.

Fast forward to today, and Mahaveer is not only living that dream — he’s doing it with style, skill, and steel nerves. At just 26, he’s the only Indian driver on the grid of the prestigious 2025 Italian GT Championship, racing for the iconic AF Corse team in a roaring Ferrari 296 GT3.

Speed was in his blood

“I was fascinated with cars since I was a child. And speed, of course,” he laughs. It was 2011 when Mahaveer took his first lap around a go-kart track in Chennai. That first taste of racing wasn’t just fun; it was a spark.

Soon, he was competing in local events like the Amaron Karting Challenge, where he secured podiums in Chennai and Kolhapur. “That’s how it all started,” he recalls. As he racked up more wins, one thing became clear: this wasn’t just a phase. It was a calling.

Like many young fans, he was glued to........

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