Palm Beach Road to swap Sunday joggers for Formula cars as RPPL signs MOU with NMMC, witnessed by CM Devendra Fadnavis
Mumbai: Navi Mumbai is about to trade traffic jams for turbochargers as it prepares to host Maharashtra’s first-ever Formula night street race, the grand finale of the Indian Racing Festival (IRF) in December 2025. The announcement came as Racing Promotions Pvt. Ltd. (RPPL) inked an MOU with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), under the watchful eye of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis—who probably had to resist asking for a few hot laps himself.
Mumbai Joins the Global Street-Race Elite
For the first time, Navi Mumbai’s streets will light up under the floodlights as a 3.753 km FIA-grade street circuit with 14 turns carves its way through Palm Beach Road and Nerul Lake. In one stroke, the city has joined the glamorous company of Monaco, Singapore, and Baku—only with vada pav instead of champagne.
“This race will showcase Maharashtra’s global sporting capability, create jobs, and inspire young talent across multiple fields,” said CM Fadnavis, adding that the event would be a fast track to putting Maharashtra on the world motorsport map.
Akhilesh Reddy on Mumbai’s Midnight Makeover
“Known as the ‘City that Never Sleeps,’ Mumbai is the perfect host for India’s first Formula night race,” quipped Akhilesh Reddy, Chairman & MD of RPPL. “We’ve already pulled off street races in Hyderabad and Chennai. Now, it’s Navi Mumbai’s turn to glow—and roar.”
Star Power Meets Horsepower
The festival isn’t just about gears and engines. With team owners like John Abraham (Goa Aces JA Racing), Arjun Kapoor (Speed Demons Delhi), Sourav Ganguly (Kolkata Royal Tigers), Sudeep Kichcha (Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru), Naga Chaitanya (Hyderabad Blackbirds), and Dr. Swetha Sundeep Anand (Chennai Turbo Riders)—expect the pit lane to be as glamorous as a Filmfare red carpet, but with more helmets.
What’s in Store for Fans?
- A double-header weekend: Indian Racing League (IRL) + FIA-certified Formula 4 Indian Championship (F4IC)
- A fast, technical, and scenic circuit against Navi Mumbai’s glowing skyline
- Enough noise to make sure no resident needs an alarm clock that weekend
The Indian Racing Festival has already wowed fans in Hyderabad, Chennai, Coimbatore, and soon Goa. Now, as Navi Mumbai prepares for its turn, December promises to be the month when the city’s calm skyline trades twinkling lights for roaring exhaust flames.
In short, Navi Mumbai isn’t just hosting a race. It’s hosting a spectacle where speed, glamour, and adrenaline merge under the night sky—a weekend where Maharashtra truly goes from “Maximum City” to “Maximum Velocity.”
