At the Indian Racing Festival, Divy Nandan drove for Hyderabad Blackbirds owned by Naga Chaitanya

Divy Nandan was back after a test drive before the races commenced at The Indian Racing Festival. Representing Hyderabad Blackbirds, owned by actor Naga Chaitanya, he was at ease, as his team was busy looking at technical side of the car.

We were at the first-ever Goa edition of The Indian Racing Festival at the Manohar International Airport, which has transformed Goa into a motorsport hub for the high-octane Formula Street Race Weekend (February 14 and 15). The event marks a significant moment in the festival’s rapid rise, with Round 4 of the championship unfolding at Goa.

I took a peep inside what is called the hotseat. Or the hot pit, as the car stood on the track rest area under the afternoon sun. It is a tight space; the controls are not bigger than an iPad screen. 

Divy sounded excited, stressed that he was not nervous and aimed to enjoy every bit of the game irrespective of the final outcome. Divy added, “Winning is the goal; it is also about gaining experience, learning and improving. I have been driving on these tracks and this is my first association with Hyderabad Blackbirds.” 

The team regrouped and discussed their strategy before the final race
| Photo Credit:
Prabalika Borah

Hailing from Gurgaon, he started racing in a hired car at the age of 17. “I started pretty late, but I was in the right space,” said the protégé of India’s first Formula 1 driver, Narain Karthikeyan. “I started my career at the NK Racing Academy,” he added.

He won national titles and then went on to score points on the UK’s fastest circuits within a few seasons. Notably, he returned from an 18-month hiatus in 2024 to finish fourth in the Indian F4 Championship. Off the track, he has a BBA degree.

Some of Divy’s key achievements are GB3 Championship Debut (2025) at Silverstone Circuit, Indian Touring Cars (ITC) Vice Champion (2025), and RF Formula 2000 Race Winner (2023). He also completed six rounds of the British F4 Championship and scored points at Thruxton, UK’s fastest racing track. 

When asked about the driver’s cockpit, he explained, “Our seats are moulded according to our body shape. So they are most comfortable, so much that I can sleep inside it.” 

What about the heat? “That’s something we get used to and don’t mind at all,” he signed off.