2025–26 MRF Formula 2000 season

The 2025–26 MRF Formula 2000 season was the eleventh running of the Formula 2000-level single-seater championship in India previously known as the MRF Challenge. This was the fifth season of the championship restarted in 2022 without support of the FIA and simply called MRF Formula 2000, with the field consisting of domestic drivers rather than foreign racers competing over the European and Northern American off-season.

The season began on 18 July 2025 and was run over four weekends until 25 January 2026.^[1][2] Ishaan Madesh won the championship title after a season-long battle with Arjun Chheda.

The following drivers, all of them Indian-registered, contested the championship:

The 2025 season was initially set to feature five race weekends ranging from June to October of 2025.^[6] However, after the first round was not held, a revised calendar was announced that comprised four rounds from July of 2025 to January of 2026. The season opener, held at Kari Motor Speedway, marked the series' first round held outside Madras Motor Race Track since 2020.^[1] Round three was rescheduled twice, from October to December and then to January.^[4]

The 2025–26 season began with six cars entering the championship's first round, held at Kari Motor Speedway. Ishaan Madesh claimed pole position in qualifying before stalling at the start of the opening race. He was able to recover to second ahead of Shivesh Selvarathnam, but the win went to Arjun Chheda. Madesh bounced back to win race two ahead of Chheda and Akhil Agarwal, before Chheda doubled up in race three to win again and take the lead in the standings. Madesh came second again, with Agarwal third.^[2][7]

Three rounds at Madras Motor Race Track followed, and Chheda claimed pole position for the first of them. He converted that into a victory to further expand his points lead, with debutant Ethan Joy taking second place and Madesh coming third. Races two and three of the weekend saw identical podiums: Madesh used the second race's reverse grid to win ahead of points leader Chheda before taking another victory in race three to close right up to him in the standings. Tarun Muthiaiah took third place on both occasions.^[8]

Entry numbers shrunk to four cars in 2026, and Madesh took the second pole position of his campaign in qualifying. A poor start to the first race saw him lose the lead to Chheda, who held on to take victory. Madesh had to be content with second ahead of Muthiaiah.^[9] He was able to use the reversed-grid in race two to bounce back and take victory, with Chheda this time consigned to second and Muthiaiah once again third. Race three saw the order of the top two switch once again, allowing Chheda to build a five-point lead.^[10]

The final round of the season saw Madesh once again go fastest in qualifying to take pole position. He followed that up with a win ahead of Chheda and Selvarathnam to reduce Chheda's championship to just two points going into the final day. Two more wins for Madesh followed on Sunday, with his clean sweep allowing him to take the championship title. Chheda came second on both occasions to finish the season four points behind the champion as third places were shared between Selvarathnam and Muthiaiah.^[11][12]

Scoring system

Half points were awarded if less than five cars took part in a race.

• Official website