MOTORSPORT
Maini to proceed with HRT Ford Racing in 2026 DTM season
Indian driver Arjun Maini will proceed to race for HRT Ford Racing within the 2026 DTM season, the staff introduced on Wednesday.
Maini stays one in all HRT Ford Racing’s key drivers because the staff enters the DTM season with the Ford Mustang GT3 EVO.
A Ford Racing Manufacturing facility driver, Maini brings in depth DTM expertise and stays an integral a part of the staff’s improvement and efficiency program.
The No. 36 Ford Mustang GT3 EVO, to be pushed by Maini, will function an up to date RAVENOL design, now shining in a hanging blue and yellow metallic look.
Maini has been an integral a part of the DTM grid because the championship transitioned to GT3 equipment.
The 28-year-old Indian has competed in 78 DTM races, securing three podium finishes and one pole place with HRT. Since 2022, he has additionally represented the staff throughout a number of worldwide GT racing packages.
Since 2025, Maini has been a part of Ford Racing’s worldwide squad of manufacturing unit drivers and competed with HRT within the debut yr of the Ford Mustang GT3 within the DTM. Together with his expertise, he’ll play an vital function within the ongoing improvement of the automobile.
Maini can be extensively considered one in all India’s most distinguished racing drivers.
With the official pre-season take a look at scheduled for April 14 on the Crimson Bull Ring, HRT Ford Racing and Maini are getting into the ultimate section of preparations for the upcoming DTM marketing campaign.
The season opener will happen from April 24–26 on the Austrian circuit in Spielberg.
“We’re extremely motivated and nicely ready for the brand new DTM season. With Arjun, we keep continuity inside the staff. He understands the challenges of the DTM very nicely and can play a key function as we proceed to develop the Ford Mustang GT3 EVO and develop as a staff,” Ulrich Fritz, Managing Director of Haupt Racing Crew, stated in a press release.
Maini added: “I’m thrilled and honoured to be competing within the DTM with HRT Ford Racing for one more yr — my second as an official Ford Racing Driver. Final season was a priceless studying expertise, and we demonstrated our capability to enhance all year long.
“I’m due to this fact much more motivated to deal with the brand new DTM season, particularly with the brand new EVO bundle for the Ford Mustang GT3. Our aim is to safe victories and podium finishes this yr.”
-PTI
India’s Puligilla and Sherif set for iconic WRC Safari Rally 2026
Ace Indian rally driver Naveen Puligilla and co-driver Musa Sherif are gearing up for his or her hardest problem as they goal to repeat their WRC3 podium end within the third spherical of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), the enduring WRC Safari Rally Kenya 2026.
The celebrated duo, who secured a podium of their class on the WRC Rally Saudi Arabia final November, will deal with the tough terrains round Naivasha for a 3rd consecutive time when the demanding African occasion runs from March 12 to fifteen.
Recent from his victory on the Nashik rally that secured him the 3T class Nationwide championship title, Hyderabad’s Puligilla will compete within the WRC3 class driving a Ford Fiesta Rally3 ready and serviced by Africa Eco Sports activities Nairobi.
Seasoned navigator Sherif, from Kasargod, with over 33 years of rally expertise, will deal with tempo notes for the Indian driver. The pair made historical past in 2025 by changing into the primary Indian duo to safe a podium end in any WRC class, ending second in WRC3 at Rally Saudi Arabia.
Having skilled the unforgiving African terrain final yr, Puligilla and Sherif return with priceless information and a transparent goal: to beat the fesh-fesh mud, large rocks, and unpredictable wildlife crossings that make Safari Rally one of many hardest on this planet.
“The Safari is the final word take a look at of man and machine. Beginning the Safari once more is a proud second for us. Our earlier expertise has taught us the significance of endurance and survival. We’ve got a incredible automobile within the Ford Fiesta Rally3, and the native experience of Africa Eco Sports activities in Nairobi offers us a powerful benefit,” Puligilla stated.
Sherif added, “The roads listed below are extraordinarily tough and may change after each go, so the tempo notes should be exact. My job is to maintain Naveen (Puligilla) knowledgeable and secure, particularly by way of the infamous sections. We’ve got ready extensively, and the forecast of heavy rain might change all the pieces. It might make an already brutal rally much more spectacular.”
The rally, headquartered round Lake Naivasha, options 20 Particular Phases overlaying a aggressive distance of 338.34km inside a complete rally distance of 1,205.46km.
The forecast of heavy rainfall might flip the usually dusty and rocky phases into slippery, muddy, and deeply rutted tracks harking back to the legendary Safari rallies of the Nineteen Seventies.
-PTI
BOXING
Priyansh, Ambekar and Sahil advance in World Boxing Futures Cup
Priyansh Sehrawat, L Ambekar and Sahil Duhan registered convincing victories because the Indian youth boxing staff continued their spectacular run on the fourth day of the World Boxing Futures Cup right here on Wednesday.
Within the morning session, Priyansh (70kg) started the day on a optimistic be aware for India, registering a dominant 5-0 unanimous resolution victory over Latvia to advance within the event.
The night session noticed two extra convincing wins for the Indian staff.
Ambekar (50kg) secured a 5-0 unanimous resolution victory over Tajikistan, whereas Sahil (60kg) additionally recorded a commanding 5-0 win towards Tajikistan, persevering with his sturdy run within the competitors.
In the meantime, Aman Siwach (65kg) suffered a setback after taking place to his opponent from Ukraine by Referee Stopped Contest (RSC) within the second spherical.
The World Boxing Futures Cup, being held in Bangkok from March 8 to fifteen, options promising boxers from internationally competing within the Youth Olympic weight classes, providing priceless worldwide publicity for the athletes.
-PTI
TENNIS
Manipur’s Heisnam earns maiden ATP level, enters pre-quarters in ITF M25 Kolkata
Shanker Heisnam earned his maiden ATP rating level as he defeated the Netherlands’ Stijn Pel to enter the pre-quarterfinals of the lads’s singles on the Central Excise & CGST ITF M25 Kolkata right here on Wednesday.
The 19-year-old from Manipur, who obtained a principal draw wild card, gained 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Heisnam will subsequent face high seed Luca Castelnuovo of Switzerland within the pre-quarterfinals on Thursday.
Each gamers dropped serve as soon as because the opening set moved right into a tie-break, the place Heisnam prevailed 7-4.
Heisnam, the 2025 Khelo India Youth Video games champion, began strongly within the second set, participating in lengthy rallies and mixing up the tempo to unsettle his opponent.
He broke qualifier Pel twice to surge to a 3-0 lead, although he briefly faltered to drop his serve.
From 3-2 onwards, Heisnam took full management, successful three consecutive video games to seal the competition and justify the religion proven in him by way of the wild card.
In one other match, sixth seed Leo Borg, son of legendary Bjorn Borg, wanted little time to dispatch India’s Aniketh Venkataraman 6-1, 6-3 to make the pre-quarterfinals.
-PTI
GOLF
IGPL Chandigarh: Shat fires 66, leads defending champ Bhullar by two
Shat Mishra, who turned skilled solely in 2025, fired a six-under 66 to open up a two-shot lead after the primary spherical of the IGPL Invitational Chandigarh.
Mishra, who had a modest season in 2025 and completed in the midst of the pack within the Tour standings, had a blazing entrance 9 earlier than cooling off considerably on the second 9.
Mishra birdied 5 occasions on the entrance 9 earlier than dropping photographs on the tenth and the eleventh. He once more picked 4 photographs, together with a shocking eagle on the Par-5 sixteenth and birdies on the thirteenth and the seventeenth.
Mishra held a two-shot lead over three gamers — Gaganjeet Bhullar, Yashas Chandra and Kartik Sharma.
A giant bunch, together with final yr’s No. 2 Aman Raj, seasoned Chiragh Kumar, Indian-American Manav Shah, younger IGPL recruit Danish Verma and native Chandigarh man, Ranjit Singh, have been in a gaggle of 5 gamers at three-under 69.
That the off season has seen the gamers work at their sport was evident as six others have been Tied-10 at 2-under 70.
The six-pack included final yr’s IGPL No. 1 Pukhraj Singh Gill, who recovered from an harm, in-form Karandeep Kochhar, Kapil Kumar, the IGPL Pune winner, Syed Saqib Ahmed, younger Krish Chawla and the six-time winner on the Asian Tour, the legendary SSP Chawrasia.
Bhullar, the defending champion at IGPL Chandigarh, had a bogey-free four-under 68 and was in a tie with Yashas Chandra and Gurugram southpaw Kartik Sharma.
Kochhar had two birdies and some missed putts, however did nicely to maintain bogeys off his card. He birdied the Par-5s on the second and the thirteenth and parred the remainder.
Yashas has been steadily discovering his rhythm and kind since late 2025. He confirmed the low season was busy with observe classes, as he blazed with 4 birdies within the first 5 holes. He dropped his solely shot of the day on the Par-5 seventh holes. On the again 9, he had one birdie and eight pars.
After an early birdie on the second, Chawrasia, a two-time Indian Open winner, dropped photographs on the third and the sixth, however birdied three in a row from the twelfth to the 14th.
-PTI
Jasmine Shekar takes lead in fifth Leg of Hero Ladies’s Professional Golf Tour
Jasmine Shekar stole the thunder with a two-under 70 to take a one-shot lead over promising novice Lavanya Gupta (71) within the opening spherical of the fifth leg of the Hero Ladies’s Professional Golf Tour right here on Wednesday.
Mannat Brar, who turned in some superb performances late final season, was sole third with even par 72, as solely three gamers shot par or higher on the opening day on the difficult Gary Participant structure of the DLF Golf & Nation Membership.
The report area of 57 gamers with 49 professionals, which is taking part in for a whopping INR 18 lakh purse, noticed some younger names maintain their very own as Vidhatri Urs, Lavanya Jadon and Jahnavi Prakhya carded 2-over 74.
Jasmine, who gained the primary leg of the 2026 season, started very steadily with 4 pars and a birdie on Par-3 fifth and added 4 extra pars to make a flip in a bogey-free 1-under.
On the again 9, she birdied the eleventh to go 2-under. She bogeyed for the primary time within the day on the 14th however acquired that shot again instantly on the Fifteenth, solely to offer it away once more on the sixteenth. A closing birdie on the 18th ensured Jasmine was 2-under for the day.
Beginner Lavanya confirmed why she is so extremely touted as she was three-under by way of 12 holes. She birdied the fifth, tenth and the twelfth. 4 extra pars adopted, and she or he was 3-under by way of 16 holes. She, nevertheless, closed bogey-bogey to drop to 71.
Mannat had two birdies towards one bogey on the entrance 9 after which had two bogeys and a closing birdie on the 18th on the again 9.
Two main names, Amandeep Drall (75) and Saanvi Somu (75), have been tied seventh with Khushi Khanijau, Anvvi Dahhiya, Nayanika Sanga, Durga Nittur and Gauri Karhade.
Former Hero Order of Advantage winner, Sneha (76), was 14th whereas Tvesa Malik was T-Fifteenth with a 77. The winner of the fourth leg, Ridhima Dilawari (78), was T-19 and had no birdies as she bogeyed 4 occasions and double bogeyed as soon as.
-PTI
Printed on Mar 11, 2026