Mahaveer Raghunathan

Mahaveer Raghunathan
Mahaveer Raghunathan
	File:Mahaveer Raghunathan - Coloni Motorsport (35123641673).jpg Mahaveer Raghunathan driving for PS Racing in the BOSS GP series
Nationality	Indian
Born	17 November 1998 (age 26); Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Previous series
2019; 2016–17; 2016; 2016; 2015; 2014–15; 2014	FIA Formula 2 Championship; BOSS GP; GP3; Auto GP; European Formula 3 Championship; MRF Formula 2000; Italian Formula 4 Championship

Mahaveer Raghunathan (born 17 November 1998) is an Indian racing driver who last competed in the 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship with MP Motorsport.

Career

Lower formula

Raghunathan started his racing career in karting in 2012, where he remained active until 2013. He also made his Formula racing debut in 2012, in four races of the JK Racing Asia Series for the Meco Racing team.^[2]

In 2013, Raghunathan competed in the MRF Challenge Formula 1600, finishing sixth.^[3] He also took part in the final race weekend of the Formula Masters China series at the Shanghai International Circuit for the Cebu Pacific Air by KCMG team^[4]

In 2014, Raghunathan moved to the new Italian F4 Championship, debuting on the second race weekend for the F & M team. He finished 12th in the championship^[5]

European F3 Championship & GP3 Series

At the beginning of 2015, Raghunathan took part in the final race weekend of the MRF Challenge Formula 2000 series at the Madras Motor Race Track. He then returned to Europe to take part in the European Formula 3 Championship for the Motopark team.^[6]He failed to get any points, finishing 39th in the championship ^[7] Raghunathan took part in the official GP3 post season test with the Campos and Trident teams, in preparation for the 2016 GP3 Series, but he only raced in the first round of the championship for Koiranen GP. He also tested with the Coloni Motorsport team in Auto GP.^[6]

Auto GP & BOSS GP Series

In 2016, Raghunathan raced in the Auto GP championship with Italian team PS Racing, being second in the championship. In the same year, he also raced in the BOSS GP series in the Formula Class and secured two podiums in his class.^[1]

In 2017, Raghunathan continued racing in BOSS GP's Formula Class Championship with PS Racing. He made 13 podiums out of 14 races in his class, and ending the season as the champion of the Formula Class. He is the first and only Indian to win the BOSS GP Championship.^[1]

FIA Formula 2 Championship

In 2019, Raghunathan raced in the FIA Formula 2 Championship alongside Jordan King for MP Motorsport.^[8] He was subsequently suspended for the Austrian round based on the accumulation of 12 penalty points on his license during the season. He returned to the seat for the Silverstone round, continuing to run around at the back of the field. Both Raghunathan and team-mate King were reprimanded for failing to slow for yellow flags in qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps. A reduced field at the following round in Italy led to his only point of the season, but he was once again penalised in Sochi for not following track-limit procedures. He finished the season 20th in the standings, being the last placed driver to have scored a point.^[9]

Formula One test

In August 2021, nearly two years after Raghunathan's last appearance behind the wheel of a race car, the Indian tested the Alfa Romeo Racing C38 alongside Théo Pourchaire at the Hungaroring where he set a time 1.9 seconds slower than the Frenchman.^[10]^[11]

World Endurance Championship

The following year, Raghunathan took part in the FIA World Endurance Championship rookie test at the Bahrain International Circuit, driving for Algarve Pro Racing.^[12]