Luviwe Sambudla takes double pole, two wins and a new F4 lap record at Kari Motor Speedway; Ntiyiso Mabunda scores his first two career podiums; Enzo Rujugiro and Mahlori Mabunda add strong points as ICAN drivers fill the top of the timesheets.
Coimbatore, India — ICAN Management, the South African-born driver talent management company guiding African drivers on a pathway to Formula 1, delivered its strongest weekend yet at Round 2 of the 2026 FIA Formula 4 India Championship, held at Kari Motor Speedway on 19–20 September 2026. Four ICAN drivers, all flying the South African flag, produced two race wins, two pole positions, three podium finishes, a new F4 lap record and a haul of points that leaves the programme second in the drivers’ championship after two rounds.
Luviwe Sambudla was the class of the field. He topped both qualifying sessions on Saturday, won Race 1 from pole with the fastest lap of the race, and after a retirement in Race 2 responded with a commanding Race 3 victory, winning by more than 11 seconds. In that race he set a lap of 1:04.817, the fastest an F4 car has ever gone around Kari Motor Speedway. Sambudla now sits second in the championship on 88 points, five behind the leader, with three wins from six races.
Ntiyiso Mabunda had the weekend of his young career. Third in Race 1 gave him his first podium in the championship, and he followed it with second place in Race 2, his best result to date. For a brief moment after Race 2, before penalties were applied, Ntiyiso and his brother Mahlori Mabunda stood together on the same podium in second and third, a rare sibling podium in single-seater racing. Mahlori was subsequently
classified seventh in that race after a grid-position penalty, but had crossed the line just 0.4 seconds behind the winner and set the fastest lap of the race. He added fourth in Race 1 and sixth in Race 3 and holds fourth in the championship.
Enzo Rujugiro continued his development with a very strong fourth place in Race 2, his best F4 finish, alongside points in Race 1.
Mpho Elijah Gumbi (“MEG”), Founder and Director of ICAN Management, said:
“Last week we came away with a win and a podium. This week we came away with two wins, a lap record, a first-time podium finisher who then did it again the next day, and four South Africans in the points. That is what progress looks like.
“Luviwe’s lap in Race 3 is the fastest any F4 car has been around Kari, and to see Ntiyiso and Mahlori standing together on a podium, even briefly, is something families dream about. New faces from the ICAN programme are collecting trophies, and that tells us the pathway is working.
“We now have four weeks to prepare for Round 3 in Chennai. To everyone who supported us this weekend, and to the many people who have sent messages of congratulations, thank you. We are grateful, we are proud, and we are flying the flag high for South Africa and for Africa.”
ICAN Management drivers – Round 2 results
| Driver | Club | Qualifying | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Champ. |
| Luviwe Sambudla | Goa Aces JA Racing | P1 / P1 | 1st (FL) | DNF | 1st (FL, lap record) | 2nd – 88 pts |
| Ntiyiso Mabunda | Speed Demons Delhi | P3 / P8 | 3rd | 2nd | 4th | 7th – 35 pts |
| Mahlori Mabunda | GodSpeed Kochi | P4 / P4 | 4th | 7th* (FL) | 6th | 4th – 46 pts |
| Enzo Rujugiro | Kichcha’s Kings Bengaluru | P8 / P11 | 8th | 4th | 9th | 10th – 16 pts |
FL = fastest lap. *Finished 2nd on the road, 0.410s behind the winner; classified 7th after a five-place penalty. Championship standings after six races (two rounds).
Round 3 of the championship takes place in Chennai in four weeks’ time.
Published by: Mpho Elijah Gumbi
Picture Caption: Luviwe Sambudla (1st) and Ntiyiso Mabunda (3rd) share the podium for the first time after Race 1 of Round 2, FIA Formula 4 India Championship, Kari Motor Speedway, Coimbatore, 19 September 2026.
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