Dean Mascarenhas to make WRC debut with TSI Racing
TSI Racing’s Dean Mascarenhas and co-driver Gagan Karumbaiah to compete in WRC3
Indian rally team TSI Racing to make a comeback in the WRC
TSI Racing, the first Indian team to set foot in the World Rally Championship (WRC) 18 years ago, is marking a comeback to the championship with Dean Mascarenhas and co-driver Gagan Karumbaiah to drive in the WRC3 category. The Indian duo will mark their WRC3 debut at the Rally Islas Canarias this April, driving a Ford Fiesta Rally3 prepped by PH Sport.
Dean Mascarenhas (left) with co-driver Gagan Karumbaiah (right)
In a press event, TSI Racing stated that it would be running a three-year WRC programme, and the team which was founded in 2007, will be partnering up with PH Sport for its WRC effort. As a part of focus on the WRC programme, TSI Racing will not be taking part in the 2026 season of the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC). Dean Mascarenhas, who will be driving for the Indian rally team, was the 2025 INRC double champion and he will also become the third Indian driver to participate in multiple rounds of the WRC in a structured programme, following in the footsteps of rally drivers like Naren Kumar and Gaurav Gill.
Mohan Nagarajan, chairman, Sidvin Energy Engineering at the TSI Racing press conference
Speaking at the press event, Mohan Nagarajan, chairman, Sidvin Energy Engineering which is backing TSI Racing, said, “We didn’t build TSI Racing to win championships and stop there. Every title, every season, every young driver we’ve brought through, it’s all been pointing toward this. Dean is ready. Gagan is ready. And as a team, we’ve never been more prepared to take on the world. India has produced world-class rally talent for years. It’s time the world saw that.”
