Kozhikode's Abhimanyu gears up from NRI kid playing NFS to podium on national rally debut

For Abhimanyu Sanjeevan, the road to the Indian rally circuit began long before he ever sat inside a race car. Growing up in Dubai, he spent hours playing Need for Speed (NFS) racing games, dreaming of the day he would drive one for real.

Two decades later, that childhood fascination placed him as the runner-up in the Junior Indian National Rally Championship (JINRC) organised under the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). Incredibly, Abhimanyu began practising rallying only in 2024.

The 27-year-old from Kozhikode claimed his first podium in the national junior championship despite missing a round and surviving multiple crashes during the season.

The sixth and final round of the championship in Nashik- a tarmac track- was filled with drama. Abhimanyu entered the round placed second in the JINRC standings and fourth overall in the Indian National Rally Championship 3 (INRC3), which also includes the junior category.

On the second day of the three-day event, he completed nearly 170 kms, clocking timings close to the main INRC drivers. However, trouble struck towards the end of the first leg when a jump bent the rear beam of his Volkswagen Polo, forcing him to retire from the first leg. "That bent affected the speed of the car," he said.

Undeterred, Abhimanyu bounced back strongly in the second leg, covering the remaining 100 km and finishing third in Nashik. The result was enough for him to seal the overall runners-up spot in the JINRC.

While the podium in Nashik was his first taste of national glory, Abhimanyu's fascination with cars began much earlier- in the rugged backroads of Kerala.

From Dubai, Abimanyu returned to Calicut when he was in the eighth standard. He was welcomed back by an old Mahindra Major jeep at his home, which became his first driving machine. His father, Sanjeevan, taught him the basics. He soon graduated to driving the family's Toyota Innova, waiting eagerly until his 18th birthday to finally take it for a spin on the road.

"Racing was always at the back of my mind, but at that time I didn't know how to go about it," Abhimanyu said. After completing his studies, he took up a job at a private firm in Bengaluru. A breakthrough in his racing dreams came in June 2024 when he attended a karting event in the city.

"I tried karting and it was fun. But towards the evening, an autocross event was happening there, and I decided to participate," he recalled.

Competing for the first time, he performed impressively and caught the attention of rally driver Athira Murali from Kottayam. She invited him to Thrissur for trials, where he again impressed. "After the first jump in my car, I knew this was my place," Abhimanyu said.

Through Athira and her team, he was introduced to Snap Racing by Sabith, whom he had met during races. The Snap Racing team prepared him for the JINRC in the 2025–26 season.

Convincing his family, however, was not easy. "My parents were not very supportive of my decision to enter rallying initially," he said. "So before my first race, I took my father to the Coimbatore track and showed him the safety features of the car and the gear we use. Only after that did he reluctantly agree."

Though he missed the opening round in Chennai, Abhimanyu made an impressive debut in Coimbatore, finishing second in both legs of the race. "It was after that race that I felt I belonged here. That adrenaline rush- it's something else," he said.

He continued his strong run in the next round in Coorg, finishing third in the first leg and second in the second leg to secure an overall third place. In Coorg, his friend and fellow Malayali Vijay Anand served as his co-driver.

For the remaining rounds, Abhimanyu brought in professional co-driver Avinash CA. The partnership yielded quick results. In Bengaluru, Abhimanyu secured his first leg victory of the season and finished second overall. He then dominated the Indore round, winning both legs and climbing to second place in the JINRC standings.

By the time the championship reached Nashik for the final round, the rookie driver had already emerged as one of the standout performers of the season, battling competitors with years of rallying experience.

"To achieve something like this in my first season is remarkable, and I want to continue this run," Abhimanyu said. He added that rallying is ultimately about constant improvement. "Whenever you crash, the team asks where you can improve. In rallying, there is no room for error- what you need is utmost concentration. I had a crash in Coorg, and at Nashik, a momentary loss of focus cost me," he added.

Despite the challenges, Abhimanyu said his parents- father Sanjeevan and mother Baby Girija- were proud of his performance.

What began as a childhood dream has now turned into a promising start in the national rally circuit, and the young driver is already setting his sights higher. With his debut season ending on the podium, Abhimanyu hopes to build on the momentum and secure a place in the INRC 2 championship after next season.