Ladies first, and yet again a record breaker is here. Diana Pundole is an outstanding racer. She exclaims, “It’s truly an incredible honour. Being part of the Ferrari Club Challenge Middle East as the first Indian woman is a proud moment not just for me but for women in Indian motorsport. I hope it encourages more women to pursue their passion for racing.” She recently created history by driving the Ferrari 296 Challenge.
She is the foremost Indian girl to participate in the Global Motorsport series in the Ferrari Club Challenge Middle East. This 32-year-old woman has made a stir across the globe and is the talk of the town. She has participated in Formula One circuits .In Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
The Ferrari 296 Challenge and GT3 is the sole series of track events held. It’s for Ferrari owners to experience the powerful and high perfromance of Ferrari vehicles on world class circuits. The brand aims to conduct competitive racing and skill development with mentors,coaching along with social events. It also has a Passion Ferrari club challenge where members come together to race their own Ferrari Cars.
Its participants focused and the events happened in casual and competitive racing. Pundole is competing in the Ferrari Club from November 2025 -April 2026.The Ferrari 296 GT3 has participated in many championships worldwide.
Pundole has created a milestone with sheer years of dedication and determination . The Car racing field is male dominated. In 2024 she became the first Indian woman to win the national race championship. She received the MRF Saloon Cars title. She left all male racers behind at the Madras International Circuit. This success created new opportunities and created a breakthrough for women motorsports in India. In 2018 she raced in the JK tyre women motorrace programme.
Post this she has done extremely well in various National Championships. She has attained a lot of experience at an International level. Her late father was the one who inspired her and helped her to follow passion for being a racer and embrace it as a career. Her training made her rigorous. She has great mental and physical strength to meet the racing demands. She speeds beyond 250km/h with a lot of power.
She is supported by the Aligned Automation and Ferrari New Delhi making a global stand for Indian Women.She wishes to hope for success and encourage talented women to come forward,participate and become more visible. She wishes more women would pursue motorsports as a career. Pundole being a mother of two is breaking stereotypes. She believes that one must be full of passion,knowledge and forward thinking mindset. Her sheer joy of driving and racing is making a mark.
Ferrari Vehicle Attributes For a Race
Diana Pundole drove a Ferrari 296 Challenge for her races.The vehicle is track-focused and not legally used on the road . It is used in Formula One circuits in the Middle East.Ferrari 296 Challenge is penultimate race car used in Ferrari one-make series.
Power Packed Racer Ferrari
It has a V6 engine, twin turbo a horsepower of 700. It is derived from the 296 GTB. Minusing the hybrid system, it is lighter and more focused on track. Its design is a brilliant piece of engineering. It has also been part of the iRacing simulation and is specifically made for gentlemen racers. With its superpowers and low downforce, it makes it quite in demand. It’s quite rewarding to drive a car like this on the tracks. Its powertrain is less in weight and is also made less complex.
It has special aerodynamics in place with a dedicated racing setup. It has a GT3 version that requires more mechanical grip. The brake system needs earlier braking points. It is 380 pounds less in weight.
Handlings With Good Performance.
The Ferrari 296 is very fast. With its high power it has a lot of advantages. It at times requires expert mechanical driving style and trail brakes can be used well while you twist and turn and rotate it . The car has effective electronic aids.
Traction controls are in place. A great safety feature with ABS makes it a good choice for the tracks. Advance racing can’t get more comfortable and easier than this.
The car can be controlled if the driver has enough experience to manage the power and weight. The throttles and brake application should be well mastered.
The Ferrari 296 Challenge car is an Official car. Especially for the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli series. It’s known as the most famous race older than 30 years. It has been a great attraction and appeal to race lovers and wealthy buyers. With Ferrari 296 several racers and enthusiasts have reached the last lap and become top level racers in many series for years to come.
IRacing Simulation In June 2025 the 296 Ferrari was introduced. It’s a part of the Class D Ferrari series.It’s a highly-powered car with good electronic assists. It’s a great option for race enthusiasts. It takes a good amount of practice with experience to master it though.
Priced not Public !It’s not a road car first of all and not at all legal for the highways and off roads. Its a customer racer car and cost highly depends on the series one wishes to drive in to.The Ferrari 296 GTB starts with an approximate cost of Rs 5.40 crores (ex-showroom) in Indian cities. The price varies depending on location, insurance and optional attributes.
Indian Women Breaking Stereotypes
Creating a stride in the world of motorsports women are no less. Diana Pundole is the first woman in India to race a Ferrari at an international championship.
Whereas we can’t miss Shriya Lohia who has made history as India’s first female F4 racer. Well, the list doesn’t end here Alisha Abdullah is also the first female national racer champion. A pilot and a racer queen Sneha Sharma has been another successful racer.
It’s bringing women in the limelight amongst the male dominated racer sports. They do face a lot of challenges and are put in a place of isolation but with their passion keeps them going. Women like them definitely excel with their dedication and sheer hardwork. They are inspiring future generations too.
There are organizations like the Alisha Abdullah Racing Academy working tirelessly to train and support female racers. For women racers a good financial backing can take them way to the top as Indian Women Formula racers.
They are truly great inspirations for the coming generations.