At this young age, Rivaan Dev Preetham is blazing a trail in motorsport, rising from Chennai’s humble karting tracks to Europe’s elite racing circuits
By Monojit Mandal
Do you remember the thrill of speeding down a slope as a child, the wind brushing past your cheeks, and the world turning into a blur? For most of us, that moment lives in fleeting childhood memories. But for 12-year-old Rivaan Dev Preetham from Chennai, the rush of speed isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life.
At an age when most children are discovering their hobbies, Rivaan is mastering his passion, one track at a time. A two-time national karting champion and the first and only Indian to win a race at the prestigious FIA Motorsport Games, this young prodigy is now racing against the world’s best in the 2025 Champions of the Future Academy Programme—a global karting series promoted by the F1 Academy.That historic win, achieved in 2024 in Valencia, not only etched Rivaan’s name in the annals of Indian motorsport but also helped India secure an impressive 8th place in the finals, a moment of pride for the entire nation.But his journey didn’t begin with fanfare. It started, as all great stories do, in a modest backyard, with a little boy and a father’s dream.In an exclusive tête-à-tête with The Shillong Times, Rivaan, who is currently in Shillong taking part in the Indian Racing Festival, said:“The first time I sat behind the wheel, I was just six,” Rivaan recalls with a gleam in his eyes. “My dad built me a go-kart. After school, I’d just get in and drive around for fun—drifting, experimenting, enjoying it. I guess I started getting good at it.”That “dad” is Preetham Dev Moses, a seven-time national champion on bikes, and perhaps the man from whom Rivaan inherited his natural flair for racing. The legacy clearly lives on.
By the age of seven, he was already frequenting rental tracks, competing informally, honing his instincts. And in 2022, at just nine years old, Rivaan entered his first national championship—finishing a commendable sixth. What followed next was nothing short of extraordinary. He clinched back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024, stamping his authority as India’s brightest young karting star.
In April 2025, during the second round of the Champions of the Future series in Valencia, Spain, Rivaan faced a harsh test. An incident in qualifying saw him finish P21 and P27 in the initial heats. But what followed was a masterclass in composure and determination. Rivaan clawed his way back, qualified fifth in the second heat, and finished 11th in the final—among 37 international competitors—earning 22 championship points and clocking a fastest lap of 1:02.442.
So, what drives a child to bounce back with such resolve?
“I was calm after the first race,” he says simply, his tone disarmingly mature. “But I was enjoying the race. I just wanted to keep going, keep fighting for the win.”His mother, Ashrita Preetham, who was present during our conversation, adds an insightful observation:
“What helps Rivaan is that he never lets pressure affect him. He doesn’t overthink. Headphones on, calm demeanour—he just races. And funnily enough, the more pressure there is, the better he seems to perform.”
Competing in Europe has opened new horizons for the young racer, but it has also laid bare the structural challenges back home in India.
“Internationally, the drivers are a lot more experienced,” Rivaan notes. “In India, we have maybe eight racing weekends a year. Over there, they do 40 to 50 races annually. That experience makes a huge difference.”And it’s not just about seat time.“They race with the same grid throughout the year across championships like WSK and Champions of the Future. They know each other’s styles, strengths, weaknesses. Many of them do this full-time, racing five days a week and then competing over the weekend,” his mother adds.In contrast, in India, karting remains a niche pursuit, often hindered by financial limitations and logistical challenges. Yet, against this backdrop, Rivaan’s rise is even more remarkable. Rivaan races for team Msport and balances his training with studies at Lady Andal House of Children in Chennai, where he is currently in Grade 6.
With upcoming rounds scheduled in Italy, Hungary, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, the journey ahead is long, the competition fierce. But Rivaan remains unfazed. He approaches each race not with the weight of expectations, but with the joy of doing what he loves most.
He doesn’t see himself as a child prodigy or a national symbol. He’s just a boy with a go-kart, a passion, and an unflinching desire to go faster.
And perhaps that’s what makes him truly special.