(February 23, 2026) The Indian motorsports racing driver has walked away from plenty of crashes, lost races, sometimes even coming last. Yet, the iron-willed racer is unstoppable. Many ridiculed and criticised her initially for choosing motor racing over a stable job. Some even saying she did not belong there. But Diana Pundole let her stellar performances do the talking.
So when Diana recently became the first Indian woman to compete in a Ferrari on the international stage in Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain — she not only shut down everyone who made light of her, but also proved how passion, courage and determination can turn dreams into reality.
“I have always been fascinated by speed. My approach in life, and on the race track, is to expect the worst. It drives me to work harder, stay sharp and remain adaptable in the face of unpredictability,” smiles Diana, in a chat with Global Indian. In 2024, she had made history as the first Indian woman to win the MRF National Racing Championship in the Saloon Car category.
Racing in the Middle East
Participating in the Ferrari Challenge Middle East was an incredible journey, says Diana. “The level of competition is intense, with drivers from all over the world bringing their unique styles to the track. The atmosphere is charged with global energy, and the standards of professionalism, technology, and speed are exceptional.”
It all began in Abu Dhabi on the iconic Yas Marina F1 circuit — her first time racing in an international championship, surrounded by 20 world-class drivers. “With all the racing experience I’ve gained in India and Dubai, I managed to finish fourth in my debut race on November 9, 2025, a moment I will cherish forever,” says Diana, whose racing journey began in 2018 through the JK Tyre Women in Motorsport programme.
Round two: New terrain, new challenge
On December 20, 2025 she competed in Round Two at the Bahrain International Circuit. “It was a track I’d never raced on before — new terrain, new challenges, and yet, I shocked myself by finishing second.”
The icing on the cake came in the form of a trophy she received for completing the maximum laps — 88 laps during the six-hour session. “The tracks in the Middle East are more technically demanding than anything I faced in India,” says Diana, who saw this as a learning ground, a chance to grow and push her limits.
“But in that moment when I realised I was second on the podium, I felt an overwhelming surge of pride and joy,” smiles Diana, for whom the most demanding part about driving this new Ferrari 296 Challenge on a new track was mastering the unfamiliar terrain and pushing the limits of her comfort zone simultaneously.
Conquering Jeddah’s fastest street circuit
Going forward, she even secured second place at Jeddah Corniche, the fastest street race in the Formula 1 Grand Prix calendar. “This is a blisteringly fast race with 27 corners, 13 of which are blind, fast corners, with average speeds of 180 kmph and a top speed of 288 kmph.”
She says this track is known to be very intimidating and thrilling because of its blind corners and lack of run-off areas. “I had never been on this track and had barely any practice but still stood in second position,” says the ace racer, who believes that when one stops worrying about the outcome and focuses solely on the effort, success naturally follows.
Racing for India
Carrying the responsibility of representing India on the international stage is both a heavy and exciting feeling. “I feel a deep sense of honour, but also definitely a lot of pressure to do justice to my country’s talent,” says Diana, who is excited about the next two rounds, which will be at Qatar’s Lusail International Circuit in February 2026 and the Dubai Autodrome in April, the season’s finale.
Prepping up
Diana says it’s ongoing off-track prep with strength training, spine mobility, isometric holds and cardio for two hours every day, with no breaks allowed except on race weekends. “Once race week starts, I begin my preparation by taking total command of the race strategy, sitting down with my coach to divide each session and dictate exactly how the sessions will run.”
Diana studies the data, analyses the fastest laps on the circuit in maximum detail, always considering the climate, track temperature, tyre pressure, fuel levels and various other parameters. She focuses on a “quality over quantity” approach. “I opt for short, high-intensity bursts of 3–4 laps followed by immediate data study to keep my head clear and my tyres fresh, while receiving precise traffic updates to navigate the risks of the track layout.”
Laps in the head
The night before, she spends ten minutes visualising her lines and planning how to adjust her inputs as the tyres wear down. “On the days before a race, I take it further, sitting up in bed or wherever, and run full laps in my head.”
Diana goes through the entire sequence — hands on an imaginary wheel, mimicking the gear shifts and the pressure on the pedals, even humming the engine notes to herself with every gear shift. “By the time I head to the track, I have already ‘driven’ the circuit so many times with my eyes closed, ensuring every turn is locked in.”
To finalise the prep, she goes for a track walk to get a physical look at the kerbs and surface. “Going around in the buggy or on foot allows me to cross-reference my mental map with the actual tarmac.”
Pune girl with Parsi roots
Diana grew up in a loving, close-knit Parsi family that encouraged her to experience everything in life. While her mother, Jasmine Rana, holds a degree in law, her father, Darius Buhariwalla, is a hotelier in Pune.
Her parents introduced her to all kinds of sports and activities quite early on. These included tennis, swimming, bicycling, table tennis, football, skating, badminton, martial arts, hiking and even go-karting. She learnt cooking and farming as well. “Because of this early exposure, I got used to aggressive competition and always wanted to win and be the best.”
She grew up very close to her maternal grandparents who lived in Bombay. “My life was split between Bombay and Pune as I studied at Dastur School (Pune) and spent every single holiday and long weekend in Bombay or at the family farmhouse in the ‘chikoo’ belt of Dahanu,” says Diana, who did quite well academically. She graduated from university with a Master’s in English Literature and Phonetics from Wadia College in Pune.
Racing in the blood
Driving and racing were instilled in Diana from a very young age. Both her parents were excellent drivers. “My father would not miss a single Formula 1 race weekend for anything else,” recalls Diana, who grew up watching Top Gear on TV and reading and listening to Jeremy Clarkson, Tiff Needell, Vicky Butler-Henderson and the like.
Her grandfather encouraged her to do a reasonable amount of go-karting when she was seven. “My mother taught me how to drive,” says the racer, who started karting as a recreational hobby in school and college, profoundly unaware of her skills and talent.
The turning point
While driving was a passion from the start, she decided to pursue a career in teaching at a school. She approached the Principal of St Mary’s School in Pune, who happened to be her school teacher back in the day.
She had almost bagged the job and was about to join when she came across an advertisement calling all women who liked driving to participate in a nationwide talent hunt for women in motorsport held at Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore. “I competed with about 200 participants from all over India and emerged among the top six women who won a fully sponsored racing season in the JKNRC.”
Choosing motorsport over security
Diana gave up the teaching job and took the plunge into motorsport. “Some people called me crazy and irresponsible, others thought I was not talented enough. Sometimes, my own coach would tell me I don’t belong in this field and that I should go back home.”
But Diana was not one to give up. She continued participating in open-wheel racing events and went on to compete in the MRF National Racing Championships and Autocross races at the Buddh International Circuit, winning them.
Racing in India
She then decided to sharpen her racing skills and went back to karting, followed by rigorous training backed by Racetech India at the Autodrome in Dubai and Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi. “Over a period of time, I got better at the wheel. In the 2023 season, I was the first female to be awarded the fastest lap in official practice and qualifying in all races as well.”
The following year, she made history as the first Indian female to win the MRF National Racing Championship 2024 in the Saloon Car category. “This made me the only Indian female who won on equal footing with men in a four-wheeler National Championship in the country’s history.”
After this acclaimed achievement, she continued pursuing and testing different racing cars in the UAE. “Eventually, I was recognised by Alined Automation, who included me in their corporate sponsorship plan and sponsored my next move, which is racing in the Ferrari Challenge Series.”
So what’s coming?
“I am going to a six-hour race in Abu Dhabi next winter, followed by the 24 Hours of Dubai endurance race in the Middle East season, and the Porsche Swiss Cup in Europe in summer,” says Diana, who otherwise drives a Mercedes AMG GLA, a BMW M2 Competition, and a Toyota Innova Hybrid when in her home city.
Beyond racing
When not driving, Diana loves gardening. “I’m a nature girl. I love growing my own fruits, vegetables and exotic flowers,” says the racer, who also loves baking, reading literature, painting with oil on canvas and helping the needy. Diana volunteers at a blind school to help visually impaired children appear for written examinations and tries to assist in any other way she can.
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