Chennai, Feb. 13 -- Indian karting sensation Rivaan Dev Preetham has been signed by Minardi Management (MM), the driver agency founded by the family behind former Formula One team Minardi, marking a landmark moment in Indian motorsport, according to a release.

Rivaan becomes the first Indian driver to join the programme led by renowned mentor Giovanni Minardi.

The agreement comes just days before the 12-year-old departs for Valencia, Spain, for the opening round of the 2026 Champions of the Future Academy series. MM, powered by DAG Ltd, has signed Rivaan following an impressive rise through the Indian karting ranks.

Having begun competitive karting in 2022 with MSport, he won three consecutive MECO FMSCI Indian National Karting Champio...