Nepal’s Motorsports Team Gears Up for Asia Pacific Championship in Sri Lanka
3rd September 2025, Kathmandu
In a testament to the rapid evolution of motorsports in Nepal, a team of six dedicated athletes is set to represent the nation at the prestigious Asia Pacific Motorsports Championship.
Nepal Motorsport Asia Pacific Championship
The second edition of the competition, described as the biggest Olympic-style motorsports event in the Asia-Pacific region, will be held from September 26 to 28, 2025, at the Sri Lanka Karting Circuit in Colombo.
The championship, which was first launched in 2023 at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit, aims to provide a vital platform for young talents and emerging motorsports nations.
Sanctioned as an Intercontinental Games event on the annual calendar of the FIA (International Automobile Federation), the competition features a variety of disciplines, including Auto Gymkhana, Cross-Car Autocross, Karting Sprint, Karting Endurance, Karting Slalom, and E-Sports.
Nepal will be making its mark in three key disciplines: Auto Gymkhana, Cross-Car Autocross, and E-Sports. The six-member Nepali contingent comprises a mix of seasoned veterans and rising stars: Ashish Bharti, Rajkumar Karki, Bipashna Tamang, Jay Pratap Maske, Rabin Sunwar, and Roshan Adhikari.
Meet the Team: The Drivers Behind the Wheel
Each member of Team Nepal brings a unique story and a deep passion for the sport.
Rajkumar Karki (Auto Gymkhana Competitor): Hailing from Nuwakot, 28-year-old Rajkumar Karki is a name well-known in the Nepali motorsports community.
With over a decade of experience, his journey began in 2017 at the Gothatar Moto Flat Track Racing, where he won the Best Rider Award.
Rajkumar has since secured more than ten podium finishes, a national record. His international experience includes races in Thailand and India, and a notable appearance in the FIM Asia Cup of Road Racing in 2019 and 2023.
A broken arm in a 2023 race led him to shift to four-wheelers, where he quickly found success, finishing second in both the National Autocross Championship and the Bagmati Auto Gymkhana Championship.
“With better tracks, training, and sponsorship, Nepali racers can excel internationally,” says Karki, who is determined to give his all in Colombo.
Rabin (Rehan) Sunwar (Cross-Car Autocross Competitor): At 27, Rabin Sunwar of Budhanilkantha is making his international debut. He started his motorsports career in 2022 and has since achieved commendable results, including a runner-up position at the 2025 Mount Everest Motorsports Festival Autocross.
“I started driving at 14-15,” says Rabin. “Now, I want to raise Nepal’s flag in Colombo. With more training and government support, we can deliver even better.”
Jay Pratap Maske (Cross-Car Autocross Competitor): From Boudha, Kathmandu, 29-year-old Jay Pratap Maske is a versatile talent. Primarily a sim-racer, he represented Nepal at the Olympic E-Sports Series in Singapore in 2023, a historic first for a Nepali athlete.
Jay’s motorsports journey includes National Karting Slalom and car racing events. He sees cross-car events, being relatively new globally, as a fantastic opportunity for Nepal.
Bipashna Tamang (Auto Gymkhana Competitor): The 27-year-old from Changunarayan, Bhaktapur, Bipashna Tamang has a story of determination. Her passion for racing started in her childhood, and she entered motorsports after working as an event host.
Her talent shone through when she finished second in her first national event, the Bagmati Auto Gymkhana Championship. Bipashna is stepping in for the famous racer Barsha Basnet, who couldn’t participate. “I always dreamed of racing internationally.
Now, that dream is coming true,” she said, while also calling for more government investment and private sponsorships for Nepali racers.
Ashish (Rony) Bharti (Auto Gymkhana Competitor): One of Nepal’s top four-wheel racers, 31-year-old Ashish Bharti from Lalitpur is a familiar face at the championship, having competed in the first edition in 2023.
With a background in mechanical engineering, his passion for racing began in the Philippines. Ashish has an impressive resume, with wins at major domestic events and international races in India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. For Ashish, racing is a lifestyle, and he asserts, “I can eat, drink, and sleep cars.”
Roshan Adhikari (E-Sports – iRacing Competitor): At 25, Roshan Adhikari from Kaski is a rising star in the world of virtual racing. He started his career in 2018 in India and has been competing in Australian e-sports events since 2022.
This will be his first official Asia-Pacific event, which he considers a major milestone. “My goal is to fly Nepal’s flag internationally through both virtual and real racing,” says Roshan.
A Growing Sport with a Bright Future
The Nepali team is managed by Ashish Rauniyar, who is also the Secretary of the Marshall & Training Commission. “All our players are champions in their own right, and NASA Nepal is fully supporting them,” Rauniyar said, expressing confidence in the team’s performance.
Motorsports in Nepal has a short but impactful history. According to Govinda Bhattarai, Executive Director of NASA Nepal, the sport gained formal ground about 15 years ago after the establishment of NASA Nepal in 2008 and its subsequent membership with the FIA and FIM in 2011.
Since then, around 50 Nepali racers have competed internationally, securing four podium finishes. Bhattarai expects this number to grow rapidly, signaling a promising future for motorsports in the country.
