The circuit is where Diana feels most herself. There are no theatrics, no distractions, just the kind of focus that empties the world of everything except the next corner. Becoming the first Indian woman to race a Ferrari in an international championship was never the goal in itself; the goal was simply to race. She began on Indian circuits in 2018, often being the only woman in a grid dominated by men, and learned early that silence and performance speak louder than introductions ever could.
In 2024, she made history as the first Indian woman to win a national saloon racing championship, and that victory, along with her steady improvement on track, drew the attention of Aligned Automation and Ferrari New Delhi. Their support opened the doors to the Ferrari Challenge Middle East, placing her on Formula One-certified circuits and pushing her into a new league of competition.
Speed, Discipline, and the Pursuit of Perfection
Racing looks glamorous from the outside, yet Diana describes it as an ongoing negotiation between discipline, mental stamina, and an intense presence that leaves no room for hesitation. “Your body is reacting, but your mind has to stay calm. The moment you let adrenaline take over, you lose precision,” she says, explaining that every decision inside the cockpit happens in fractions of a second. The difference between a podium finish and an early exit can be a single millisecond or a single lapse in concentration. Confidence in racing is rarely loud; it is quiet, meticulous, and measured. “I have learnt that fear and excitement feel identical in the body. What matters is how you label it,” she shares, turning what sounds like philosophy into something entirely practical.
Breaking Barriers Without Calling it a Rebellion
Motorsport remains a space where women are often treated as a rare exception rather than part of the landscape. Diana did not come into the sport to prove a point or represent a movement; she simply wanted to race. Yet, every time she lines up on the grid, a stereotype falls away somewhere. “I never wanted my journey to be framed by gender. I wanted to be judged by my lap times,” she says. The statement is not rebellious; rather, it is grounded in clarity. She recalls her early races in India, flanked by male racers who watched her with a mix of curiosity and doubt, and she answered all of it with the only thing that mattered on that track: speed.
The Machine That Becomes an Extension of Instinct
The Ferrari 296 Challenge that Diana drives is engineered for purity of performance. It is stripped of comfort, leaving only power, precision, and a direct connection to instinct. “When I am in the cockpit, there is no world outside. No noise. No expectations. Just instinct and the track,” she says. She now races on world-class circuits such as Yas Marina, Dubai Autodrome, and Bahrain International Circuit, treating every track like a new classroom, a place that teaches through repetition and humility.
The Courage to Begin Again
Behind every podium photograph are months of training, physical conditioning, mental conditioning, data analysis, and the often invisible emotional weight that sponsorship pressures bring. Diana does not sugar-coat it. “You must be obsessed. You must wake up wanting to get better. Even on the days when you fail,” she says. Her resilience comes from treating racing as both art and discipline, where progress is not linear and comfort is never guaranteed. “To succeed in motorsport, you need to be comfortable with constant discomfort.” It is a truth she carries without bitterness and with remarkable composure.
Diana Pundole is currently the only Indian woman competing in the Ferrari Challenge Middle East, racing against an international lineup of experienced drivers on FIA-grade Formula One circuits. Her focus remains uncomplicated. She is not here to represent possibility, nor is she here to make a statement. She is here to go faster than she did yesterday. “If someone sees me race and thinks, if she can do it, I can too, then that is enough,” she shares.
