Chennai – November 23 (LatestNewsX) – Actress Shalini, who had flown with her husband, actor Ajith Kumar, to Venice, Italy, said she was thrilled to share the moment. The couple celebrated Ajith’s “Gentleman Driver of the Year 2025” award, presented to honor the late entrepreneur and racing driver Philippe Charriol, with the actress posting photos on Instagram. Shalini wrote, “Honoured to stand beside my husband in Venice, as he is being awarded ‘Gentleman Driver of the Year 2025’ in honour of entrepreneur and racing driver, the late Philippe Charriol.”
The accolade came from SRO Motorsports Group, a global leader in GT racing, whose CEO Stéphane Ratel is a key figure in international motorsport. Ajith’s achievement is seen as fitting recognition for the actor who has turned his long‑standing dream of car racing into reality this year. He founded Ajith Kumar Racing, a team that competes in at least four demanding international championships and has already accrued several trophies. Uniquely, Ajith has not only owned the team but also taken to the track alongside its drivers.
In October, Ajith Kumar Racing wrapped up its first season, expressing sincere gratitude in a note that highlighted growth and resilience. The message read, “We could write countless stories from this incredible year, but that’s for another day. What matters most is that we grew stronger with every lap and every challenge. This is only the beginning.”
The team underscored the hard work behind each weekend: meticulous preparation, the loss and recovery from setbacks, and a quiet determination that pushed everyone forward. “The mechanics and engineers spent sleepless nights fine‑tuning machinery that demanded perfection. The drivers adapted to new tracks, new teams, and new weather conditions, pushing through physical and mental limits,” the team reflected.
They also admitted that moments of disappointment—mechanical glitches, missed chances, races that went off schedule—became stepping stones, each lap, win or loss, strengthening the group’s international insight.
Ajith Kumar Racing’s inaugural year was peppered with firsts: it became the first Indian outfit to race full‑time across multiple endurance series in Europe and the Middle East, and also achieved its first podium finish on the global stage.
The team expressed heartfelt thanks to everyone who backed them, from series organisers and partner teams to supporters and fans who showered them with love and encouragement at every race, post, and late‑night pit‑lane moment. “None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of the people and organisations who believed in the journey,” the team said.
As the debut season closed, Ajith Kumar Racing emphasised that it had not merely competed but evolved, with plans to carry the lessons learned into the next chapter with even more focus and dedication. Ajith himself added, “We couldn’t have done it without everyone who stood by us. This season was built on hard work and humility. We’ll carry forward everything we’ve learned into the next chapter with even greater focus and dedication.”
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