Welcome To Zasha

From the moment the lights turned green from red at the traffic signals, Diana Pundole would put her foot on the pedal and speed ahead on the crowded Pune roads. That was the only background she had in racing before she decided to break barriers and compete in a male-dominated sport. She knew she had to work twice as hard to prove herself. It was her fierce determination and drive that led her to win multiple national titles and become India’s first woman to drive a 700-horsepower Ferrari race-spec car.

This 32-year-old mother of two from Pune, India, advises, “Never stop believing in yourself, despite the naysayers.” She had plenty of them, telling her to go back home, trying to demoralise her, saying it was not a place for her; however, her single-minded focus, along with muting the negativity, got her to the winning post.

Trained to be a teacher, never in her wildest dreams did Diana imagine that she would be racing around the world at full throttle! By some twist of fate, she heard about the nationwide Talent Hunt for Women in Motorsport organised by JK Tyres in Coimbatore and decided to take part. She believes it was a competitive spirit that led her to be selected as one of the top six from 200 participants, who were awarded a fellowship for a free year of driving in the JK Tyre National Racing Championship.

Once she experienced the thrill of speed and mastery over technique on the racetrack, Diana entered the Volkswagen Polo Cup championship. The following year, she competed in the MRF Saloon Cars National Championship. In 2024, she capped her six-year journey by winning the National Championship in Saloon cars, with multiple wins, fastest laps and pole positions.

It was a defining moment of pride as she stood first on the podium, defeating top male racers. Diana was the first female racing champion in India to win the MRF four-wheeler racing cars in the Saloon category.

Encouraged by her father, with whom she used to watch Formula One racing as a young girl, it was a pinch-me moment for Diana in November 2025 as she represented India on Formula 1 tracks across the Middle East, behind the wheel of the powerful Ferrari 296 Challenge car– one of the brand’s newest and most advanced track cars. The championship was hosted across some of the world’s most iconic Formula One circuits, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Diana says it was an incredible honour to represent India and race in a Ferrari on a global stage. She was thrilled to finish fourth overall with a personal best lap of 1:57.424 — a huge milestone, in the Passione Ferrari Club Challenge 2025, considering it was her first outing at that level. She hopes it encourages more women in Indian motorsport to follow their passion fearlessly.

For Diana, faith isn’t just something she practices in the Fire Temple, but carries it firmly into the cockpit. “Our religion isn’t passive; it’s a religion of action. When I’m on the grid, I strive for Asha—precision and excellence,” she reflects.

“Every lap is an opportunity to practice Hvarshta (good deeds) through hard work and integrity.  Ultimately, my religion taught me that we are ‘co-workers’ with the Divine to bring order and success into the world, and for me, that means pushing myself to be the best, most ethical driver I can be.”