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Time of India
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Senna Lives On: Ajith Kumar brings home McLaren Senna in tribute to his racing idol
Actor , who is known to be a huge fan of Ayrton Senna, has now got himself a brand new McLaren Senna car. The actor, who has been training hard at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France for his next racing challenge, only a couple of days ago clocked his personal best lap timing of 2:08.571 while testing in the Porsche GT3 R. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Announcing the news that he had bought a McLaren Senna, the actor's racing team, Ajith Kumar Racing, on its X timeline, put out a picture of the actor with his car and wrote, "Senna brought to life with Kumar bringing the McLaren Senna home!" Ajith has already disclosed that Ayrton Senna is his idol in the racing world. The actor, in an interview, had said, "My favourite person, who, like you say, I idolise, is Ayrton Senna." It may also be recalled that a few days ago, a video clip that showed Ajith paying his respects to a statue of the legendary Formula One racer at the Senna Memorial in Sao Paulo, Brazil, had gone viral. In the video clip, Ajith was seen kissing the feet of the life-sized statue of Ayrton Senna. The actor, who has actively been pursuing his passion of motorsport racing, has done the country proud at least thrice on the race tracks in 2025. For the unaware, Ajith is not only racing but is also the owner of the team Ajith Kumar Racing. Ajith's other teammates who participate with him in races are Mathieu Detry, Duffieux and Cameron McLeod. Ajith's team has roped in Bas Koeten Racing as its technical and logistical partner. The actor's team began the year on a winning note, emerging third in the 991 category of the 24H Dubai 2025. The actor and his racing team then emerged third in the intensely contested 12H Mugello car racing event in Italy. He and his team followed it up with a third podium finish at the Creventic Endurance Race held at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, in the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup category, where they secured the second place. --IANS mkr/
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Ajith's friends, family tried to ‘talk sense' into him when he started racing again but father offered support: ‘The day you start earning…'
After rising through the ranks and becoming one of the biggest stars Tamil cinema has ever seen, actor Ajith Kumar has returned to where his heart truly lies: the racing tracks. In fact, he has never shied away from admitting that he had little interest in cinema to begin with. However, when financial constraints began to mount, Ajith seized a timely opportunity to enter the film industry, also recognising it as a means to fund his passion for racing. Though he has occasionally returned to the tracks over the years, he recently took a significant step by launching his own official team, Ajith Kumar Racing. The team made its mark at the 24H Dubai 2025 endurance race this January and also secured a podium finish at the renowned Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium earlier this month. However, back in the early 2000s, when Ajith decided to take a break from acting and return to racing, not everyone close to him was fully supportive. Nevertheless, his father, P Subramaniam, stood by his decision, especially since he had made a promise to his son years before. 'I remember one thing that my father told me very clearly: 'The day you start earning your bread and butter, you can do whatever you want to.' When I decided to start racing again in 2002, a lot of friends and extended family members tried to 'talk sense' into me. But my father stood up for me then, saying that he had assured me that, the day I started making my own money, I was free to do what I wanted. 'He's achieved a decent amount of success. So let him decide what he wants to do,' my father told them,' he recalled during a chat with Mashable India. Must Read | How a trip to Sri Lanka sparked backlash against Asin Thottumkal and impacted her Tamil film career: 'Involved merely in the capacity of an artiste' A post shared by Ajith Kumar Racing Team (@ajithkumarracing) A post shared by Ajith Kumar Racing Team (@ajithkumarracing) During the conversation, he also addressed his decision to back out of racing in the Dubai 24H series after a major crash. Many had, at that time, dubbed his act as a 'selfless' gesture. 'We were doing pretty well during the practice for the Dubai race. We were four drivers: Mathew, Fabian, Cameron and I. We were doing pretty well until I had a crash in the practice session two days before the race. The car was written off, unfortunately. So, we, as a team, decided it was best if I stepped back because we knew we had a chance at the podium. I didn't want to ruin it for my team,' he stated. Opening up about how he plans to juggle his acting and racing careers, Ajith revealed that he has devised a strategy to ensure that one doesn't overlap with the other. 'To make things easier and possible, I have decided not to do films during the racing season. It begins in March and goes on till either mid-September or mid-October. This gives me time to finish or put together a project between October and February-March of the next year before I start racing again.'
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Ajith reveals his parents couldn't support him in motorsport due to financial issues: ‘You either pursue education or start working…'
Actor Ajith Kumar recently thrilled his fans by participating in numerous car races abroad, and his passion for motorsport at this age has become commendable. Earlier this year, Ajith impressed motorsport enthusiasts with a strong showing at the 24H Dubai 2025 endurance race. His team soon climbed the podium at Belgium's iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, proving their mettle against international competition. Ajith about financial struggle The actor has now revealed how his family could not afford to support his passion during the initial stages, and how he had to opt for a type of motor racing that was comparatively less expensive. In a conversation with Mashable India, Ajith opened up about his parents not being wealthy enough to fund his passion — but they never stood in the way of any of his wishes. 03:02 Ajith Kumar receives Padma Bhushan honor Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tukarkan Bitcoin dan Ethereum - Tanpa Dompet Diperlukan! IC Markets MULAI SEKARANG Undo 'I started by racing bikes because it was more affordable. I'm very grateful that I had parents who weren't opposed to my participation. But my father, very honestly, told me, 'Look, Ajith, it's a very expensive sport. I may not be able to support you. But if you find your sponsors and can find a way around it, go ahead.' Since I dropped out of school, my parents were very clear about one thing. They said, 'You either pursue education and academics to at least get a basic degree, or you start working — no wasting time.' I chose the latter — to work,' he shared. Ajith also recalled the turning point in his motorsport journey and his debut in 1990. Work front On the work front, Ajith was last seen in 'Good Bad Ugly', directed by Adhik Ravichandran. The movie also featured Trisha Krishnan in a key role. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Indian Express
Ajith recalls his parents' advice when he expressed desire to pursue ‘expensive sport' of racing: ‘You either start working or…'
Tamil star Ajith Kumar has proven by example that it's never too late to pursue your dreams. At the age of 54 and at the peak of his cinema career, Ajith has made a bold return to the world of motor racing — his true passion — and is currently making impressive strides in the field. Following his team Ajith Kumar Racing's spectacular performance at the 24H Dubai 2025 endurance race this January, they went on to secure a podium finish at the renowned Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium too. Nonetheless, Ajith's interest isn't limited to car racing, and he also once ventured into bike racing. In fact, his motorsport journey began with motorcycle racing, which was a more accessible option for him financially, as he did not come from a affluent background. While his parents couldn't provide financial support, Ajith recently revealed that they were never against his dreams. He also shared that when he decided to return to racing after finding success in cinema, his father supported him wholeheartedly. A post shared by Ajith Kumar Racing Team (@ajithkumarracing) 'I started by racing bikes because it was more affordable. I'm very grateful that I had parents who weren't opposed to my participation. But my father, very honestly, told me, 'Look, Ajith, it's a very expensive sport. I may not be able to support you. But if you find your sponsors and can find a way around it, go ahead.' Since I dropped out of school, my parents were very clear about one thing. They said, 'You either pursue education and academics to at least get a basic degree, or you start working; no wasting time.' I chose the latter; to work,' he shared during a chat with Mashable India. He also revealed that it was in 1990, when the racing scene moved from Sholavaram and the first Grand Prix was held at Irungattukottai, that he made his debut. Unlike last year, when he had no new releases, two films featuring Ajith Kumar have already hit the screens this year and that too in the first four months itself. While director Magizh Thirumeni's Vidaamuyarchi did not achieve the expected success, he managed to make a massive comeback with Adhik Ravichandran's Good Bad Ugly. Both movies featured Trisha Krishnan as the female lead.
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
'Couple goals': Ajith Kumar feeds cake to wife Shalini in cute video as they celebrate 25 years of togetherness. Watch
Actor Ajith Kumar celebrated 25 years of marriage with his wife Shalini on April 24. The couple delighted fans with an adorable video offering a glimpse into their intimate celebration. Keeping things low-key yet heartfelt, the duo once again set major couple goals for the internet. (Also Read: Ajith Kumar kisses wife Shalini; thanks her for 'letting him race' at 24H Dubai 2025. Watch) On Thursday, Shalini took to Instagram and shared a video from their 25th wedding anniversary celebration. The couple indulged in a simple cake-cutting ceremony and were seen feeding cake to each other in the sweet video. While Ajith looked charming in a clean-shaven look, wearing a blue shirt and black trousers, Shalini opted for a long blue A-line kurta paired with matching leggings. Sharing the video, Shalini added sparkle and red heart emojis in the caption. A post shared by Shalini Ajith Kumar (@shaliniajithkumar2022) Fans couldn't stop gushing over the adorable clip. One comment read, 'You both are the reason I still believe in the magic of true love.' Another said, 'You guys are couple goals.' A third wrote, '25 years & still giving us butterflies! Happy anniversary to Thala & Shalini ma'am — the OG fairytale couple.' One fan added, 'My man is just setting the standards every year,' while another said, 'Best, cutest video of the day!' Ajith began dating Shalini during the shoot of Saran's Amarkalam in 1999. He proposed to her in June the same year, and the couple tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony in April 2000 in Chennai. They welcomed their daughter in 2008 and their son in 2015. Recently, after Ajith secured two wins at the 24H Dubai 2025 endurance race, a video of the actor celebrating with a passionate kiss with his wife went viral, leaving fans swooning over their chemistry. Ajith's latest release, the action-comedy Good Bad Ugly, directed by Adhik Ravichandran and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, opened to a mixed response from both audiences and critics. The film follows a retired gangster who returns to his violent ways after his son is wrongfully convicted. Alongside Ajith, the film features Trisha Krishnan, Arjun Das, Sunil, Karthikeya Dev, Priya Prakash Varrier, Prabhu, Prasanna, Tinnu Anand and Raghu Ram in key roles. It emerged as the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2025, earning ₹227 crore worldwide.
