Not a movie: CM Vijay to flag off race as actor Ajith Kumar competes at Silverstone

Two of Indian cinema's biggest stars, and two names who have dominated Tamil cinema for decades, are set to cross paths in a rather unusual setting this weekend.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and actor C. Joseph Vijay will be at the iconic Silverstone circuit in the UK on Saturday, where he will wave the green flag to officially start the Michelin Le Mans Cup race.

And one of Tamil cinema's other biggest stars will actually be on the grid.

Actor and racer Ajith Kumar will compete in the race, bringing together two of the most recognisable names in Indian cinema at one of the world's most famous motor racing circuits.

Vijay has been invited as a special guest for the fifth round of the 2026 Michelin Le Mans Cup and will also be there to support the Indian drivers competing at Silverstone.

Ajith will compete in the LMP3 Pro/Am category for Ajith RedAnt by Virage, sharing the No 16 Ligier with French driver Romain Vozniak.

The Michelin Le Mans Cup itself describes Ajith as an "Indian cinema superstar". He has been competing in motorsport alongside his hugely successful acting career and joined the championship for the 2026 season.

And he is not the only Indian name involved.

Former Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan and Aditya Patel are also part of the Indian contingent competing at Silverstone this weekend.

Vijay's presence also comes at an interesting time for motorsport in Tamil Nadu.

His government recently announced plans for a dedicated Motor Sports City in Chennai as part of a wider push to develop sporting infrastructure.

Ajith welcomed the announcement, calling it a "giant leap for motorsports in India".

For those who mainly follow Formula One, this is a very different type of racing.

While F1 is single seater racing, the Michelin Le Mans Cup is an endurance racing championship where two drivers share a car.

And it should not be seen as the endurance racing equivalent of F1.

Launched in 2016, the championship is more of an entry point into the world of endurance racing, providing a pathway for drivers looking to progress towards bigger competitions such as the European Le Mans Series and ultimately the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The championship features LMP3, LMP3 Pro/Am and GT3 categories.

Ajith races in LMP3 Pro/Am, driving a purpose built Le Mans Prototype rather than the type of open wheel single seater car seen in Formula One.

The championship also takes its drivers to some of Europe's most famous racing circuits. The 2026 calendar includes Barcelona, Paul Ricard, Le Mans, Spa Francorchamps, Silverstone and Portimão.

The Silverstone round will take place on Saturday, September 12, with a two hour race around the famous 5.891km Grand Prix circuit.

For Indian motorsport fans, there will already be plenty to watch with Ajith, Karthikeyan and Patel involved.

But for millions of Tamil cinema fans, it will also produce a rather unusual sight: Vijay waving the green flag at Silverstone and Ajith actually racing after it.