Dilantha Malagamuwa
Dilantha Malagamuwa | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 24, 1963 Kurunegala, Sri Lanka |
| Occupation | Professional racing driver |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Known for | First non-Japanese Asian competitor in Japanese Formula Nippon; founder of Dilango Racing Team |
Dilantha Ranjula Bandara Malagamuwa (born 24 June 1963) is a professional racing driver from Sri Lanka, currently representing the Dilango Racing Team, an outfit he established in 2009.
Early life
Originally from Kurunegala, Malagamuwa attended St. Anne's College and later Trinity College in Kandy. He embarked on his racing journey at the age of 16, securing a victory in a motorcycle race early in his career. Motivated by his sisters, his father invested in a Yamaha TZ350 for him. His international debut came in 1983 at an event in Calcutta, India, where he placed sixth. During this event, he connected with Japanese racer Matsumoto Kenmei, who inspired him to continue racing in Japan. Consequently, Malagamuwa relocated to Japan in 1985 and made history in 1997 as the first non-Japanese Asian competitor in the premier Japanese Formula Nippon (F3000) series.
Racing career achievements
- 1995 – N1 Championship (Japan) – Champion
- 2002 – Bathurst 24 Hours (Australia) – Class A Runner-Up
- 2006 & 2007 – Malaysia Super Car Series – Champion
- 2008 & 2009 – Aston Martin Asia Cup – Runner-Up
- 2010 – Malaysia GT Super Series – Runner-Up
- 2010 – GT Asia – Champion
- 2011 – GT Asia – Runner-Up
- 2011 – Malaysia GT Super Series – Champion
- 2013 – Asian Le Mans Series – GTC Am Champion
- 2014 & 2015 – Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Series – Runner-Up
- 2016 – Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Series – PRO-AM B Champion
- 2017 – NGK Enduro 3 Hour Endurance Race (Dubai) – Champion
- 2017 – Blancpain GT Sports Club – Xtra Class Champion
- 2017 – Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Finals, Imola, Italy (Race 2) – Third Place (AM Class, fifth overall)
- 2019 – Blancpain GT Sports Club European Championship – Third Place (Titanium Class)
- 2023 – Katukurunda Speed SLGT 3500CC (Race 1 Winner, Race 2 Fourth Place)
Awards and recognition
Following his participation in Japan’s elite Formula Nippon series in 1997, Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi acknowledged Dilantha as the pioneering non-Japanese Asian to reach this level.
In recognition of his international motorsport achievements, the Sri Lanka Auto Sports Association awarded him the national colours honor in 2012. This accolade was presented by SLAS president Rizvi Farook alongside Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.
Dilantha also acted as Brand Ambassador for the SLIM 14th Brand Excellence awards under the campaign ‘Will you race ahead of the rest?’.
At the Presidential Awards of Sri Lanka in 2015, President Maithripala Sirisena bestowed runner-up honors on Dilango Racing as "Most Outstanding Leisure Sports Provider" and on Dilantha as "Most Outstanding Sportsman."
During the esteemed Sports First Platinum Awards of 2016, he earned titles for "Best Motor Sport Athlete" and "Most Popular Player."
On 19 November 2017, Dilantha achieved third place in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Finals (AM category), marking him as the first Sri Lankan to claim a global motorsport accolade. Despite a crash during Race 1 that impacted his overall position, he secured fifth place overall.
On 20 September 2018, he was honored with the Ada Derana Sri Lankan of the Year award in sports for his contributions to advancing motor racing within Sri Lanka.
Personal life
Dilantha possesses citizenship in Sri Lanka and holds permanent resident status in Japan. He lives in Sri Lanka with his family and manages racing schools located at Katukurundha as well as at the Sepang International Racing Circuit in Malaysia.
Racing life with Dilantha Malagamuwa (TV show)
In 2016, Dilango Racing introduced Racing life with Dilantha Malagamuwa, a television series that captures their international racing experiences. The debut episode was broadcast on ITN on 21 September 2016. The initial season consisted of 26 weekly episodes aired during prime time, wrapping up on 29 March 2017. Owing to strong audience ratings, ITN approved a second season.
This series chronicles Dilantha’s global racing expeditions, emphasizing key career achievements through his personal narration.
Season 1
The first season was hosted and directed by Manuranga Wijesekara, formerly a presenter on Sirasa Superstar, who also penned the theme song "Vegayen Dhuwana Sinhayo", with music composed by Lahiru Perera (La Singore). The creative team included Zayan Jeffry handling cinematography and Eshan Motagedhara responsible for editing and production. Prominent Sri Lankan artists appeared throughout the season.
Season 2
Season two launched earlier than initially scheduled, premiering in June on Fridays at 7:00 pm on ITN. This season concentrated on races across Europe and featured a new studio set established at Vivid Motions. The final episode aired on 8 December 2017.
Season 3
Ending on 12 December 2018, the third season saw Dilantha assume hosting responsibilities midway through, replacing Manuranga Wijesekara. The production crew remained unchanged, with episodes directed by both Zayan Jeffry and Eshan Motagedhara. This installment included an appearance by cricketer Lasith Malinga.
Ratha Gaaya (TV show)
Following a two-year break, Pit Pass Sri Lanka—a motorsport network founded by producer Eshan Motagedhara—launched Ratha Gaaya, which documents Dilantha’s racing activities from the 2020 season onward. The show features co-driver Ashan Silva alongside the CMPM comedy duo Suneth Chithrananda and Gaminda Prithviraj. Its premiere was broadcast on ITN on 2 May 2021.
Acting career
Dilantha is preparing for his film debut in Eranga Senaratne’s movie Nilu Man Adarei.