The making of an F1 driver
Overdrive — March 1 , 2005

For long, so long, Narain Karthikeyan has been on the verge of a Formula 1 drive coming agonisingly close but never quite getting there. On February 5 Narain finally put ink to paper and signed the deal with Jordan Grand Prix that will see him compete in all 19 rounds of the 2005 Formula 1 season. Sirish Chandran profiles the rise of the ‘Fastest Indian in the World’ from the junior ranks to the very pinnacle of motor racing.

Narain Karthikeyan’s climb to the pinnacle of motor racing has been a struggle of epic proportions. To put it into perspective, early this month as intense parlays were underway to tie up the monies required to secure the Jordan F1 drive, guess what Narain was busy doing? Learning the quickest way round the Runway 9 go-karting circuit in Hyderabad in the ‘Beat the Fastest Indian’ go-karting challenge, that’s what! Every racer cherishes his off-season – a time to relax away from the pressures of racing, a time to focus on the season ahead, a time to tie down sponsors and, importantly, a time to get into peak physical shape. But here was India’s only credible Formula 1 hope having to keep his sponsors smiling, proving his speed against a bunch of

young upstarts, weekend after weekend, in a little go-kart messing his training program. Not many will know this but the last single-seater Narain drove before climbing into the Jordan EJ15 on February 7 of at Silverstone was that 80cc Comer kart at Hyderabad. From 9bhp to 900bhp in a week, sounds like a fairy tale. Narain’s story though is nothing but a fairy tale.