Formula1, here I come
Overdrive — March 1 , 2005

Narain's done it! Ever since he first sat in a racing car Narain Karthikeyan knew he wanted to get to race in Formula 1 and made sure anybody (who cared to listen) was well aware of it. Rarely would an encounter go by without the 'F' word cropping up and, of course, most of us took all that F1 talk with a pinch of salt. Or, if we're being honest, a spoonful. Proved us all wrong then, he has.

Midland who?

Alex Shnaider, the 36-year-old Russian-born naturalised Canadian citizen has made a fortune through the privately-owned Midland Group. The Guernsey-registered and Toronto-headquartered firm has extensive interests across Russia, the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in old-fashioned heavy industries, manufacturing, construction, agriculture and scrap metal dealing. Two years back Midland bought Armenia's state electricity distributor and they also have a plant in Serbia making rubber and plastic seals for the automotive industry. Recently the company joined forces with US casino magnate Donald Trump in building a luxury hotel and residential complex in Toronto but the core business remains unfashionable.

"The group's core business is the global trade and distribution of ferrous products," the company says on its website.
Shnaider is committed to bringing F1 to Russia, "Russia would get very positive exposure from staging a Formula One race and it would be a pleasure for me to be instrumental in making that happen," he said recently. A Russian F1 driver is also one his agenda and has signed on Roman Rusinov will test the '06 car this year and could also be used by Jordan. The group are planning the Jordan launch in Moscow's Red Square on February 25 with President Vladimir Putin on the guest list. His political connections can be gauged by the fact that Boris Yelstin Jr, grandson of Russia's former president is the marketing director of the Midland team.

Significantly Midland will reap huge benefits from signing on Narain. Not only has Narain brought in much needed funds but the Midland group who are eyeing the Indian iron and steel market for a potential expansion will get much needed visibility. Which, after all, is why they are in F1 in the first place.

It was only a month back that Narain was in the frame for a Red Bull race seat. And then David Coulthard showed up to spoil Narain's party while Vitantonio Luizzi ruined the potential test driver role too. Like the years prior, 2005 looked like yet another season to be spent in the Nissan World Series (now re-branded World Series by Renault) bagging the occasional pole and a podium here and there. No, not really the ideal scenario for someone who's been knocking on F1's door for so long, coming agonisingly close on many an occasion. And of course he isn't getting any younger either.

Then Lady Luck shows up. Luck has rarely had a positive role to play in Narain's career but when she did decide to show up, she couldn't have picked a more bewildering set of circumstances to bring Narain to where he finds himself today.

The dice got rolling at last year's Japanese Grand Prix where Russian-born Canadian tycoon Alex Shnaider announced plans to enter a team in 2006 to promote the worldwide business interests of his Midland group. Italian constructor Dallara (who scored 15 points in 78 Grands Prix between 1988 and 1992) was commissioned to build a chassis for '06 and Narain's old Formula 3 and F-Nissan team boss Trevor Carlin was roped in as sporting director. "This is a 2006 project," said Carlin firmly when he took on the role. "It is physically impossible to be on the grid next year - and it was never the case that that was what we were aiming for."

Never take anything at face value in F1 and sure enough three months down the line the Midland group inked a deal to buy out of Jordan Grand Prix lock, stock and barrel. Made sound economic sense; make use of Jordan's pie of the TV revenue and avoid the $48 million bond new teams are required to deposit at Bernie's doorstep. Eddie Jordan had for long expressed a desire to pull out of F1 and this was his perfect exit route, not to forget the fact that Midland inherited a team of experienced engineers and a well-organised engineering set-up as well. However with all of Midland's funds ($100-$150 million) earmarked for the 2006 car Trevor Carlin had to find two capable drivers, capable not only in their ability behind the wheel but also in their ability to bring in the funds to sustain the operation in 2005. Out went a call to long time protégé and friend Narain Karthikeyan and in stepped a consortium of Indian sponsors led by the Tata group, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and JK Tyres to make the Indian F1 dream a reality. Carlin again, "The original concept of Midland F1 was to start from scratch but the Jordan purchase has given us a good opportunity to be better prepared for 2006. Bringing Narain and Tiago (Monteiro) into the team will be welcoming old friends who will give us a measure of stability in this challenging first year."

Monies rumoured to be in the region of Rs 30 crore will have to be raised by Narain's Indian sponsors, probably a similar amount by his Portuguese team-mate Tiago Monteiro. However let not for a moment assume Narain has made it to F1 just on the back of a load of rupees. Renta-drivers are an integral part of the modern F1 landscape; even three-time world champion Niki Lauda had to buy his way into F1. So let's not be too quick to judge Narain - he's here because he is one of the fastest drivers in the world and has proved as much time and time again.

India. Next in line?
Narain stepping up to F1 is a significant for F1 commercial boss, Bernie Ecclestone. Not so long ago he was quoted as saying, "In the next ten years, Europe is going to become a third world economy. There's no way Europe will be able to compete with China, Korea and India". With the $325 million Shanghai circuit and now Narains deal with Jordan F1 has gained footholds in the two most populous nations ensuring the growth of the sport.

Today Bahrain caters to F1 in the Middle East (with Qatar set to follow) while this year Turkey will make it to the calendar with a brand new facility on the Asian side of Istanbul. Next year Mexico will return after a 14-year absence with a $70milllion circuit near Cancun on the Caribbean coast while Bernie remains confident of returning to Africa in the next five years, courtesy the South African GP hosted by Cape Town. Even Russia is getting there, the Midland group are committed bringing a Russian through the F1 ranks and could also revive plans for a Moscow GP.

However Bernie's main priority remains getting an American driver into the sport. Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz has often spoken of his dream for an all-American racing team. That's on hold for the moment, "we need an American engine manufacturer and American drivers, neither of which is available at the moment. That does not mean that we have abandoned the idea of an all-American racing team".

In two years F1 cars will be racing in North (US), Central (Mexico) and South (Brazil) America, Europe, Australia, China, Middle East and Asia. Who knows, India might well be the next in line, something that Bernie is very bullish on. "The country (India) would definitely have a race. It's just a case of where."

So what can we expect from the country's first F1 driver? "We hope to qualify better than the Minardis," said Narain after his initial shakedown tests in the Jordan Toyota EJ15, "and on a good qualifying day better than the Red Bull car. We will be happy if we qualify 14th on the grid. If other cars break down then we have a realistic chance of some point scoring finishes."

A good day. Of late Narain hasn't had too many of those. Ability has never been lacking in Narain's repertoire. His scintillating qualifying lap at Macau will always remain etched in memory, so too his wet weather performances and incredible reflexes. That said it's hard to erase from memory the sight of Narain thumping the armco at Macau while in the lead. Even in the Nissan World Series races Narain has often given us opportunity to point fingers, spinning while being hounded and generally making mistakes while under pressure. Let's hope consistency is added to Narain's arsenal - he'll need it to make an impression on the front-running F1 bosses if he hopes to make a name for himself.

His goals though are realistic and if Narain does manage to score some points, even a point, it will be a mighty impressive feat. Do keep in mind that the Jordan EJ15 is just an adaptation of the 2004 car to 2005 regulations with all the funds being channelled towards the '06 car. And while the Toyota engines are generally considered to be excellent (especially compared to the Cosworth units in the Minardi and Red Bull) there just hasn't been enough time to tailor the chassis to the engine. Jo Seifert, a former F1 driver recently said, "Maybe Minardi won't be last (in 2005) after all." Let's put car performance behind us for Narain will have no control over it. What he will have to ensure is that he out qualifies Monteiro regularly and finishes better too. A driver's potential is first gauged vis-a-vis his team-mate and then against other drivers on the grid. Narain and Tiago have raced against each other in 2004, Monteiro finishing an impressive second in the championship (on debut) while Narain finished down in sixth despite being the most experienced driver in the series. The two have raced previously too, Monteiro finishing second in the Korea Super Prix races in 2000, behind Narain.

How does Narain hope to fare against his team-mate? "We will be pushing each other. He is a rookie as well." Not many will know this but Monteiro has an ace up his sleeve; he was Minardis test driver in 2004 and for all that's worth he does have a fair few F1 miles under his belt and some track knowledge too. "Hopefully that should not be a big advantage. I hope I am quicker but we will have to see." And is there a designated number one driver? "No."

Paddock insiders have expressed surprise at Jordan hiring two rookies and Red Bull boss Christian Horner was quoted as saying hiring two rookies was a 'mistake'. "Hiring him is a mistake," retorts Narain. "He has never worked before in Formula 1; who is he to say such things?" Recently in back-to-back tests top racing drivers proved to be fitter than Olympic standard sprinters! Are Narain's fitness levels up to standards demanded by modern F1 cars? "My cardio is pretty good. I did an 11-mile run in 1 hour and 20min and they said it's very good. I'm working on my neck muscles and by Australia I should be in pretty good shape." Good enough to last a race distance? "What makes you say I won't?," retorts Narain with more than a hint of hostility. Simply put the Nissan World Series races never stretched for over 40 minutes and handling 900bhp and 6g cornering forces of an F1 car are a far cry from the 450bhp, 4g fare of the Nissan series. "But Formula Nippon used to last for over one hour and 10 minutes in very hot and humid conditions. And I finished a lot of those races," counters Narain.

Fitness is just one of the subjects naysayers have harped on back home. "I have nothing to say to them. You tell me who else has won anything from India? I have been winning races and I knew my time would come. I always had the best chances and have had the best contacts. I'm happy Tata saw my potential and now Speed has also come in to help me (thanks to OVERDRIVE which was instrumental in getting him the Bharat Petroleum sponsorship - Ed). Red Bull wanted to support me but there would have been a clash since Jordan already has an energy drink sponsor. JK tyres will be my team sponsor but contrary to media reports Hardy (Sanjay Sharma, JK Tyre Motorsport boss) is not my manager, he is a very good friend. Piers Hunnisett is my manager."

Narain has previously tested for Jaguar, Jordan and Minardi. So how does the EJ15 feel compared to the other cars? "It's very hard to say because the rules have changed. The tyres are harder and there is little less downforce." And will the new tyre rules be to his advantage? "I don't know. Whoever conserves their tyres best will have an advantage at the end of the race." And the difference from the Nissan World Series car? "It's HUGE. It's like stepping up from a Tata Indica to a (Mercedes-Benz) 500SL. My last proper racing car I drove was the Nissan car in November. When I got into the Jordan, the first half in the morning was hard. But in the evening I got okay and the lap times were not bad."

Narain and Carlin share a very close relationship. He gave Carlin Motorsport their first victory in British Formula 3 in 1999 and their first international victory at the Korea Super Prix in 2000. Narain has always performed well in a homely environment. All his major victories have been with Carlin and when he had to move to RC Motorsport in 2004 his season went south. "I couldn't find a Carlin budget (for 2004). People in India thought I was too old to do anything and money was hard to come by. Carlin has always been my second family."

It's an environment where the intensely shy Narain will be motivated to put his best foot forward; after all the hopes of an entire nation rest on his shoulders. There was a time when Brazilian F1 drivers were something of a novelty. If Narain can prove his mettle in the Jordan (like past Jordan graduates including among others the Schumacher brothers) there's no saying what could be in store for Indian drivers. A nation expects and Narain will have to deliver.

The future's bright, the future's… yellow?