India’s fastest man on trial abroad
Financial Express — December 21, 2003

In a sport where only two places are available in a team and the number of contenders for the spot is in multiples of the available, dreaming to become a Formula 1 driver isn’t the easiest one to realise. A sport wherein not only talent counts but finances also determine a major part of the career map, it becomes doubly challenging if the dreamer happens to be an Indian. 

The recent testing of India’s fastest man on track, Narain Karthikeyan with European Minardi Cosworth team at the Vallelunga Circuit near Rome, thus, has been followed with great expectations by the followers of the sport in India. This, however, has not been the fist time that Mr Karthikeyan has been on an F1 driver’s test. He first test drove for Jaguar in 2000 at Silverstone and again in October 2001 in Spain. 

Yet, in a fast sport, which is fraught with unpredictability, speculation is best avoided. “I would not like to say anything on my becoming a Minardi driver at the moment,” says Mr Karthikeyan. “I don’t want to speculate on my chances because last time also there were too many speculations that did the rounds which did not necessarily help me,” says the cautious F1 aspirant. “I am hoping for the best, but I will keep performing. What will be crucial is on the sponsorship factor. It is a financially very sensitive issue at the moment, so speculations are best kept away.” 

Although European Minardi Cosworth has announced that it has signed Italian Gianmaria ‘Gimmi’ Bruni as one of its 2004 race drivers, Mr Karthikeyan is not giving up hope. “Of course, there are only two places available.” Bruni is amongst the drivers who tested for Minardi recently. But having done well with the recent testing, Mr Karthikeyan adds, “Now it all depends on the sponsorship.” 

His support as usual comes from his long-time sponsor, JK Tyres. Says Sanjay Sharma, head, motor sport, JK Tyres, “We will put together whatever is required to see Narain on the F1 driver’s seat.” Mr Sharma, however, hastens to add that “if at all there is an offer from Minardi, it should be for a confirmed drive”. He disagrees that not taking up Minardi’s offer at the end of 2003 season cost Mr Karthikeyan dearly. “The requirements did not match the deliverables,” argues Mr Sharma. It is learnt that Minardi’s offer to Karthikeyan at the end of 2003 season was only for the last three races. 

Nevertheless, Mr Karthikeyan’s test with Minardi this time has raised the scale of hopes even further. “Last time when he did testing with Jaguar, it was not on invitation. But this time it is on invitation from Minardi and it in itself speaks volumes of the talent of this man,” says Mr Sharma. 

Agreeing with him, R K Dhawan, regional director, North, Federation of Motorsports Club of India, says: “For long the Formula 1 sport has been dominated by Europeans and Japanese. Now we have an Indian knocking hard at the door. This is a good sign for formula sport in India.” This should open doors for Indians to motorsports and encourage youngsters take up motorsports as a career option, he adds. “Now we have Karun Chandhok, still in his teens, but already drawing a lot of attention from the Formula 1 circles,” adds Mr Dhawan. 

Mr Karthikeyan also feels the same way. “Yes, it obviously is a good thing for the sports in India,” he says. “My doing well should help motivate youngsters to take up the sport. On a personal front, doing well in F1 fetches you a lot of recognition worldwide, and also your annual earnings can go up quite substantially,” he says. But he disagrees with comments from some quarters that at 26, he is over the hill to break into the Formula 1 circuit. “When Damon Hill made his debut, he was 32,” exhorts Mr Karthikeyan. In fact, Hill won his first Formula 1 grand prix title in Hungary when he was 33. 

“If anything,” says Mr Sharma in support of Karthikeyan, “when he went for this test with Minardi, he was not up to his best physical conditions.” Recollecting how the ace driver missed the last few races of the season gone by due to illness, Mr Sharma says, “From that he hasn’t been able to gain the lost weight. He was underweight by about 5 kg of which he has gained just about 2 kg.” On India becoming a part on the Formula 1 circuit, the ace driver exudes optimism. “I am sure by 2007 Formula 1 will be in India,” he says. 

His optimism is shared by Mr Dhawan, who feels India has a lot to offer. “A big country like India which is also growing up economically can be exploited as a good test lab by automobile companies,” he says. The data generated by test driving of lakhs of kilometres of a car can be matched by just two or three hours of driving on the formula track. “One should remember that in motorsports whoever has invested does not have returns on their agenda. The investments are paid back in other forms, not necessarily monetary, which is why we have a good potential to be on the F1 scene,” adds Mr Dhawan.