Racing under a handicap
Business Standard — December 27, 2003

Let’s make one thing clear. Formula One is not all about racing ability. 

Sure, when it is a matter of winning or finishing on the podium, it is the most important factor. But when it comes to most of the other teams who have been on the fringe it is all a matter of commerce. 

That’s precisely where Narain Karthikeyan has been found wanting over the last few years. 

With Minardi naming a 22-year-old Hungarian, Zsolt Baumgartner, as the second driver — the first was also a 22-year-old, Italian Gianmaria Bruni — Karthikeyan will have to stay content racing in leagues much smaller than the most coveted of them all, the Formula One. So it’s one more season gone for India’s fastest man. 

When Minardi chose for yet another test drive at the Vallelunga Circuit near Rome, it was Karthikeyan’s third test drive, the earlier ones having been with Jaguar and Jordan. 

There were many hoping that the third time would prove lucky for him. Alas, it was wishful thinking, for Minardi seemed to be doing it with one eye on the possibility of India hosting a race in 2007. 

That’s the time when Indian sponsors would queue up to sponsor an Indian driver and his team. Will Karthikeyan still be around then? He will be 30 in 2007 and that surely is rather old for a F-1 driver. 

Both Bruni and Baumgartner will be racing for the first time in a full Formula One season. Baumgartner does have some experience at the top level, having competed this year at the Hungarian and Italian Grand Prix as a replacement for the injured Ralph Firman. 

But what tilted the scale in Baumgartner’s favour was the Hungarian government’s decision to back the driver, to the tune of almost 2.5 million pounds and a fair bit of that comes Minardi’s way. 

By the way, Baumgartner, who has also come through F3000 route, is also a Public Relations man’s dream — he speaks five European languages, including Italian. That sure is a bonus for sponsors and the team. 

Remember some years back, Karthikeyan lost out to Malaysian Alex Yoong in the race to be the first non-Japanese Asian to drive in F-1. 

If you recall, Yoong was backed heavily by Malaysian Tourism — Kuala Lumpur had just started hosting a F-1 race and also Petronas was interested in F-1. All that tilted the scale in his favour. Now a season or two later, Yoong is out, but he did get his chance. 

Just to extend that point of a driver’s ability to bring in substantial sponsorship, further, Minardi recently teamed up with Algerian driver Nassim Sidi Said. 

This is an attempt to promote racing to Arabs. Sidi is the only Arab competing a high level of professional motor racing and Minardi is also working on a programme to select and assist promising Arab drivers. 

The reason for all that is not difficult to see: Bahrain is hosting its inaugural Grand Prix in 2004 and this could open the doors of a lucrative market for all F-1 teams. Don’t be surprised if Sidi is given an opportunity to test a Minardi F-1 car in the near future. 

Minardi’s team principal Paul Stoddart admitted recently, “We are very conscious that the launch of the inaugural Grand Prix of Bahrain, in 2004, will generate a notably increased awareness of, and interest in, Formula One in the Arab world… We also look forward to providing Nassim with the chance to become the first Arab driver to gain first-hand experience of Formula One.” 

Stoddart also explained to an Indian newspaper that all young drivers hoping to make a mark need financial backing. He also hinted that Karthiekeyan would need to have a commercial backing to have proper testing programme in the future. 

He added, “Narain sure has driving talent and needs to fulfil the next criteria (commercial backing).” 

And there lies the secret of breaking into the charmed circle of F-1.