Sunday, May 22, 2005

Stuff I wrote for my college campus newspaper - 4

Compiled By Sanket ‘Vroom Vroom’ Kambli

Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan

Born: January 14th 1977

Racing School: Elf Winfield Racing School, France

Education: Business Administration

Birthplace: Chennai, India

Ambition: To be the first Indian Formula One driver

Narain Karthikeyan, today the Indian face of formula 1, has so far faced a career studded with victories and disappointments. At 28, it has been a ‘great momentous day for him’ with his ambition being realized. It was a red lettered day for the nation as he embarks on a journey carrying the hopes of millions and millions of Indian fans in India and across the world. It all started with a podium finish on his debut race at Sri Perumpudur. He has never looked back since then. Returning to India from the ELF Winfield Racing School in France; he joined the Formula Maruti team in 1993. He moved on to Britain to participate in the Formula Vauxhall Junior championship in the same year. The next year saw Narain join the Formula Ford Zetec. He became the first Indian to win the British Formula Ford Winter series, one of his many firsts. In the support race to the Portuguese Grand Prix held at Estoril, he was on podium celebrating. Formula Asia beckoned. Though he participated in only four races, he was on fire. Finishing second in the race held at Shah Alam in Malaysia, Narain announced to the world that he had arrived.

1996 saw him win the Formula Asia championship with a host of records and firsts in his kitty. He now was the only Indian and also the only Asian to win the Formula Asia International series. Britain, the home of motor racing. The setting, the famous Donington Park circuit. The race started with Narain on pole. It ended just as it had started. Narain in front. He finished sixth in the overall points standings for the British Formula Opel Championship. Narain had just turned twenty. "The Formula 3 Championship is a must for any driver with his sights set on Formula 1. The best young racers in the world come to compete in what is certainly the toughest Formula 3 Championship in Europe. The television, plus daily, weekly and monthly publications cover the events extremely well and it is excellent for drivers, sponsors and spectators alike." - Jackie Stewart, Formula 1 World Champion, 1969, 1971 and 1973.Narain took part in eight races, finishing with two third place finishes at the Spa-Franco champs in Belgium, and at Silverstone, UK. This was in 1998. Driving in the Autosport British Formula 3 Championship, Narain took the podium 5 times. A few important highlights of that season were: Narain winning the Brands Hatch race twice (considered one of the most difficult racing circuits). He also had two pole positions and 3 fastest laps and 2 lap records. He finished sixth in the championship among 30 drivers from 15 nations. The same year, Narain also qualified in the sixth and finished the second leg of the Macau Grand Prix 1999 in the 6th place.2000 saw Narain build upon his experience for the big league of racing. Continuing his drive in the British F3 Championship for the year 2000, he ranked in fourth place overall. He was on a roll for most of the season, a lap record and a finish from pole at Macau Grand Prix. The Indian went into the history books and emulated his idol, the great late Ayrton Senna of Brazil and also many other current Formula 1 drivers like Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard etc., by winning the international F3 race at the Spa, Belgium and a world-beating victory in the Korea F3 Super Prix.2001 was a watershed year for Narain. He got behind the wheels of a Jaguar R1 car on June 14, thus becoming the first Indian to test a Formula One car. Impressed with his performance, he was asked to test drive the Benson & Hedges Jordan Honda EJ 11. Both test drives were at Silverstone, home of the British racing industry. Awed by his performance in the first test, Narain was asked to test for the second time with the Jordan time at the Mugello circuit in Italy.Narain also raced in the Formula Nippon Championship in Japan during 2001. Currently Narain is racing in the World Series by Nissan. In 2002 he finished the year as one of the fastest drivers in the highly competitive Telefonica World Series. He claimed one pole position and set a fastest time ever in the Interlagos circuit (other than F1). Year 2003 saw Narain finish fourth in the World Series by Nissan championship series with 5 podium finishes, having competed with 22 best drivers in the world representing 11 nations, some of them Ex-Formula 1 drivers and current Formula 1 test drivers. Solid finishes and a fourth place in the championship earned him a Test drive with the Formula 1 team Minardi. In 2004, he was again behind the wheels racing at the World Series by Nissan, while his aim was at making it to the Formula One - the pinnacle of motorsports. He won both the races at Valencia, Spain the 8th round of World Series by Nissan. He finished on top of the podium in the first race and second in the second race. World Series by Nissan is considered only next to Formula One. It is from these races that lots of new contenders arrive at the grid on F1. Narain is doing great guns with a win at the top of the podium at Magny Cours one of the toughest F1 venues. From his maiden win with Formula Maruti in 1993, Narain quickly moved into international racing and now is knocking on the doors of the pinnacle of motorsports, Formula One.

Statistical Source (the World Wide Web)

No comments: