By Emb Hashmi
Narain Karthikeyan is not just the first Indian formula one driver but is acknowledged as the fastest Indian driver by British Motoring Press.
Born January 14th 1977 in Chennai, in the Tamil Nadu district of India, to G. R. Karthikeyan, a former famous Indian National Rally Champion. Narain aspirations for motor sport stemmed from his father at a very young age.
Naraind debut race was at Sriperumbudur near his home town of Chennai in a Formula Maruti at the tender age of 16 years of old, which he finished on the podium.
Naraind underwent professional training at Elf Winfield Racing School, France, and became a Semi Finalist in the Pilote Elf Competition for Formula Renault Cars in 1992.
Narain Karthikeyan Success Timeline
1995, four races Formula Asia Championship finished second in the race at Shah Alam, Malaysia.
1996 became the first Asian and Indian to win the Formula Asia International Series.
1997 competed in the British Formula Opel Championship in which he took the Pole Position and had a win at Domington Park and also finished 6th in the overall point standing.
1998 debut at the British Formula Three Championships
1999, Brands Hatch Race Championship finish at the podium five times including two wins at.
2001 Formula Nippon F3000 Championships and finished the year as one among the top ten. The same year, he test drew a Formula One Car at Silverstone on June14th for Jaguar Racing becoming the first ever Indian to achieve this feet.
2002 Telefonica World Series with Team Tata RC Motor sport, taking a pole position and setting the fastest non-F1 lap time at the Interlagos Circuit in Brazil.
2003 World Series by Nissan in, a series considered only next to Formula
2004 World Series by Nissan and won two races at Valencia in Spain and at Magny Cours in France.
2005, Narain was signed by the Jordan formula one team, making him India’s first Formula One racing driver. He made an impressive debut at Melbourne, but the season was not a great success and he ended it with a crash at the Chinese Grandprix at Shanghai.
2007 promoted to third driver position and is participating in A1 grand Prix series.
As well as Narain passion and success in formula one and race driving he enjoys
Trap and Skeet Shooting, Wildlife Photography, Philanthropy and Tennis.
Narain recently opened a motor racing academy ‘Speed NK Racing’ in Coimbatore and is helping to train future racing medalists to break into the super confederation of world recognised motor racing.
