The Racing Master

Racing is all about hard work and sacrifices, which remain hidden in the glitz and glamour of the sport. Narain karthikeyan, who rose to the pinnacle through sheer determination and perseverance, feels India has the potential to produce world-class racers like him. But, for that, motorsport in the country should become more egalitarian, allowing talented youngsters to come up from all walks of life, says the first Indian to race in formula one.

- Leslie Xavier

Talking to Narain Karthikeyan has always been a rewarding experience as each time one gets to pick up a few insights about motorsport and racing, not to mention the stories of close shaves and the fun anecdotes— an insider’s view, so to speak. Karthikeyan knows more than a few intricate things about racing. He was the first Indian in Formula One, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what his journey has done for Indian motorsport. He dared to dream about participating in formula races in Europe at a time when upcoming Indian drivers had no idea of what lay beyond the national championships.

Karthikeyan loves to talk straight and is brutally honest… His style of talking is reflective of the way he drives, doing full justice to the philosophy of racing. He admires Ayrton Senna, and one could see streaks of the great Brazilian’s philosophy in the way Karthikeyan approaches each and every race he enters—from the nationals, British F3 and F1, to the Super Formula series in Japan. He plans to keep on racing and, hey, the man who used to be described as the “fastest Indian on the planet” is still super quick!

You are a pioneer in Indian motorsport. The first racer from the country to do a lot of things. Take us back to your initial days of racing and let us know what made you dream of F1 and other big racing series, when, at the time in India, no one used to think about things outside the national championships or the national rally championships.