Narain Karthikeyan – A look at India’s first-ever F1 driver and his journey through motorsport

India is a country of a billion people, meaning there is plenty of untapped potential in and around the country for a variety of sports. However, not every sport is as accessible by any and everyone. Motorsport as a whole remains a sport of the wealthy and being able to make it in the sport requires plenty of financial support and a lot of luck. Even then, it might not be enough to make one a success. One such example of this can be seen in Indian race driver Narain Karthikeyan, who history will remember as the first ever Indian to race at the highest level of motorsport.

Long-winded Journey

Karthikeyan was introduced to motorsports from an early age since his father was a former national rally champion in India, and he had won the South India Rally seven times.

His race career began in 1992 as he went all over Europe – including France, England and Portugal – in a bid to become the first Indian to ever race in Formula One.

He did manage to test out for the Jaguar racing team in 2001 and then later in the same year he tested out for Jordan, but neither led to the offer of a seat.

He was offered a seat in the Minardi team in 2004 after a test run went well but was unable to secure the necessary funds through sponsorships to get the deal.

He would eventually get his break when he signed for the Jordan team in 2005 and even managed a points finish that season, although it came in extremely unique circumstances.

The 2005 US Grand Prix was one of the most controversial races in modern F1 history and saw only six cars start. The reason? The teams sponsored by Michelin tyres – seven out of the 10 teams, it is worth noting – pulled out of the race at the last minute due to fears over tyre safety after two Toyota drivers – Ralf Schumacher and his replacement – suffered crashes at Turn 13 of the track.

Karthikeyan finished fourth in the race and thus gained five points, the only points finish of his career in a race that is remembered for everything but the racing.

The Jordan team, meanwhile, was taken over and renamed Midland in 2006 and Karthikeyan was left without a drive after the team allegedly demanded $11.7 million in sponsorship to secure his seat.

He remained in the sport, albeit as the fourth driver of Williams but would come back after five years in 2011 in the Hispania Racing F1 team, where he spent two seasons.

That remains the extent of his F1 career though and given he is currently 44-years-old, a comeback remains unlikely even though he is still an active racer.

Legacy

Besides Karthikeyan, the only driver from India to have raced in F1 is Karun Chandok – who spent just the one season as a full-time driver before pursuing a career in broadcast media as a commentator and expert in the sport.

F1 as a sport did try to make inroads into the Indian market and had signed a five-year deal with Jaypee Sports International Limited to hold the Indian GP.

Three editions of the event were held from 2011-13 with Sebastian Vettel – then of Red Bull – winning all three races that took place in the Buddh International Circuit in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

However, a tax dispute with the local government led to the race being postponed in 2014 and then not being held at all in 2015. Since then, there has been no indication the race will ever make a return to the calendar.

There has been no influx of Indian talent at this point either; the only Indian who could maybe one day line-up on the F1 grid is Jehan Daruvala, who is part of the Red Bull Junior Team and currently races in F2.

The fact that F1 is a difficult sport to break into is well known and the lack of diversity among the driver line-ups is indeed proof of that. Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion and one of the best to ever sit behind the wheel, was the first driver of African descent in the sport.

Given F1 has existed in some form since the early 1920s, that is shocking to say the least. Indeed, Hamilton has urged for better diversity among the sport in recent times.

Drivers from around the world will certainly hope that the sport heeds such calls. Till then, a grid of drivers from a variety of ethnic backgrounds will remain a dream rather than a reality.

Karthikeyan’s case is not new or unique – and as long as the sport remains as elitist as it does, that will continue to be the case.