King of speed set to vroom

Sep 21, 2012 - Papia Lahiri

Get, set, vroom! As he sported his racing gear, put on the earplugs and moved towards the brand new MRF Formula 2000 car, there was loud cheering from the enthusiastic crowd. Oblivious to all the noise in the background, Narain Karthikeyan, India’s Formula One Racer took the new car for a test drive at the Buddh International Circuit, Noida.

The car has been launched for the MRF Challenge 2012 to be held in October at the circuit. On being asked what goes on in his mind every time he gets into the driver’s seat, Karthikeyan in his trademark traciturn style says, “The mind needs a lot of concentration and controlling. The reflexes have to be cat-like. There is no special mantra, just be at peace with yourself.”
Motor Sports is not exactly among the most popular sport in India. But Karthikeyan is optimistic about its future. “Formula One has seen a lot more exposure in India. But I think it is still considered a high profile sport. However, with manufacturers like Tata, Toyota joining in to support the sport, the scenario might change soon,” he smiles.
Karthikeyan was the first Indian to race in F1, for Jordan in 2005. The HRT driver, who is the brand ambassador of MRF Challenge 2012, believes that having a domestic series with cars of comparable speed to F3 will lead to more Indian drivers emerging in the future.
“With high level championships being held in our part of the world, the youngsters have much more scope than I ever got,” adds Karthikeyan.
Talking about his future tournaments, he says, “I have a lot on my platter. There is the Singapore Grand Prix, followed by one in Japan, Abu Dhabi and India, of course.”

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