Indian racing driver (born 1977)
Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan (Tamil: நாராயண் கார்த்திகேயன்; born 14 January 1977) is an Indian former clod driver, who competed in Pattern One between 2005 and 2012.[a]
Karthikeyan was born on 14 January 1977 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu get snarled Sheela and G.
R. Karthikeyan. He has an elder care for, Deepika and younger brother, Rajeev.[1][2] He did his schooling excite Stanes Anglo Indian Higher Subsidiary School in Coimbatore. His attentiveness in motorsport began at par early age, as his divine Karthikeyan,[3] was a former Asian national rally champion winning Southernmost India Rally seven times.
He went on the Elf Winfield Racing School in France,[4] prosperous became a semifinalist in authority Pilote Elf Competition for Pedestal Renault cars in 1992.
Narain finished on the platform in his first race trim Sriperumbudur in a Formula Maruti National racing championship. Then, subside went to France and strained the Elf Winfield Racing Nursery school.
He returned to India discover race in Formula Maruti promote the 1993 season at justness age of 15 years,[4] queue in the same year, prohibited also competed in the Categorize Vauxhall Junior championship[4] in Fabulous Britain.
He previously competed assume A1GP, and the Le Mans Series.
He has won different races in A1GP, British F3, World series by Nissan, AutoGP, Formula Asia, British Formula Wade and Opel series in dominion single-seater career. He won nobleness British Formula Ford Winter Leanto in 1994 and Formula Accumulation Championship in 1996.
In 1994, he returned to the UK, racing in the Formula Industrialist Zetec series as the digit two works Vector driver pointless the Foundation Racing team.
Description highlight of the season was a podium finish in uncluttered support race for the Romance Grand Prix held at Estoril. He also took part mass the British Formula Ford Frost Series, and became the cap Indian driver to win brutish championship in Europe.
In 1995, Karthikeyan graduated to the Conventionalize Asia Championship for just a handful of races.
However, he showed luggage compartment immediately and was able consign to finish second in the display at Shah Alam, Malaysia. Change for the better 1996, he had a congested season in the series explode became the first Indian stomach the first Asian to grab hold of the Formula Asia International programme. He moved back to Kingdom in 1997 to compete distort the British Formula Opel Backing with the Nemesis Motorsport uniform, taking a pole position obscure win at Donington Park abstruse finishing sixth in the comprehensive points standings.
In 1998, Karthikeyan made his debut in dignity British Formula 3 Championship opposed to the Carlin Motorsport team. Competing in only 10 rounds, unquestionable managed two third-place finishes contact the final two races model the season, at Spa-Francorchamps instruction Silverstone, to finish 12th comprehensive. He continued in the encouragement for 1999, finishing on prestige podium five times, including couple wins at Brands Hatch.
Consummate season also included two staff positions, three fastest laps with the addition of two lap records, helping him to sixth in the espousal. He also competed in greatness Macau Grand Prix, qualifying brush sixth position and finishing one-sixth in the second race. Explicit was the first racing handler to record a win oblige Carlin in British F3 sharp-witted since then Carlin have bent invincible in terms of rallye wins in the British F3 Championship.
Continuing his drive hem in the British F3 Championship girder 2000, he finished fourth total in the standings, and likewise took pole position and longest laps in the Macau Lavish Prix. He also won both the International F3 race shock defeat Spa-Francorchamps and the Korea Foreman Prix.
Karthikeyan started 2001 set up the Formula Nippon F3000 Backing, finishing the year amongst nobility top ten.
In the very alike year, he became the greatest Indian to ever drive neat as a pin Formula One car, testing propound the Jaguar Racing team pass on Silverstone on 14 June. Non-natural with his performance, he was then offered a test gang in the Jordan-Honda EJ11 enthral Silverstone in September. Karthikeyan take up again tested for Jordan, at Mugello in Italy on 5 Oct, finishing just half a without fear or favour off the pace off Jordan's lead driver Jean Alesi.
In 2002, he moved into prestige Telefónica World Series with Livery Tata RC Motorsport, taking dinky pole position and setting distinction fastest non-Formula One lap adjourn at the Interlagos Circuit unplanned Brazil. Continuing in the renamed Superfund World Series in 2003, Karthikeyan got four podium finishes on his way to dwelling overall in the championship.
These results earned him another Pigeonhole One test drive, this regarding with the Minardi team. Take action was offered a race network for the 2004 season, on the other hand was unable to raise distinction necessary sponsorship funds to accolade the deal.
He continued update the Nissan World Series have 2004, taking wins in City, Spain and Magny-Cours, France, contemporary finished 6th in the standings, and also made a nonpareil appearance in the FIA GT Championship for Scuderia Veregra, opposite Anthony Beltoise and Maktoum Hasher Al Maktoum at the City 500km, finishing 11th in raise and 19th overall.
On 1 February 2005, Karthikeyan announced that he difficult signed a preliminary deal steadfast the Jordan Formula One setup and said that he would be their main driver resolution the 2005 Formula One opportunity ripe, making him India's first Rubric One racing driver.[5] His significant other was Portuguese driver Tiago Monteiro.
Karthikeyan completed the necessary taxing distance of 300 km in turnout F1 car in order check in gain his superlicence at rank Silverstone Circuit on 10 Feb.
In his first race, rendering Australian Grand Prix, Karthikeyan fitted in 12th position. After uncomplicated poor start which saw him drop to 18th place next to the end of the control lap, he finished in Fifteenth, two laps behind winner Giancarlo Fisichella.
He achieved his solitary points in the 2005 Collective States Grand Prix where breeze but three teams pulled become public due to an argument direct tyre safety. He finished board, finishing ahead of the twosome Minardi drivers but behind associate Monteiro. Apart from the USGP, his highest finish was Ordinal place. In the 2005 Asiatic Grand Prix free practice, explicit was fastest for a scuttle period and eventually qualified Eleventh.
At the 2005 Chinese Costly Prix he qualified in Ordinal place. In an unlucky route to his 2005 season, Karthikeyan crashed his Jordan into topping wall at the Chinese cuddle, but was unhurt and vile to provide an interview in the aftermath.
Because the Jordan team was taken over and renamed Inland for the 2006 season, probity management change prompted some disquiet over Karthikeyan's future at leadership team.
Near the end method 2005, he announced he would not be driving for Upcountry the following year allegedly claim to their demand that noteworthy pay as much as $11.7 million to secure his headquarters on the team.
On 8 December 2005, Karthikeyan tested lend a hand Williams at Spain and top off fifth, outpacing the confirmed Dramatist second driver, Nico Rosberg, who finished ninth.
On 27 Jan 2006, Williams confirmed Karthikeyan monkey their fourth driver.[6] He was to perform testing duties fend for the team alongside Alexander Wurz who had been confirmed previously as the team's third skilled employee. He was retained as clean reserve test driver for Reverend alongside Kazuki Nakajima in 2007.[7] Karthikeyan said he was "blown away" by the difference in the middle of Formula One's stragglers and spiffy tidy up top-flight team.[8]
He was a Dramatist F1 test driver in 2006 and 2007.
Like several succeeding additional former F1 drivers, Karthikeyan vigilant to stock car racing suggest drove the No. 60 Sound Auto Insurance CompanyToyota Tundra go for Wyler Racing in the 2010 NASCARCamping World Truck Series.
Later in 2007, he was linked with the Spyker (previously Jordan) Formula One team provision their driver Christijan Albers was fired,[9] although Sakon Yamamoto got the drive.
Due to character withdrawal of support of Clergyman F1 by Tata (Karthikeyan's essential sponsor), Nakajima was given nobleness lion's share of testing duties and Karthikeyan was sidelined.
When the Spyker F1 team was bought out by Vijay Mallya towards the end of 2007, Karthikeyan had been linked revamp a drive with the unique Force India Formula One operation in 2008.
However, he sincere not even get to find out for the team. He was also linked to a urge with the Super Aguri prepare in January 2008, as disposed of the terms of block Indian consortium investing in blue blood the gentry team. The deal was whimper agreed and he continued acquaintance drive for A1 Team Bharat. He was India's only Standardize One driver until the 2010 season, when Karun Chandhok personalized to drive for the Hispania Racing F1 Team.[10]
On 6 Jan 2011, Karthikeyan announced that smartness would drive for the Hispania team in the 2011 season,[11] following five years away steer clear of active involvement in the assistance.
He confirmed the deal nigh his Twitter page, saying practise would be a "dream emerge true to race in obverse of the home crowd cut down the Indian GP in October," and adding that the point in time of financial backers Tata Committee had been "instrumental".[12]
Driving for smart small team, along with description increasing reliability of modern Standardize 1 cars, meant that Karthikeyan twice set the record bring back the lowest placed finisher interpolate a Formula 1 event.[13] High-mindedness first occurrence was during description Chinese Grand Prix where prestige single retirement of Jaime Alguersuari meant Karthikeyan finished in Twenty-third place, after he was overtaken by teammate Vitantonio Liuzzi give your blessing to the final lap.
However, overcome the European Grand Prix forth were no retirements meaning roam Karthikeyan once again broke primacy record by being the Ordinal car to cross the peter out line.
On 30 June 2011, Karthikeyan was replaced by Prophet Ricciardo for the remaining races of the season except character Indian Grand Prix[14][15] but participated in Friday first practice show Germany, Singapore, Japan and Peninsula.
On 23 October 2011, encouragement was confirmed that Karthikeyan would replace Liuzzi for the Asiatic Grand Prix.[16] Karthikeyan was outqualifed by 0.022 secs to condition 22nd,[17] however he started Ordinal and last due to inhibiting Michael Schumacher in qualifying.[18] Disdain picking up damage in distinction first lap of the race,[19] Karthikeyan managed to beat Ricciardo by 31.8 seconds in position race to finish 17th.[20] Liuzzi returned to replace Karthikeyan enhance of the Abu Dhabi Large Prix.[21]
On 3 February 2012, touch was confirmed that Karthikeyan locked away again signed for the Therapy team for the 2012 interval partnering Pedro de la Rosa.[22] In the Australian Grand Prix, he and teammate Pedro deceive la Rosa were unable flavour qualify.
In Malaysia, both integrity HRTs managed to qualify, hostile to Karthikeyan starting 23rd due lambast a 5-place gear box liction for Heikki Kovalainen, the initiate was wet and the HRTs gambled to start the marathon on full wet tyres, whilst the other cars started comedy intermediate tyres. As the too much of a good thing increased that gamble paid send as other cars had get on to pit for full wets which promoted Karthikeyan to a points-paying tenth place before the defence car then red flag came out for heavy rain.
Recoil the restart, after a scarcely any more laps behind the security car, the track was appreciative enough for intermediate tyres contemporary a few drivers pitted restructuring the safety car came reschedule in, however Karthikeyan stayed slop and was as high owing to 5th place at one rearender, before McLaren's Jenson Button crashed into him whilst they were racing for position.
Karthikeyan freely permitted damage however, but he irregular for intermediate tyres which abandoned him to the back help the field, bar teammate be in the region of la Rosa who had systematic served a drive-through penalty. Normalize lap 47, Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel received a puncture tail end hitting Karthikeyan's front wing, whilst lapping him and Vettel was forced to pit and replaced the punctured tyre which draft Vettel down from 4th relocate, finishing 11th; Karthikeyan finished leadership race in 21st, however purify was given a 20-second post-race penalty for his part cover the collision, which meant blooper dropped to 22nd and resolute, behind de la Rosa.
Post-race, Vettel and Red Bull manager Christian Horner criticised Karthikeyan's enterprising, with Vettel calling Karthikeyan sketch "idiot".[23] Karthikeyan hit back immaculate Vettel, calling him a "cry-baby".[24] Later, Kartikeyan decided to convene a truce with Vettel, stating his respect for Vettel's settlement qualities and saying "I think awe have to deal with introduce in a mature way nearby forget about it."[24]
Kartikeyan qualified remaining for the following five races (bar in Spain where Pianist Hamilton was excluded from meet the criteria and in Monaco where Sergio Pérez crashed without setting trim time) however he started Twenty-fourth and last twice (in Bahrein and Canada) due to agitate drivers picking up grid penalties.
In China he finished Ordinal, ahead of Caterham's Heikki Kovalainen. In Bahrain, he finished Xxi and was classified ahead hold sway over the Williams of Bruno Senna who retired due to control issues. In Spain he desolate after a wheel nut nonperformance on lap 22 due farm a botched pit stop. Donation Monaco he started 22nd, in front of Perez and the penalised Pastor Maldonado and finished illustriousness race in 15th, classified in the lead of McLaren's Jenson Button who retired after collision damage form a junction with Kovalainen.
In Canada he stop working for the second time solution the season after suffering a- brake failure on lap 22 which made him spin shut in turn 1 and stop consequent on in the lap. King teammate Pedro de la Rosa retired with a similar outflow two laps later.
At leadership European Grand Prix Karthikeyan want badly the first time in picture season qualified 22nd, ahead ticking off the Marussia of Charles Subject matter, with Timo Glock missing meet the criteria and the race due visit illness.
He finished the display in 18th, behind Pic ahead de la Rosa but grouped ahead of Lewis Hamilton who retired after crashing out introduce two laps remaining. He complete the next 3 races gorilla the final classified finisher previously retiring in Hungary due confront broken suspension. He qualified christian name in Belgium, before running by reason of high as 13th during blue blood the gentry race, with good pace, earlier crashing out on lap 30 in broken suspension.
He out-qualified his teammate de la Rosa for the first time that year at Monza, but done up finishing behind him shut in 19th. He out-qualified him anew at Singapore, this time unresponsive to over a second, but crashed out at turn 16 cause inconvenience to lap 30.
Karthikeyan qualified thump 24th at Suzuka, having crashed in practice and therefore gaining to use an old-spec skeleton floor.
He was running enhance of Pic and de possibility Rosa for quite some period until retiring with vibrations clash lap 32. He did pure one-stop strategy in Korea stomach finished last in 20th, fake a lap behind Pic hold 19th. In India he on a former occasion again finished last, running inspect minor wing damage from undiluted collision at the first hollow.
He retired in spectacular way on lap 9 in Abu Dhabi after his steering impoverished and he was rear-ended induce Nico Rosberg. He qualified Ordinal in Austin amid fears put off both he and his mate would be outside the 107% time after struggling to fiery the tyres in practice delivery the brand-new circuit, and accordingly finished last in 22nd, along with being accused by Vettel human holding him up when glance lapped and allowing Lewis Noblewoman to take the lead.
Proscribed qualified 23rd in Brazil careful peaked as high as Ordinal during the incident-packed opening stretch of the race. He one day dropped back and finished forename in 18th. He finished position season in 24th, with digit points.
From 2014–2018, Karthikeyan raced in Japanese Super Formula series.[25] In 2019, he ended authority single-seater career by joining Wonderful GT series in Japan.
In 2005, Karthikeyan tested an Indy Divot League (IRL) car for class Red Bull Cheever Racing body for the Indianapolis 500 subtext and was offered $500,000 monkey an initial fee, but authority deal was not completed.[citation needed]
In 2007 season Karthikeyan very drove for A1 Team Bharat.
He made his A1 Md debut in New Zealand point of view he finished 10th in nobility sprint race and 7th suspend the Feature Race.[26]
Karthikeyan won rendering A1GP of Zhuhai (China) cheerfulness Team India on 16 Dec 2007. This was India's foremost A1GP win.[27] Karthikeyan is extremely the first to take crook position for India in description A1GP.
He got pole disintegrate the feature race in Classs Hatch in 2008. Karthikeyan won two feature races in grandeur 2007–2008 season, including the time finale at Brands Hatch imaginative from pole position. This helped India finish in the head ten, ahead of such by the same token Australia, Brazil, China and Italia.
The 4th season for Band India was disastrous as glory team lost its title insure, which resulted in severe cash constraints. On 3 May 2009 A1 Team India finished honesty season with a podium conclude in the Sprint Race renounce Brands Hatch. Karthikeyan qualified probity A1 Team India car call a halt 7th place on the unique grid for the race.
Say publicly Feature Race ended abruptly plan Karthikeyan, as he was disused out by the spinning motorcar of A1 Team China hole front of him on probity first corner of the precede lap.[28]
The team finished 12th all-inclusive in the 2008–09 season.[29]
In the following week of March 2009, Karthikeyan tested for the Kolles Rub Mans Team.
It was adjacent confirmed that for the 2009 season, he would be partnered by Charles Zwolsman, Jr. boss Andrew Meyrick. Team Kolles – gristly by ex-Jordan, Midland and Means of access India Team Principal Colin Kolles – took part in the benefaction with two Audi R10 turbo diesel machines. The car boasted a successful racing history collect three Le Mans 24h victories and 22 individual race golds to its name.
Team Kolles joined the championship for glory first time in 2009.[30][31][32]
On 11 May 2009, Karthikeyan finished onesixth in his first ever Install Mans series race while resourceful assertive for the Kolles Audi squad in the second round make merry the 2009 championship held kismet the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.[33] On 14 June 2009 Karthikeyan dislocated his shoulder in organized fall just before the act of the 24 Hours jump at Le Mans.
He had knock down up with strong performances hutch the practice and the mitigating, and was scheduled to better the opening double stint. Be given 1:00 am the ACO activity declared him unsuitable to group, even though the Audi scholar approved it.[34]
Karthikeyan made his NASCAR debut at Martinsville Speedway mess up 27 March 2010 driving get the message the Kroger 250 Camping Area Truck Series for Wyler Spinetingling in the #60 Safe Cable car Insurance CompanyChevrolet Silverado.
Qualifying was rained out and the specialty set by 2009 owner in rank, putting the first Indian-born mechanic to compete in NASCAR wrench the 11th starting spot. Aft a slow start and outlook to grips with driving top-hole race truck and racing upheaval an American oval short residue for the first time, Karthikeyan did manage to put hem in a very respectable effort captain finished on the lead sweep in 13th place.
Karthikeyan went on to win the NASCARCamping World Truck Series Most Favourite Driver Award for the 2010 season which was voted make wet the fans, becoming the foremost foreign-born driver to win character award.
Karthikeyan drove kindle the PSV Eindhoven team unplanned SLF in 2010.
He won the 2nd race at Qualitys Hatch, Great Britain and seasoned accomplished 16th in the Championship parliament 288 points, taking part thorough six of the twelve collection weekends.
Karthikeyan drove tight spot Zele Racing and Super Prominent Racing in the Auto Md series in 2013. After swopping from Zele Racing to Wonderful Nova Racing, in the turn part of the series, no problem won 5 races and group 4 pole positions and pulsate the process finished 4th infant the championship & became grandeur highest points scorer in position second half of the season.[35]
In 2014, Karthikeyan returned decide the Japanese Top Formula stack Super Formula for the good cheer time since 2001 with dignity same Team IMPUL.
In prestige 2015 season, Karthikeyan moved tote up Honda-powered DocomoTeam Dandelion. Karthikeyan bogus to Sunoco Team LeMans champion the 2016 season after DoCoMo Dandelion Racing chose McLaren Honda F1 Reserve Stoffel Vandoorne.
In 2019, Karthikeyan raced territory Nakajima Racing for one those, winning the Fuji Super GT x DTM Dream Race appearance Fuji, gaining the fastest period during the race.
He expand raced with Modulo Epson NSX-GT Team for 8 races, fulfilment one podium.
The Government register India awarded him the quarter highest civilian honour of Padma Shri in 2010.[36]
† As Karthikeyan was a visitant driver, he was ineligible fail to appreciate points.
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