Formula 1 Driver Profile: Karun Chandhok
Formula 1 can be a very daunting place for a rookie driver; especially for someone from a country not really known for producing race car drivers in the past. But that has not stopped Karun Chandhok from becoming only the second Formula 1 driver from India. After a successful career in other forms of motorsports, Chandhok finally elevated his status as a race car driver when he joined Formula 1. He is an up and coming racer who is one to look out for in the future.
Karun started racing early on in his life but he became professional in 2000, competing in the Indian National Racing Championships aged just 16. He proved his worth at that young age by winning the Indian Championships and then going on to win the Formula Asia title as well, (Collantine, K., 2010).
Karun comes from a well off family and his father Vicky used to be the president of the Federation of Motor Sports in India and is a friend of Bernie Ecclestone. So the link for the young Candhok into motorsports was not hard to imagine. In a sport like F1 either you have to be phenomenally talented to get by on your own or you have to have the right connections and be very talented. That it seems is what Chandhok is; talented and with the right connections.
Karun spent three years at British F3 before moving to Formula Asia. After these two stints, he then went to GP2 where he was really able to prove his worth. He raced at GP2 with Durango from 2007 to 2009 and caught the eyes of the big leaguers at F1.
He was initially linked to go to the Force India team for obvious reasons but then joined HRT racing. HRT racing is a newly formed Spanish racing team that had its inaugural season this year. With two rookie drivers; Chandhok and Bruno Senna, who is the nephew of the late great Ayrton Senna, the team is one to look out for in the future, (Reuters, 2010).
The HRT racing team got a bit of a boost recently. The cash strapped new team got a great sponsorship deal from the Indian company, Jaypee Sports International. The deal probably had something to do with the Indian ties of Chandhok but it is great to see that companies are interested in smaller F1 teams and are willing to support them, (TNN, 2010).
The deal will work so that the HRT car will carry the Jaypee logo on it and Chandhok will act as the brand ambassador for the company. Also Jaypee will have first rights to sell HRT and Chandhok merchandise in India. It is interesting to see that even in his rookie season, Chandhok seems to have become a star. The fact that he is Indian coupled with the fact that formula 1 is growing in popularity in India, means that there are some big things in store for him and his team in the future.
Formula 1 is going to explode in India in 2011 when for the first time an Indian Grand Prix will be held. Formula 1 will truly become an international sport with so many different countries and regions of the world experiencing the thrill and excitement of the races.
There is also talk of Chandhok moving to team Force India in 2011. The move is likely to happen for the marketing and promotional benefits of an Indian driver driving for an Indian Formula 1 team in the first season to feature an Indian Grand Prix, (BSM, 2010).
The sound of money being made by marketing gurus and advertising deals can be heard even now. It will be interesting to see how the first Indian Grand Prix will fare along with all the other established circuits out there, but the Indian organisers should not be underestimated for their ability to put on a great event.
With only half way through his first season and an impressive string of races so far, the future looks bright for this young Indian racer. Maybe a move to a better and more experienced team will help his chances of securing some points in the next season. The fact that he is currently driving an underpowered car at a cash strapped team is not helping his chances. But in the future who knows what will happen for this talented rookie. We will all just have to keep tuned in to the racing and find out.
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