Narain Karthikeyan: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox racing driver

| name = Narain Karthikeyan

| nationality = {{flagicon|IND}} Indian

| birth_name = Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan

|years active=1992 – present}}

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1994, he returned to the [[United Kingdom|UK]], racing in the Formula Ford Zetec series as the number two works Vector driver for the Foundation Racing team. The highlight of the season was a podium finish in a support race for the [[Portuguese Grand Prix]] held at [[Estoril]]. He also took part in the British Formula Ford Winter Series, and became the first Indian driver to win any championship in Europe.

 

On 8 December 2005, Karthikeyan tested for Williams at Spain and finished fifth, outpacing the confirmed Williams second driver, [[Nico Rosberg]], who finished ninth. On 27 January 2006, Williams confirmed Karthikeyan as their fourth driver.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://newsonf1.net/2006/news/01/jan27w.htm |title=Williams Confirms Narain Karthikeyan |publisher=NewsOnF1.com |access-date=4 May 2006 |date=27 January 2006 }}</ref> He was to perform testing duties for the team alongside [[Alexander Wurz]] who had been confirmed earlier as the team's third driver. He was retained as a reserve test driver for Williams alongside [[Kazuki Nakajima]] in [[2007 Formula One season|2007]].<ref name="Karthikeyan">{{cite news | url =http://www.formula1.com/news/5017.html | title =Williams retain Karthikeyan for 2007 | date =28 September 2006 | access-date =28 September 2006 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20190821215030/https://www.formula1.com/en/latest.html | archive-date =21 August 2019 | url-status =dead }}</ref> Karthikeyan said he was "blown away" by the difference between Formula One's stragglers and a top-flight team.<ref name="blown">{{cite news |url=http://newsonf1.net/2006/news/01/jan27w.htm |title= Karthikeyan 'Blown away' by F1 contrast |publisher=F1racing.net |access-date=24 October 2006 |date=12 December 2006 }}</ref>

 

===HRT (2011–2012)===

 

==== 2011 ====

On 6 January 2011, Karthikeyan announced that he would drive for the Hispania team in the {{F1|2011}} season,<ref>{{cite news|last=Noble|first=Jonathan|title=Karthikeyan signs race deal with HRT|work=Autosport|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88821|date=6 January 2011|access-date=6 January 2011}}</ref> following five years away from active involvement in the championship. He confirmed the deal via his [[Twitter]] page, saying it would be a "dream come true to race in front of the home crowd in the Indian GP in October," and adding that the support of financial backers [[Tata Group]] had been "instrumental".<ref>{{cite news|last=Weeks|first=Jimmy|title=KARTHIKEYAN LANDS HISPANIA DRIVE FOR 2011|work=F1Badger.com|url=http://www.f1badger.com/2011/01/karthikeyan-lands-hispania-drive-for-2011/|date=6 January 2011|access-date=6 January 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111104602/http://www.f1badger.com/2011/01/karthikeyan-lands-hispania-drive-for-2011/|archive-date=11 January 2011}}</ref>

 

 

Karthikeyan qualified in 24th at [[2012 Japanese Grand Prix|Suzuka]], having crashed in practice and therefore having to use an old-spec chassis floor. He was running ahead of Pic and de la Rosa for quite some time until retiring with vibrations on lap 32. He did a one-stop strategy in [[2012 Korean Grand Prix|Korea]] and finished last in 20th, almost a lap behind Pic in 19th. In [[2012 Indian Grand Prix|India]] he once again finished last, running with minor wing damage from a collision at the first corner. He retired in spectacular fashion on lap 9 in [[2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix|Abu Dhabi]] after his steering broke and he was rear-ended by [[Nico Rosberg]]. He qualified 24th in [[2012 United States Grand Prix|Austin]] amid fears that both he and his teammate would be outside the 107% time after struggling to heat the tyres in practice on the brand-new circuit, and then finished last in 22nd, also being accused by Vettel of holding him up when being lapped and allowing [[Lewis Hamilton]] to take the lead. He qualified 23rd in [[2012 Brazilian Grand Prix|Brazil]] and peaked as high as 11th during the incident-packed opening stint of the race. He eventually dropped back and finished last in 18th. He finished the season in 24th, with zero points.

 

==Other events and races==

[[File:A1 Grand Prix, Kyalami - India.jpg|thumb|right|Karthikeyan competing for [[A1 Team India]] at the [[2008–09 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, South Africa]].]]

Karthikeyan won the A1GP of [[Zhuhai]] (China) for Team India on 16 December 2007.

Karthikeyan is also the first to take pole position for India in the A1GP. He got pole in the feature race in Brands Hatch in 2008.

Karthikeyan won two feature races in the 2007–2008 season, including the season finale at Brands Hatch starting from pole position. This helped India finish in the top ten, ahead of such as Australia, Brazil, China and Italy.

===24 Hours of Le Mans===

In the second week of March 2009, Karthikeyan tested for the Kolles Le Mans Team. It was later confirmed that for the 2009 season, he would be partnered by [[Charles Zwolsman, Jr.]] and Andrew Meyrick. Team Kolles&nbsp;– headed by ex-[[Jordan Grand Prix|Jordan]], [[Midland F1|Midland]] and [[Force India]] Team Principal [[Colin Kolles]]&nbsp;– took part in the championship with two [[Audi R10 TDI|Audi R10]] turbo diesel machines. The car boasted a successful racing history with three Le Mans 24h victories and 22 individual race wins to its name. Team Kolles joined the championship for the first time in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/207721/karthikeyan-invited-to-kolles-le-mans-test/ |title=Karthikeyan invited to Kolles Le Mans test

 

On 11 May 2009, Karthikeyan finished sixth in his first ever Le Mans series race while driving for the Kolles Audi team in the second round of the 2009 championship held at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090512/jsp/sports/story_10950591.jsp | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104211801/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090512/jsp/sports/story_10950591.jsp | url-status=dead | archive-date=4 January 2013 | location=Calcutta, India | work=The Telegraph | title=Karthikeyan does well to finish 6th | date=12 May 2009}}</ref>

===Super GT===

In 2019, Karthikeyan raced with Nakajima Racing for one race, winning the Fuji Super GT x DTM Dream Race in Fuji, gaining the fastest lap during the race. He then raced with Modulo Epson NSX-GT Team for 8 races, gaining one podium.

 

==Racing record==

^† As Karthikeyan was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.

<!--<nowiki>*</nowiki> Season still in progress.-->

 

===Complete Formula Nippon/Super Formula results===

([[:Template:Motorsport driver results legend|key]])

! Year

! Entrant

|-

| [[2001 Formula Nippon season|2001]]

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Suzuka Circuit|SUZ]]<br>{{small|6}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Twin Ring Motegi|MOT]]<br>{{small|7}}

|-

| [[2014 Super Formula season|2014]]

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Suzuka Circuit|SUZ]]<br />{{small|Ret}}

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Fuji Speedway|FUJ]]<br />{{small|7}}

|-

| [[2015 Super Formula season|2015]]

|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Suzuka Circuit|SUZ]]<br />{{small|3}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Okayama International Circuit|OKA]]<br />{{small|10}}

|-

| [[2016 Super Formula season|2016]]

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Suzuka Circuit|SUZ]]<br />{{small|Ret}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Okayama International Circuit|OKA]]<br />{{small|16}}

|-

| [[2017 Super Formula Championship|2017]]

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Suzuka Circuit|SUZ]]<br />{{small|13}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Okayama International Circuit|OKA]]<br />{{small|17}}

|-

| [[2018 Super Formula Championship|2018]]

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Suzuka Circuit|SUZ]]<br>{{small|17}}

|style="background:#FFFFFF;"| [[Autopolis|AUT]]<br>{{small|C}}

|}

<!--^* Season still in progress.-->

 

===Complete Formula One results===

([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 2|key]])

! Year

! Entrant

|-

|rowspan=2| [[2005 Formula One season|2005]]

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[2005 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|15}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[2005 Malaysian Grand Prix|MAL]]<br />{{small|11}}

!rowspan=2| 5

|-

|

|

|-

|rowspan=2| [[2011 Formula One season|2011]]

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[2011 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|DNQ}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2011 Malaysian Grand Prix|MAL]]<br />{{small|Ret}}

!rowspan=2| 0

|-

|

|

|-

| [[2012 Formula One season|2012]]

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[2012 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|DNQ}}

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[2012 Malaysian Grand Prix|MAL]]<br />{{small|22}}

===Complete A1 Grand Prix results===

([[:Template:Motorsport driver results legend|key]]) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

! Year

! Entrant

! Points

|-

| [[2006–07 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Netherlands|NED<br>SPR]]

| [[2006–07 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Netherlands|NED<br>FEA]]

! 13

|-

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Netherlands|NED<br>SPR]]<br />{{small|10}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Netherlands|NED<br>FEA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}

! 61

|-

| [[2008–09 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Netherlands|NED<br>SPR]]

| [[2008–09 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Netherlands|NED<br>FEA]]

! 12th

! 19

|}

 

|-

!rowspan=2|[[2010 Superleague Formula season|2010]]

!colspan=3| [[2010 Silverstone Superleague Formula round|SIL]]<br>

!colspan=3| [[2010 Assen Superleague Formula round|ASS]]<br>

|

|

|}

 

===Complete Auto GP results===

([[:Template:Motorsport driver results legend|key]]) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

! Year

! Entrant

|-

|rowspan=2| [[2013 Auto GP season|2013]]

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Autodromo Nazionale Monza|MNZ<br />1]]<br>{{small|5}}

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Autodromo Nazionale Monza|MNZ<br />2]]<br>{{small|Ret}}

!rowspan=2| 195

|-

|

|

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Masaryk Circuit|BRN<br />1]]<br>{{small|1}}

|style="background:black; color:white;"| [[Masaryk Circuit|<span style="color:white;">BRN<br />2</span>]]<br>{{small|DSQ}}

|}

 

|-

! [[2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series|2010]]

! 60

! [[Chevrolet|Chevy]]

! <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/karthna01/2010/C|title=Narain Karthikeyan – 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=April 4, 2023}}</ref>

|}

 

==See also==