Will Karthikeyan be the starter at home?
Following his quick replacement at HRT in favor of young Daniel Ricciardo, Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan hopes to quickly regain the seat of his F111 No. 22... probably at the Indian Grand Prix.
At the beginning of 2011, Colin Kolles had spotted a good opportunity for the team he currently manages, Hispania Racing Team. Indeed, he had convinced Narain Karthikeyan to join the ranks of the small Spanish outfit. Karthikeyan is a driver he knows relatively well, having hired him at Jordan during his early career.
No one expected the return of the Indian (he hasn’t been seen in Formula 1 since 2005!): he is no longer very young (34 years old), often struggled to impress in this category (collecting a mere 5 points in Indianapolis in 2005, a race marred by the withdrawal of 14 other drivers), and had an unconvincing 2010 campaign to hope for a permanent spot in Formula 1 (a few races in NASCAR and Superleague…).
But for Kolles, the goal is elsewhere… Karthikeyan indeed has the considerable advantage of bringing subsidies from Tata, the Indian industrial conglomerate, notably the purchaser of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. This is therefore not negligible for the small Madrid-based team, which was lacking resources. It’s also important to consider the upcoming first Indian Grand Prix (October 30).
Additional satisfaction: Karthikeyan is supported by the GP promoter, Jaypee Group, which paid the equivalent of €400,000 to €500,000 to allow the driver to race on its home ground. He will also be able to count on the recent support of a brand new sponsor: Hero Motors, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer.
The HRT team is therefore expected to give up Tonio Liuzzi’s seat for a race. 65,000 people are ready to spend between 38 and 532 € to support their protégé, whom they proudly proclaim as the “Fastest Indian in the world”. On the occasion of this inaugural race, Karthikeyan hopes to rebuild his reputation in the paddock and ensure a lasting future in Formula 1. The financial weight of his sponsorship is, in any case, an undeniable asset…
Finally, it is not impossible that Karun Chandhok (also a former HRT driver) might once again take the wheel of the Lotus T128 (which he drove in Germany) for his national Grand Prix. However, he would need to find a sponsor capable of offering €500,000 to Team Lotus, and the Malaysian team would need to renew their trust in him.
If these conditions are met, there would then be 2 Indian drivers on the Buddh circuit.
