The first Indian in Formula 1, and the first athlete from motorsports to win the Padma Shri Award, Narain Karthikeyan can easily shift gears from being the fastest Indian in F1 to being a devoted family man. Days before the Indian Grand Prix, DW managed to talk to the man—who’s raised our collective hopes— on his passion and dreams...
Democratic World: Tell us how did your childhood shape your foray into racing, that one time when you really knew that this was what you would be doing for the rest of your life?
Narain Karthikeyan: I used to drive cars owned by my family, mostly an old and reliable Maruti 800. I would drive it sideways near my home. Racing (pardon the pun) ran in the family—my father is a former national rally champion and has multiple wins to his credit. There are several others in the family, including Late S. Karivardhan—who was a close relative—who were involved in racing. Honestly, it was all I knew as a child.
What drew you to racing?
Though it is difficult to dissect but I would have to say that pushing a race car to its limit is an extremely demanding task. And the satisfaction derived from getting get it right, is unmatched by any other sensation.
How did your family react to the news when you formally announced that you would be a race car driver, especially since it is one of the most dangerous sports in the world?
They would have been surprised had I not gone down this way to be honest, so it was just a matter of when! Tell us a bit about your father. How did he influence your actions and aspirations? If there is that one person who was responsible for making me into a Formula One driver, it is my Dad!
Tell us about your first race.
It was a Formula Maruti race at the Sriperumpudur track in Chennai. I was up on the podium. So it was an exhilarating and incredible feeling. The build-up to the race was intense. I was so nervous, but at the same time quietly confident, despite knowing that I would be racing with people with more experience.
What was the greatest lesson that you learnt in that race?
Don’t give up until you cross the finish line.
What were your thoughts—or what are your usual thoughts—when you grip the wheel right before the start of a race?
I must say that the beginning is the best part of any race. However, the mind becomes a bit Zen, and thoughts are sparse, as one concentrates on the various variables behind the wheel and tries to get the best possible start. If a driver is on the pole position, he would want to capitalise on it and make a clean getaway to protect his advantage. If one is a bit further off from the starting line, then one is thinking of making up places and getting through the first corner in one piece. The latter can be quite tricky!
You are the title contender after fourth win in Auto GP World Series—what are your expectations now?
I am only concentrating on doing my best and hopefully win both races. My title hopes depend a lot on how great my rivals do as well—a factor which is not in my control. So I will give my best shot. I will get the best possible result, and see how it goes.
If you could see one change in the history of Indian racing, what would that be?
The one incident I see as a huge setback to Indian racing, is the death of S Karivardhan. Had he not passed away in that aircraft crash, our domestic racing scene would have been much better-off. That I am sure off.
India’s growth prospects in the arena of racing—what are our chances do you believe? And what are our chances at this year’s Grand Prix?
The Jaypee Group has worked extremely hard in bringing F1 to India and running the show as flawlessly as it did last year. But, I believe that to make an event a complete success, the central and state governments’ support is cardinal. To make such a global event even more successful in the long run, we will need to put in that much effort. Most of the other Grand Prixes—barring a couple few—are all supported by local governments one way or the other whether the help comes in form of tax breaks or custom relaxations or hosting fee contributions.
The Indian government should understand that hosting the Indian F1 shows, throws a positive light upon our country and puts us on a global map. It also adds on to our tourism industry. Classifying F1 as a sports, instead of entertainment, in this country—I believe—will be a good place to start.
What helps you to be consistent in your performance?
Focus, dedication and self-motivation is what drives me and allows me to perform consistently. Of course without the support of my family and fans, nothing would be worthwhile.
What do you do for your physical fitness? To be a strong driver, you need strong neck muscles.Is there any other particular bit of fitness which is important to you?
When we drive, a lot of emphasis is on core strength and upon lower back muscles, especially in a singleseater car, which is extremely bumpy to drive and produces high g-forces. Thus, strong shoulders and neck are a given as well.
What do you do just before a race?
I tend to spend a little time with myself right before the race, and keep unwanted distractions away.
What are your plans for the future?
I am only concentrating on doing my best, and hopefully win both races. My title hopes depend a lot on how my rivals perform, as well—which is something which is not within my control so I will just it give my best shot, and get the best possible result. See how it goes.
How did you feel upon being conferred India's highest honour, the Padma Shri? Was it a recognition that you felt was long over due?
I felt great after receiving such an honour and I was naturally terribly happy. I consider the Padma Shri as a recognition not just for me, but for the entire motorsport fraternity. It was a great honour for me to receive the award from the President of India. The style in which the function was conducted itself provides an avid feeling. The sports that I am involved in requires a lot of skill, determination and consistent hard work. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the support of my family.
Do you consider yourself as a pioneer?
NK: I am not very comfortable with the label, but it has been put on me. But if it is a label that I have to bear then I bear it humbly. I am aware of the responsibilities that come with such an honour. Being a pioneer, I have to take that extra-effort, and I have to do more than expected. There was a time when racing was not recognised or seen as an accepted sport, I had to put in more effort and time into it. And look at the attitude towards the sport today. After I won the F1 title, people in India, especially those in the south of India, have become more aware about the motorsport racing. Many are now showing their interest in this sport and are coming forward, which is an appreciable act. In India, Coimbatore has produced a large number of racing drivers. Maybe that I was born and brought up here, I was so biased to motorsport from even my childhood. The people here are so supportive and encouraging.
Would you like to talk about your comeback to F1 which happened after a gap of five years?
I was very excited about getting the second opportunity. To be driving in front of the Indian crowd was an added bonus. I am driving for a small team now. It is going to be difficult to make a come back, but I believe in myself and believe that I have the ability to do better than what I have been doing.
Has the sports changed a lot in the past few years?
Not really. If you see lap times they are similar to what I was accustomed to. Over all I have a good feeling. My goal is to maximise what I have and get the best out of the car and if I can do that I am doing the best I guess. The reaction from fans have been phenomenal. The Tata Group, too, has been supportive of me all along.
What are the organisations or charities that you are currently involved with?
I am a trustee of the PSG Ganga Naidu and Sons Charities, formed by my great grandfather Sriman Ganga Naidu in Coimbatore some time in 1947. Through the organisation we provide free education and free residential support for girl students, especially those belonging to the backward and the underprivileged sections of the society. It is presently has a strength of about 2500 students, 175 staff and an orphanage of about 60 children.