| Name |
Kumar
Ram Narain Karthikeyan |
| Nick
name |
India's
fastest driver |
| Date
of Birth |
January
14th 1977 |
| Mother
Tongue |
Tamil |
| Profession |
Formula
1 racer |
| Education |
Business
Administration |
| Racing
School |
Elf
Winfield Racing School, France |
| Family |
Father:
G.R. Karthikeyan, a former Indian rally champion
Wife:Pavarna |
| Introduced
to racing |
by
his father |
| Started
racing |
At
age 16 even before he could get the driving licence. |
| Car
Speed |
275
km/hr in formula 3 racing, but when he goes to Formula
1 the speed will be 340 km/hr |
| Will
be driving for F1 series |
Toyota-powered
Jordan (Midland) |
| Hobbies |
Wild
life photography,skeet shooting, and aero-modelling
and likes to play Play Station. |
| Never |
His
mother never watches his races |
| Favourite
sports personalities |
Michael
Schumacher, Aryten Senna, Mika Hakkinen from his
profession and Borris Becker(tennis) |
| Personal
Favourites |
- food:
Idli& dosa
- movie:
The Matrix
- Singer:
Bon Jovi
- Song:
Bounce
|
| Endorsement
deals |
$
1.5 million |
| Sponsoring
Companies |
TATA
Racing, JK Tyres, Speed(Bharat Petroleum) Red Bull |
| Facts |
- Aged
only 15, he became a finalist in the Pilote
Elf Competition for Formula Renault cars in
1992.
- Nephew
of Late Karivardhan also a race car driver.
- The
only Indian and also the only Asian to win the
Formula Asia International series.
- The
first Indian and only the second Asian to participate
in the Formula 3 championships and to be on
the winning list.
- The
first Indian to test a Formula One car when
he got behind the wheels of a Jaguar R1 car.
- He
was offered an F1 drive by Minardi in 2003 but
was unable to raise the funds required to secure
the offer.
|
| Races
won |
- 2004:He
won both the races at Valencia, Spain the 8th
round of World Series by Nissan.
- 2000:champion
at Korea Grand Prix.
- 1999:won
the Brands Hatch race twice (considered one
of the most difficult racing circuits)
- 1998
- finishing with two third place finishes at
the Spa-Francochamps in Belgium, and at Silverstone,
UK.
- 1997
- Won the prestigious Donnington Park Race with
a lead from start to finish. Finished sixth
in the overall points standings for the British
Formula Opel Championship.
- 1996
-Won the formula Asia International Series with
7 pole Positions, 7 Wins and 7 Lap Records.
- 1995-
finished 2nd in Shah Alam, Malaysia.
- 1994-Won
1st place in Mc Dowell 1000 at Madras. British
Formula Ford Winter Series Champion.
- 1993-Won
Formula Maruti in India.
- 1992-
Was a finalist in prestigious Pilote-Elf Competition
for Formula Renault Cars.
|
| Secret
of his sucess |
Meditation,
breathing exercises are of great help. Being aggressive
but staying cool and absolutely in control.
|
| Life
style |
Living
life out of a suitcase, staying away from home,
missing his friends and his favourite foods. |
| About
him |
"He's
very competitive and a super-quick driver. Sometimes
he's a little bit raw and wild in his style, but
he is a proven race winner." - Jordan sporting director
Trevor Carlin |
| His
dream which came true |
"To
be the first Indian Formula One driver" |
| On
hearing the news of his F1 racing |
"It's
a momentous day for me and it has indeed been a
long journey" |
| Quote |
“I’ve
got the hopes of a nation behind me so I’ve no choice
but to succeed now.” |
