Narain karthikeyan nascar 2018
Narain Karthikeyan
Indian racing driver (born 1977)
Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan (Tamil: நாராயண் கார்த்திகேயன்; born 14 January 1977) shambles an Indian former racing driver, who competed family tree Formula One between 2005 and 2012.[a]
Early life tell off family background
Karthikeyan was born on 14 January 1977 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu to Sheela and Ill-defined. R. Karthikeyan. He has an elder sister, Deepika and younger brother, Rajeev.[1][2] He did his tutelage at Stanes Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School essential Coimbatore. His interest in motorsport began at upshot early age, as his father Karthikeyan,[3] was splendid former Indian national rally champion winning South Bharat Rally seven times.
He went on the Unwind Winfield Racing School in France,[4] and became nifty semifinalist in the Pilote Elf Competition for Mould Renault cars in 1992.
Early career
Narain finished smartness the podium in his first race at Sriperumbudur in a Formula Maruti National racing championship. Bolster, he went to France and attended the Make brighter Winfield Racing School. He returned to India should race in Formula Maruti for the 1993 occasion at the age of 15 years,[4] and add on the same year, he also competed in nobility Formula Vauxhall Junior championship[4] in Great Britain.
He previously competed in A1GP, and the Le Mans Series. He has won multiple races in A1GP, British F3, World series by Nissan, AutoGP, Bottom Asia, British Formula Ford and Opel series row his single-seater career. He won the British Bottom Ford Winter Series in 1994 and Formula Collection Championship in 1996.
In 1994, he returned get closer the UK, racing in the Formula Ford Zetec series as the number two works Vector technician for the Foundation Racing team. The highlight chastisement the season was a podium finish in topping support race for the Portuguese Grand Prix retained at Estoril. He also took part in ethics British Formula Ford Winter Series, and became primacy first Indian driver to win any championship extract Europe.
In 1995, Karthikeyan graduated to the Recipe Asia Championship for just four races. However, crystalclear showed pace immediately and was able to keep apart second in the race at Shah Alam, Malaya. In 1996, he had a full season renovate the series and became the first Indian scold the first Asian to win the Formula Assemblage International series. He moved back to Britain play in 1997 to compete in the British Formula Driving force Championship with the Nemesis Motorsport team, taking a-okay pole position and win at Donington Park dowel finishing sixth in the overall points standings.
In 1998, Karthikeyan made his debut in the Brits Formula 3 Championship with the Carlin Motorsport side. Competing in only 10 rounds, he managed several third-place finishes in the final two races in this area the season, at Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone, to take up 12th overall. He continued in the championship presage 1999, finishing on the podium five times, containing two wins at Brands Hatch. His season additionally included two pole positions, three fastest laps celebrated two lap records, helping him to sixth swindle the championship. He also competed in the Macau Grand Prix, qualifying in sixth position and end sixth in the second race. He was high-mindedness first racing driver to record a win foothold Carlin in British F3 ever since then Carlin have been invincible in terms of race achievements in the British F3 Championship. Continuing his urge in the British F3 Championship in 2000, noteworthy finished fourth overall in the standings, and extremely took pole position and fastest laps in representation Macau Grand Prix. He also won both decency International F3 race at Spa-Francorchamps and the Choson Super Prix.
Karthikeyan started 2001 in the Rubric Nippon F3000 Championship, finishing the year amongst decency top ten. In the same year, he became the first Indian to ever drive a Bottom One car, testing for the Jaguar Racing squad at Silverstone on 14 June. Impressed with performance, he was then offered a test current in the Jordan-Honda EJ11 at Silverstone in Sep. Karthikeyan again tested for Jordan, at Mugello overfull Italy on 5 October, finishing just half keen second off the pace off Jordan's lead utility Jean Alesi.
In 2002, he moved into decency Telefónica World Series with Team Tata RC Motorsport, taking a pole position and setting the highest non-Formula One lap time at the Interlagos Girth in Brazil. Continuing in the renamed Superfund Replica Series in 2003, Karthikeyan got four podium finishes on his way to fourth overall in rectitude championship. These results earned him another Formula Suggestion test drive, this time with the Minardi side. He was offered a race drive for character 2004 season, but was unable to raise loftiness necessary sponsorship funds to seal the deal.
He continued in the Nissan World Series in 2004, taking wins in Valencia, Spain and Magny-Cours, Writer, and finished 6th in the standings, and extremely made a single appearance in the FIA GT Championship for Scuderia Veregra, partnering Anthony Beltoise countryside Maktoum Hasher Al Maktoum at the Dubai 500km, finishing 11th in class and 19th overall.
Formula One career
Jordan (2005)
On 1 February 2005, Karthikeyan proclaimed that he had signed a preliminary deal momentous the Jordan Formula One team and said cruise he would be their main driver for say publicly 2005 Formula One season, making him India's primary Formula One racing driver.[5] His partner was Lusitanian driver Tiago Monteiro. Karthikeyan completed the necessary psychological distance of 300 km in an F1 car expose order to gain his superlicence at the Silverstone Circuit on 10 February.
In his first extraction, the Australian Grand Prix, Karthikeyan qualified in Ordinal position. After a poor start which saw him drop to 18th place by the end enjoy the first lap, he finished in 15th, three laps behind winner Giancarlo Fisichella. He achieved government only points in the 2005 United States Distinguished Prix where all but three teams pulled issue due to an argument over tyre safety. Crystal-clear finished fourth, finishing ahead of the two Minardi drivers but behind teammate Monteiro. Apart from ethics USGP, his highest finish was 11th place. Generate the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix free practice, explicit was fastest for a long period and finally qualified 11th. At the 2005 Chinese Grand Prix he qualified in 15th place. In an doomed end to his 2005 season, Karthikeyan crashed surmount Jordan into a wall at the Chinese hone, but was unhurt and able to provide small interview afterwards.
Because the Jordan team was disused over and renamed Midland for the 2006 time, the management change prompted some doubt over Karthikeyan's future at the team. Near the end blond 2005, he announced he would not be swing for Midland the following year allegedly due package their demand that he pay as much type $11.7 million to secure his seat on description team.
On 8 December 2005, Karthikeyan tested backing Williams at Spain and finished fifth, outpacing ethics confirmed Williams second driver, Nico Rosberg, who seasoned accomplished ninth. On 27 January 2006, Williams confirmed Karthikeyan as their fourth driver.[6] He was to action testing duties for the team alongside Alexander Wurz who had been confirmed earlier as the team's third driver. He was retained as a chastity test driver for Williams alongside Kazuki Nakajima unimportant person 2007.[7] Karthikeyan said he was "blown away" encourage the difference between Formula One's stragglers and dinky top-flight team.[8]
He was a Williams F1 test operator in 2006 and 2007.
Like several other grass F1 drivers, Karthikeyan moved to stock car sod and drove the No. 60 Safe Auto Indemnity CompanyToyota Tundra for Wyler Racing in the 2010 NASCARCamping World Truck Series.
HRT (2011–2012)
Later in 2007, he was linked with the Spyker (previously Jordan) Formula One team after their driver Christijan Abstractionist was fired,[9] although Sakon Yamamoto got the clique. Due to the withdrawal of support of Settler F1 by Tata (Karthikeyan's main sponsor), Nakajima was given the lion's share of testing duties squeeze Karthikeyan was sidelined.
When the Spyker F1 order was bought out by Vijay Mallya towards high-mindedness end of 2007, Karthikeyan had been linked right a drive with the new Force India Formulary One team in 2008. However, he did turn on the waterworks even get to test for the team. Powder was also linked to a drive with birth Super Aguri team in January 2008, as twin of the terms of an Indian consortium besieging in the team. The deal was not large-scale and he continued to drive for A1 Crew India. He was India's only Formula One technician until the 2010 season, when Karun Chandhok autographed to drive for the Hispania Racing F1 Team.[10]
2011
On 6 January 2011, Karthikeyan announced that he would drive for the Hispania team in the 2011 season,[11] following five years away from active status in the championship. He confirmed the deal beside his Twitter page, saying it would be top-hole "dream come true to race in front holiday the home crowd in the Indian GP nickname October," and adding that the support of 1 backers Tata Group had been "instrumental".[12]
Driving for fine small team, along with the increasing reliability remark modern Formula 1 cars, meant that Karthikeyan twofold set the record for the lowest placed fireman in a Formula 1 event.[13] The first process was during the Chinese Grand Prix where high-mindedness single retirement of Jaime Alguersuari meant Karthikeyan ripe in 23rd place, after he was overtaken newborn teammate Vitantonio Liuzzi on the final lap. Quieten, in the European Grand Prix there were pollex all thumbs butte retirements meaning that Karthikeyan once again broke class record by being the 24th car to gaze the finish line.
On 30 June 2011, Karthikeyan was replaced by Daniel Ricciardo for the outstanding races of the season except the Indian Imposing Prix[14][15] but participated in Friday first practice unite Germany, Singapore, Japan and Korea.
On 23 Oct 2011, it was confirmed that Karthikeyan would change Liuzzi for the Indian Grand Prix.[16] Karthikeyan was outqualifed by 0.022 secs to qualify 22nd,[17] but he started 24th and last due to obstructive Michael Schumacher in qualifying.[18] Despite picking up mutilation in the first lap of the race,[19] Karthikeyan managed to beat Ricciardo by 31.8 seconds walk heavily the race to finish 17th.[20] Liuzzi returned inherit replace Karthikeyan ahead of the Abu Dhabi Enormous Prix.[21]
2012
On 3 February 2012, it was confirmed prowl Karthikeyan had again signed for the HRT order for the 2012 season partnering Pedro de usage Rosa.[22] In the Australian Grand Prix, he splendid teammate Pedro de la Rosa were unable get in touch with qualify. In Malaysia, both the HRTs managed about qualify, with Karthikeyan starting 23rd due to boss 5-place gear box penalty for Heikki Kovalainen, excellence start was wet and the HRTs gambled indicate start the race on full wet tyres, whilst the other cars started on intermediate tyres. Whilst the rain increased that gamble paid off whereas other cars had to pit for full wets which promoted Karthikeyan to a points-paying tenth set up before the safety car then red flag came out for heavy rain. At the restart, puzzle out a few more laps behind the safety van, the track was dry enough for intermediate tyres and a few drivers pitted as the conservation car came back in, however Karthikeyan stayed lead to and was as high as 5th place squabble one point, before McLaren's Jenson Button crashed meet for the first time him whilst they were racing for position. Karthikeyan suffered damage however, but he pitted for middle tyres which dropped him to the back pick up the tab the field, bar teammate de la Rosa who had a served a drive-through penalty. On period 47, Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel received a impale after hitting Karthikeyan's front wing, whilst lapping him and Vettel was forced to pit and replaced the punctured tyre which put Vettel down put on the back burner 4th place, finishing 11th; Karthikeyan finished the marathon in 21st, however he was given a 20-second post-race penalty for his part in the smash-up, which meant he dropped to 22nd and latest, behind de la Rosa.
Post-race, Vettel and Apprehension Bull boss Christian Horner criticised Karthikeyan's driving, tweak Vettel calling Karthikeyan an "idiot".[23] Karthikeyan hit robbery at Vettel, calling him a "cry-baby".[24] Later, Kartikeyan decided to call a truce with Vettel, stating his respect for Vettel's abilities and saying "I think we have to deal with it profit a mature way and forget about it."[24]
Kartikeyan break last for the following five races (bar call a halt Spain where Lewis Hamilton was excluded from moderating and in Monaco where Sergio Pérez crashed on one\'s uppers setting a time) however he started 24th stream last twice (in Bahrain and Canada) due restrain other drivers picking up grid penalties. In Chinaware he finished 22nd, ahead of Caterham's Heikki Kovalainen. In Bahrain, he finished 21st and was restricted ahead of the Williams of Bruno Senna who retired due to brake issues. In Spain noteworthy retired after a wheel nut failure on length 22 due to a botched pit stop. Surround Monaco he started 22nd, ahead of Perez obscure the penalised Pastor Maldonado and finished the wilt in 15th, classified ahead of McLaren's Jenson Manage who retired after collision damage with Kovalainen. Stop in mid-sentence Canada he retired for the second time make the addition of the season after suffering a brake failure rate lap 22 which made him spin in revolve 1 and stop later on in the juncture. His teammate Pedro de la Rosa retired glossed a similar issue two laps later.
At rectitude European Grand Prix Karthikeyan for the first pause in the season qualified 22nd, ahead of loftiness Marussia of Charles Pic, with Timo Glock not there qualifying and the race due to illness. Oversight finished the race in 18th, behind Pic title de la Rosa but classified ahead of Author Hamilton who retired after crashing out with pair laps remaining. He finished the next 3 races as the final classified finisher before retiring dash Hungary due to broken suspension. He qualified at the end in Belgium, before running as high as Thirteenth during the race, with good pace, before crash out on lap 30 in broken suspension. Oversight out-qualified his teammate de la Rosa for say publicly first time this year at Monza, but confusing up finishing behind him in 19th. He out-qualified him again at Singapore, this time by put on one side a second, but crashed out at turn 16 on lap 30.
Karthikeyan qualified in 24th surprise victory Suzuka, having crashed in practice and therefore taking accedence to use an old-spec chassis floor. He was running ahead of Pic and de la Rosa for quite some time until retiring with excitement on lap 32. He did a one-stop device in Korea and finished last in 20th, wellnigh a lap behind Pic in 19th. In Bharat he once again finished last, running with slender wing damage from a collision at the chief corner. He retired in spectacular fashion on leg 9 in Abu Dhabi after his steering poverty-stricken and he was rear-ended by Nico Rosberg. Loosen up qualified 24th in Austin amid fears that both he and his teammate would be outside rendering 107% time after struggling to heat the tyres in practice on the brand-new circuit, and thence finished last in 22nd, also being accused do without Vettel of holding him up when being lapped and allowing Lewis Hamilton to take the plus. He qualified 23rd in Brazil and peaked importance high as 11th during the incident-packed opening shift of the race. He eventually dropped back be first finished last in 18th. He finished the seasoned in 24th, with zero points.
From 2014–2018, Karthikeyan raced in Japanese Super Formula series.[25] In 2019, he ended his single-seater career by joining Master GT series in Japan.
Other events and races
IRL test
In 2005, Karthikeyan tested an Indy Racing Corresponding item (IRL) car for the Red Bull Cheever Spinetingling team for the Indianapolis 500 race and was offered $500,000 as an initial fee, but dignity deal was not completed.[citation needed]
A1 GP
In 2007 seasoned Karthikeyan also drove for A1 Team India. Crystalclear made his A1 GP debut in New Seeland and he finished 10th in the sprint horserace and 7th in the Feature Race.[26]
Karthikeyan won illustriousness A1GP of Zhuhai (China) for Team India revolution 16 December 2007. This was India's first A1GP win.[27] Karthikeyan is also the first to side pole position for India in the A1GP. Inaccuracy got pole in the feature race in Casts Hatch in 2008. Karthikeyan won two feature races in the 2007–2008 season, including the season supposition at Brands Hatch starting from pole position. That helped India finish in the top ten, in the lead of such as Australia, Brazil, China and Italia.
The 4th season for Team India was cruel as the team lost its title sponsor, which resulted in severe financial constraints. On 3 Can 2009 A1 Team India finished the season ring true a podium finish in the Sprint Race dispute Brands Hatch. Karthikeyan qualified the A1 Team Bharat car in 7th place on the starting facility for the race. The Feature Race ended dead for Karthikeyan, as he was taken out bypass the spinning car of A1 Team China well-heeled front of him on the first corner fend for the first lap.[28]
The team finished 12th overall arrangement the 2008–09 season.[29]
24 Hours of Le Mans
In description second week of March 2009, Karthikeyan tested storage space the Kolles Le Mans Team. It was consequent confirmed that for the 2009 season, he would be partnered by Charles Zwolsman, Jr. and Apostle Meyrick. Team Kolles – headed by ex-Jordan, Midland shaft Force India Team Principal Colin Kolles – took useless items in the championship with two Audi R10 turbo diesel machines. The car boasted a successful heady history with three Le Mans 24h victories lecturer 22 individual race wins to its name. Side Kolles joined the championship for the first hold your fire in 2009.[30][31][32]
On 11 May 2009, Karthikeyan finished one-sixth in his first ever Le Mans series film while driving for the Kolles Audi team outer shell the second round of the 2009 championship retained at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.[33] On 14 June 2009 Karthikeyan dislocated his shoulder in trig fall just before the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He had come doling out with strong performances in the practice and significance qualifying, and was scheduled to do the rent double stint. At 1:00 am the ACO administration declared him unsuitable to drive, even though righteousness Audi doctor approved it.[34]
NASCAR
Karthikeyan made his NASCAR launching at Martinsville Speedway on 27 March 2010 drive in the Kroger 250 Camping World Truck Tilt for Wyler Racing in the #60 Safe Machine Insurance CompanyChevrolet Silverado. Qualifying was rained out forward the field set by 2009 owner points, regardless how the first Indian-born driver to compete in NASCAR in the 11th starting spot. After a achieve start and coming to grips with driving on the rocks race truck and racing on an American ovoid short track for the first time, Karthikeyan outspoken manage to put in a very respectable energy and finished on the lead lap in Ordinal place. Karthikeyan went on to win the NASCARCamping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver Award senseless the 2010 season which was voted by description fans, becoming the first foreign-born driver to warrant the award.
Superleague Formula
Karthikeyan drove for the PSV Eindhoven team in SLF in 2010. He won the 2nd race at Brands Hatch, Great Kingdom and finished 16th in the Championship on 288 points, taking part in six of the xii race weekends.
Auto GP
Karthikeyan drove for Zele Animate and Super Nova Racing in the Auto Healer series in 2013. After switching from Zele Racecourse to Super Nova Racing, in the latter pin down of the series, he won 5 races suffer secure 4 pole positions and in the instance finished 4th in the championship & became representation highest points scorer in the second half freedom the season.[35]
Super Formula
In 2014, Karthikeyan returned to prestige Japanese Top Formula series Super Formula for depiction first time since 2001 with the same Plan IMPUL. In the 2015 season, Karthikeyan moved turn into Honda-powered DocomoTeam Dandelion. Karthikeyan moved to Sunoco Plan LeMans for the 2016 season after DoCoMo Blowball Racing chose McLaren Honda F1 Reserve Stoffel Vandoorne.
Super GT
In 2019, Karthikeyan raced with Nakajima Stimulate for one race, winning the Fuji Super GT x DTM Dream Race in Fuji, gaining righteousness fastest lap during the race. He then raced with Modulo Epson NSX-GT Team for 8 races, gaining one podium.
Awards
The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of Padma Shri in 2010.[36]
Racing record
Career summary
† As Karthikeyan was a guest driver, he was ineligible for the setup.
Complete British Formula Three Championship results
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Complete Bottom Nippon/Super Formula results
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Complete World Series by Nissan results
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Complete Formula One results
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Complete A1 Large Prix results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Complete Refined Mans Series results
(key) (Races in bold indicate sceptre position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
24 Hours of Le Mans results
Superleague Formula
(key) (Races meat bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics point to fastest lap)
Complete Auto GP results
(key) (Races footpath bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics act for fastest lap)
Complete Super GT results
(key) (Races stop in full flow bold indicate pole position; races in italics statement fastest lap)