Indian F1 pioneer looks to the future

India’s first Formula 1 driver is fairly well settled – racing in Japan at the moment – but even he couldn’t resist sharing his views on the country’s brightest racing prospect.

Narain Karthikeyan enjoyed success in junior racing series - including wins in F3 - followed by F1 adventures, wins in A1GP and even an F1 comeback, in which he was placed higher than HRT teammate - and future race winner - Daniel Ricciardo at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix in 2011.

The 41-year-old’s experience – he is still actively racing in Japan’s Super Formula, the fastest single-seat series outside of F1 – means that he’s a good perspective on single-seat racing. This gave us the excuse we needed to pick his brain on the subject of 19-year-old Jehan Daruvala as the new Indian racing prospect. 

Daruvala became the first Indian since Karthikeyan to win an international level Formula 3 race, when he won a race in his debut season of the super-competitive FIA Formula 3 European Championship en route to finishing sixth in the standings, thanks to nine other top five finishes (out of a field of 23), which included two podiums. His points tally of 191 was a long way off of Carlin Racing teammate Lando Norris – a driver touted as a once-in-a-generation talent and heavily supported by McLaren, the second most successful team in F1. Eighteen-year-old Norris, also an FIA F3 rookie, won the title in his first year and will now move on to take part in the FIA Formula 2 Championship. Daruvala will take part in FIA F3 again this year with Carlin. A common move among upcoming drivers and one that Karthikeyan feels may not necessarily harm Daruvala’s prospects in getting to the F1 grid. 

‘I think every driver has a different pace of maturity and skill,’ Karthikeyan told autoX. ‘So, it isn’t necessary that everyone should progress at the same rate. It just doesn’t happen. Lando (Norris) is supremely talented and probably in the league of (Max) Verstappen, in terms of pure pace, and Jehan was competitive against him especially in the first half of the season. He let it slip a little bit in the second half, else he would have definitely finished in the top five in the championship, which would have been a credible achievement. So, it’s too early to say that it has hurt his chances. I don’t think so and I think there is a long way to go.’

Karthikeyan does, however, raise some concerns about the benefits of Daruvala being a part of the Sahara Force India Driver Academy, especially when compared to McLaren who backed Norris and even Lewis Hamilton prior to his F1 debut in 2007. 

‘The McLaren young drivers programme is completely different from Force India’s,’ said Karthikeyan. ‘They provide budgets and the whole nine yards. Whereas Force India’s young driver programme is about who brings a whole lot of budget or a financial package that aids the team. Nikita Mazepin, who is a lot slower than Jehan, has been given some F1 running, as he brings a significant backing from his billionaire father. There is a massive difference between the two young driver programs.’

One of the goals for Daruvala will be to improve on his tenth-place finish at the renowned Macau Grand Prix, a part of which is the FIA Formula 3 World Cup –  a one-off event that attracts the best young racing talent from F3 championships and series around the world. 

‘Macau is a harsh mistress,’ said Karthikeyan, who was on pole position for the 2000 edition and also set the fastest lap in the qualifying and main race. ‘It’s a tough track to master and just when you think you’ve got it right, it comes back and slaps you in the face. Searing pace, ability to take risks and supreme concentration is the mix that is required to ace the streets of Macau.’