Super Formula: Karthikeyan scores first podium of 2016 season at Okayama

Narain Karthikeyan, who is in his fourth season of competing in the Japan-based Super Formula series - widely regarded as the fastest single seat series outside of Formula 1 and with a competitive grid of drivers - scored his first podium finish of the season in the first of two races of the fifth round of the season at the Okayama International Circuit.

The race was won by Belgium's Stoffel Vandoorne, who made his F1 debut earlier in the year for McLaren and has been placed. in Super Formula as a means to keep him race ready for his full fledged F1 debut in 2017.

Karthikeyan qualified sixth for the 28-lap race around the 3.703km, 13-turn circuit that hosted a round of the F1 World Championship in 1994 and 1995.

He managed to move up to third by the end of the 110km sprint race in his Toyota-powered SUNOCO Team Le Mans car.

Another 110km sprint race is scheduled for Sunday after which there will be three races remaining in the season over two rounds that concludes at the Suzuka International Racing Course on 30th October.

The podium is only Karthikeyan's second points scoring finish over the five races that have been held so far, which also includes two retirements. Following the third place finish, Karthikeyan lies 11th in the standings out of 19 drivers.