HE'S GOT A FAST CAR

After Narain Karthikeyan, now it's Karun Chandok's turn to give Formula 1 racing a shot.

Ask Narain Karthikeyan and he will tell you that the tag of the fastest Indian weighs extremely heavy. After having a not-too-much-to-talk-about debut season in Formula 1, with the erstwhile Jordan team, Karthikeyan has been confined to being a test driver for Williams. He also races off and on for Team India at the A1 GP.

Not many believed that a second Indian would get a shot at Formula 1. But 24-year-old Karun Chandhok has defied all odds and recently was called up to test for the Red Bull team in Barcelona.

Chandhok has taken the mandatory route followed by almost all Formula 1 drivers, which is: driving for F3, F2 and the V Series, then get a call up for the test driver of a team, which ultimately, for a few lucky ones, culminates in a ticket to the hot seat.

Now that Chandhok has finally tested for Red Bull, how does he rate his chances of making it to the F1 grid?

First, he speaks about what a phenomenal experience it was to be in a Formula 1 car. "It was far better than I actually imagined it to be, but it was amazing to be in the car." While Chandhok came 18th out of 20 in the first session, he did better on the second and finished 11th, much ahead of experienced heads like Jarno Trulli and Jenson Button. But he knows that this is just the beginning and he still has a long way to go.

"This call up is just a reward for the hard work which I have been putting over the last few years." He is honest enough to admit that it is the 2009 season which he is targetting. "I need to get the feel and gain more experience before being ready for the big stage."

Chandhok, who has been there and done that as far as national racing is considered, feels that in this sport one has to be able grab the opportunity when it comes knocking. He knows it's an uphill task to get to the pinnacle of motorsport and that one needs support from sponsors. So far, Red Bull have been supporting him while JK Tyres too has offered strong support.

With Vijay Mallya now owning the Spyker team, which has been renamed Force India, speculation is rife about Chandhok getting a chance there. Chandhok, however, refutes any such rumour, saying that the team being owned by a fellow countryman "doesn't translate into an Indian getting to drive for it".

Sanjay Sharma, former national rallying champion and head of JK Tyres motorsports division, feels that Chandhok will have to play the patience game. "We know he is extremely talented and is a fearless driver but he will have to be patient." Sharma believes that it would hold Chandhok in good stead if he can learn from Karthikeyan's experiences. Chandhok, who was the youngest national champion at the age of 17, comes from a family that was into motor sports. His father, Vicky Chandhok, was a national-level rallyist as well. He says that even if this opportunity to get a driving spot doesn't actually materialise, he won't be discouraged. "Just the call up is a massive incentive for me to keep on doing the right things," he says. He believes that his experiences at the GP2 and V6 championships have made him a better driver. At the Renault V6 championship, he was crowned the Asian Champion and won seven races.

In motorsports, one needs a lot more than talent. Even Karthikeyan is still considered a talented driver and could get a second shot at Formula 1. Chandhok, meanwhile, is treating his experience behind the wheel of an F1 car as a "wonderful learning experience". And he will certainly be hoping that he gets many more chances to do so in the future. At least, that is what the country is hoping for!