Sahara Force India academy driver Jehan Daruvala is just 16 years old but he is already being tipped as the next big thing in Indian motorsports and the Silverstone-based F1 team owner Vijay Mallya wants to nurture him just like the way McLaren nurtured Lewis Hamilton.
Jehan, the brightest talent to emerge from Sahara Force India's "One From A Billion" programme, shot to limelight recently by winning the competitive British Karting Championship with two podium finishes in Shenington, UK.
Mallya was quick to identify the Mumbai lad's calibre when he said that Jehan has the potential to become a world-class Formula One driver.
"Ever since I bought Sahara Force India and put an Indian team on board, I have been constantly bombarded with questions on when we would have an Indian driver in the cockpit of our car. I said that we would find a driver with potential to become a top-class driver," said Mallya at the Buddh International Circuit here today.
"I am pleased and filled with joy to share with you that we have found an Indian, who certainly has all the talent and all the makings of becoming a top-class F1 driver in due course of time.
"Jehan joined the Sahara Force India Academy through a selection process in 2011 and then immediately showed his talent by winning the Asia Pacific Karting Championship in 2012 and now he has become the first-ever Indian to win the British KF3 Championship. The competition there was fierce. There is a lot of talent out there. England being the home of motorsports, the competition is toughest out there. Jehan has done the nation proud," he added.
