Karthikeyan perplexed over F1 snub

Narain Karthikeyan has confirmed that he is not in the running to race for countryman Vijay Mallya's Force India team.

The 30-year-old was India's first representative on the Grand Prix grid, when he raced during one season for Force India predecessor Jordan in 2005.

Karthikeyan then spent two years as Williams' occasional test driver.

But while compatriot Karun Chandhok, who races in GP2 and has tested for Red Bull, has been promised consideration for a seat in 2009, Karthikeyan says he has not heard from Mallya or the Silverstone-based outfit since October.

"I sent a congratulations message to Mr. Mallya after he completed the (Spyker) buyout," Karthikeyan told the Indian Economic Times' motoring supplement AutoMania.


"He told me that once he took over the team he would talk to me. That was in October. After that, for whatever reasons, they have pursued others," he added.

"But that's alright. It's not the end of the world for me," Karthikeyan said.

D.B. © CAPSIS International
Source GMM


Frankly I don't get it either, the guy did pretty decently in the 05 Jordan and has been a much more standout driver than Chandhok. I was surprised he didn't get the Spyker seat instead of that joker Sakon Y. The funniest thing about this team is that they were at onetime going to offer a potential raceseat to Roland Rodriguez(who felt he was owed a race seat not because of talent, but because of sponsorship) who has been a never was in every series he raced in. I can understand them taking Fisi with his experience and the fact that he is bringing sponsorship.

 

it's a waste he's no on the grid. he may lack some sponsorship, but at least he's not a joke like that Yamamoto guy..

 

I am an Indian citizen so by all means I should be a big supporter. But I am not. I thought Karthikeyan did a great job in the first few races of the year where he was ahead of his teammate. But later in the season, he slowed relative to his teammate and did nothing noteworthy. So I wasn't surprised that he was given the boot. I don't think that Karun Chandok is all that great either - his performances in A1 GP seem pretty ordinary. I think Karthikeyan is better of the two but neither would be a world beater.

 

Sam he might not be a world beater but he is a lot better than some of the the other pay drivers. When the first guys were debuting from Japan, like Nakijima the Japanese companies and manufacturers did a lot get them seats. The drivers from that time from Japan have certainly evolved. I mention NK because I think he is a lot better than Chandok and light years ahead of Sakon Yamamoto. The thing that cracks me up in F1 is how a no talent bum like Roland Rodriguez was politicking for the second Force India seat has if he had won the F3 and F2 Championship when he barely finished 9th in a race.

 

He's not on the grid because he is not any good, it is that simple.

Maybe he can join Doornbos and Justin Wilson in Champ Cars, the refuge of the has-beens and never-weres.

 

Why is this a mystery?

Backmarker teams are all about show-me-the-money!

 

Nope. He's not on the grid because he hasn't any money. I understand that he does not qualify among the top talents, but lesser drivers will beat him to a seat because of no quality sponsors.

 

Or maybe not enough Sponsorship Dollars.

 

So that means he will be staying in A1GP?

 

most likely.

 

fully disagreed.

there's an Asian rally champion here, and he's barely racing these days because of the lack of sponsorship and money.

 

If they want to sell merchandise, grooming an Indian and a Chinese driver should be on F1's to-do list. They could use a Yao Ming.

 

The problem is that if, say, a basketball player is bad he has a team to hide behind whereas in racing if they are bad, even if they are in a bad car, they still have to compete against their teammate and could end up as a national embarassment.