Hooked to the fast lane
He might look like any other 24-year-old guy from the neighbourhood, but when it comes to speeding cars this young racer from the capital can put many experienced drivers to shame. Rohit Koul, the only Indian driver in this year’s Formula Renault UK Championship, is leaving no stone unturned to make our country proud in this prestigious racing championship.
The racer, who started driving at a tender age of nine, mentions that while growing up he played with pistons and spark plugs. He says, “When I started driving, I could either have my feet at the accelerator and brake or I could look out the front, so I only used the hand-brake to drive. My favourite outings involved engines, grease and motor oil, and by the time I figured how to hold a cricket bat I was already devising strategies on how to overtake opponents in go-karting.”
As the only Indian driver in the UK championship, Rohit feels that to be a steady racer one has to keep the focus intact. He says, “Like any other sport, even here the basics are the same — rock solid discipline, simulations and training your body and mind to extract the most out of yourself on race day. I am used to UK conditions (track and weather) and have driven on these circuits several times, so I am looking forward to this opportunity.”
Rohit feels that after the introduction of F1 Grand Prix in India, a lot has changed. He says, “Obviously after back to back Grand Prix in India, a lot of young drivers got a chance to race in different countries through many sponsors. There are many sponsors who are showing interest and coming on board to help Indian drivers represent India in the world.”
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