Formula One: Karun Chandhok may not race at Indian GP

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Karun Chandhok’s hopes of driving at the Indian GP received a setback on Wednesday as Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandez hinted that regular drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli could keep their seats for the country’s first Formula One race to be run on October 30.

However, it was learnt that Karun will be behind the wheel of the green-yellow liveried car during the free practise session on Friday.

Malaysian businessman Fernandez said his focus was securing the 10th spot in the constructors’ championship rather than pleasing the Indian and his fans.

“We have two extremely experienced race drivers (Kovalainen and Trulli) and I’ve got to do what’s right for them and for the team, not for Karun or for the Indian fans. We have to finish tenth and we have the right people to do that for us,” Fernandez was quoted as saying.

Sources said driving at the Indian GP was on the cards when Karun signed a contract with Lotus earlier this year, but both their main drivers were not willing to step aside for the Indian racer.

The Air Asia owner, whose father was born in Goa, said there was no point in putting Karun in driver’s seat at the Indian GP just for the sake of it.

“None of us want to put him under more pressure than he’s already going to be under during the Indian GP. When we ran Karun in Germany he did what we had asked him to do."

“He did the best job he could in a car he had hardly run in, and despite what people think, it is impossible to just jump into the cockpit and be as quick as your team mate."

“You need time to dial the car in as you would like, time to get up to speed and time to have the confidence to attack. He showed in the FP1 in Suzuka that when we ask him to do a job on a track he isn’t familiar with he just gets on with it,” concluded Fernandez.