F1 churning on the cards
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The silly season in Formula One has just begun. This is the time of the year the world’s most expensive sport comes up with a big game of musical chairs as seats open up and drivers’ contracts are up for renewal. With just two more races to go for the conclusion of the 2010 season, rumours about next year drivers’ line-up are flying in from all directions.
While not many high profile switches are expected for the year 2011, it looks like the minnows are set to shake up their team compositions. If the grapevine is anything to go by, India’s Karun Chandhok, who has been cooling his heels at the Hispania Racing since the British GP, is set to join Malaysia-based Team Lotus, whose owner Tony Fernandes has Indian roots. The father of the Air Asia boss is a Goan.
With the country joining the F1 bandwagon next year Karun remains optimistic of getting back to the cockpit. Sources say Lotus are “demanding around 11 million euros” from the Chennai driver, who made his F1 debut with HRT before being sidelined by the strongly-funded Japanese Sakon Yamamoto.
Karun’s biggest supporter and F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is keen to have the Indian back on the grid in order to promote the inaugural Indian GP. Karun says he is in talks with various teams. “There is a lot to discuss for next year with the HRT team. At the same time, I have to look at other options that are available to me. I do feel good about my prospects,” he said.
Another report claims that the 25-year-old could become Lotus reserve driver next year before moving into the race cockpit in 2012.
Elsewhere, the talented Adrian Sutil is likely to part ways with Force India. Will it finally pave way for an Indian to sit behind the wheel of a Vijay Mallya car?
Italian magazine Autosprint has reported that Narain Karthikeyan is a surprise contender. The 33 year-old, the first Indian driver to race in F1, could fill the void should Sutil leave Force India, claimed the magazine. He is well armed with a reported £5million package through a number of sponsors.
But Narain has squashed the report. “Really amused to see the stories doing their rounds linking me to a 2011 F1 drive. Others seem to know more than me! Spare millions anyone?” he tweeted.
Narain, who is competing at the Nascar Truck Series, is only eager to graduate to the more lucrative Nascar Sprint Cup in America.
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