Life in the fast lane

India's Formula 1 racer Narain Karthikeyan is busy finalising an exciting schedule for his 2010 diary. At the recent Bloomberg UTV Autocar Awards 2010, CS caught up with the racing champion who, when not behind the wheels, spends most of his time in fitness training. Here's what Narain has to say about his love for everything that's fast:


WHO: Narain Karthikeyan
WHAT: Talking about his love for racing
WHERE: At the Autocar Awards at Taj Lands End

Race trace
My passion for racing originated in the sleepy town of Coimbatore. In fact, my father used to rally on the town's roads when I was 10-11 years old and I would follow his every move. That is when my interest for racing built into passion. And though it's not a popular sport like cricket, there is a lot of encouragement for those interested in taking up the sport. Also, there are lot of big things happening and hopefully things will improve soon.

Solo ride
Who or which sport doesn't have good and bad days? You can only try and have more good days. But yes it's tough to keep your morale high at times as it is an individual's sport. However, when you see a positive result, it motivates you and takes you further. Besides believing in my ability, the sport itself is so exciting. The entire package gives you a high. And yes, I'm living my dream, which very few get a chance at; I'm a pioneer in my country; so it's not too difficult to stay motivated!

Fast and furious
If I weren't a racer, I would be a fighter pilot. I love the adrenaline rush that racing brings. I love fast cars and drive a Porsche 911. Before I got involved with racing cars, I was an ardent bike rider. People ask me if I'm a rash driver on normal roads and I say 'hopefully not!' On Mumbai roads, you can't really go wrong. The pace of traffic is so slow that there's no way you can zoom about.