Karthikeyan returns to Formula One

CHENNAI - Narain Karthikeyan will return to Formula One after a five-season interval as he signed up with Hispania Racing Team, it was officially announced on Thursday.

In 2005, the 33-year old Coimbatore-based Karthikeyan became the first Indian to debut Formula One when he drove for Jordan and even picked up some points by finishing fourth in the contentious US Grand Prix that was boycotted by all teams except Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi.

In a statement here on Thursday, Karthikeyan said: “I have worked really hard to come back to F1 and it will be a dream come true to race in the first ever Indian Grand Prix in front of my fellow-Indians. I hope that they will spur me on with their blessings and good wishes.”

Incidentally, Karun Chandhok, who last year became only the second Indian to race in Formula One, drove for the same Hispania team, but was dropped midway through the season due to lack of budget.

As coincidence would have it, Karthikeyans first stint in Formula One was also with a struggling team Jordan and this year, he is back in the series, again driving for a back-of-the-grid team that last year suffered due to inadequate budgets and lack of development.

“It has been a while in the making, but I am delighted to be racing again in Formula 1 in 2011. I have always maintained that I have not given up on my desire to return to the top level of motor sport. I am confident that I have the pace, the fitness and the will to succeed in Formula 1.

“I am extremely grateful to the Tata Group, without whose unwavering support, this comeback would not have been possible. I am looking forward to racing for HRT, and to working again with Dr. Colin Kolles. We have a long standing and excellent working relationship together,” he said in the statement.

HRT principal Kolles said: “It is a great pleasure for us to have signed Narain Karthikeyan as our race driver for the 2011 Formula 1 World Championship. I have known Narain for a long time and he can revert to the experiences he gained when he was competing for Jordan Grand Prix and being test and reserve driver for Williams F1.

“Narain has also been driving in other racing series and running in one of the legendary Audi sports cars in the Le Mans Series. I am sure that his experience and speed will be very useful for the team during the season. We are welcoming Narain to our team and we look forward to working closely with him this year.”

Karthikeyans return to Formula One was on the cards though it was a closely-guarded secret, but last month in Bangalore, he gave an indication of his desire for a comeback in 2011 if only to participate in the inaugural Indian GP in Delhi in October.

After just one season in Formula 1, Karthikeyan switched to the Williams outfit as their test driver in 2006 and 2007 before moving to the A1 Grand Prix representing Team India.

Subsequently, he did the high-profile Le Mans Series and Le Man 24-hour race with Kolles Audi team, again the first Indian to do so.

He spent 2010 in the US participating in the NASCAR Camping World Truck series besides the Super League Formula series in Europe.

The release claims that Hispania was all “charged up to dramatically improve upon its 2010 performance” that saw them finishing without a single point.

For the 2011 season, the release said, HRT have expanded their own resources, and have established some strong technical partnerships. They will participate with an upgraded version of their 2010 chassis, mated to the legendary Cosworth engine, and a gearbox sourced from the Williams Formula 1 team.

The Tata Group has played a pivotal role in ensuring Karthikeyan’s return to a full-time Formula 1 race drive, the release added.