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Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan (Tamil: குமார் ராம் நாராயண் கார்த்திகேயன்) (born 14 January 1977, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India) is an Indian racing driver who in 2005 became the first Formula One driver from India. Over his career he competed in 48 races, starting 46, and scored a total of five points for a fourth-place finish at the 2005 United States Grand Prix.

Karthikeyan first tested an F1 car during the 2001 season, driving in a mid-season test for Jaguar, and later the same season he drove for the Jordan. In 2003 and 2004, he served as a test driver for Minardi, and even had the opportunity to race in the 2004 season, but was unable to secure the necessary sponsorship funding.

In 2005, Karthikeyan managed to secure a full-time race seat with the Jordan team, partnering fellow rookie Tiago Monteiro. Barring the US GP, where he became the first Indian to score points in F1, he had an uneventful season in what was Jordan's final season as an F1 team. He moved to Williams as a test driver for the 2006 and 2007 seasons. He was often linked to filling vacant seats, including at Spyker for 2007, Super Aguri for 2008.

Karthikeyan finally returned to F1 for the 2011 season, driving for the HRT team. He failed to qualify for the first race, and twice broke the record for the lowest-place classified finish with 23rd at the Chinese Grand Prix and 24th at the European Grand Prix. After the European GP, he was replaced by Daniel Ricciardo. He returned for the Indian Grand Prix, where he finished 17th. Karthikeyan won back the seat in 2012, this time driving the whole season. After HRT folded at the end of the season, Karthikeyan was no longer involved in F1.

He currently races in Super GT.

Formula One History[]

Before F1[]

Jordan (2005)[]

He made his début in 2005 for Jordan Grand Prix, becoming the first Indian driver in Formula One. Karthikeyan scored his only F1 points at the infamous 2005 United States Grand Prix, where he came fourth in a field of six cars. When the team became Midland, Karthikeyan was dropped from the team.

Williams (2006–2007) and interim years[]

He became a test driver for Williams, staying at the team throughout the 2006 and 2007 seasons. After this, he drove in A1GP, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the European Le Mans Series, and Superleague Formula.

HRT (2011–2012)[]

Karthikeyan made a surprise return to F1 in 2011, driving for the HRT F1 Team. Unfortuanately for Karthikeyan, he has twice set the record for lowest placed finisher in F1 history, 23rd at the Chinese Grand Prix and 24th at the European Grand Prix. His strongest race was the Canadian Grand Prix, where he originally came 14th, but received a 20-second penalty for cutting a chichane and gaining an advantage and was classified 17th. He was replaced by Daniel Ricciardo after the European GP. He made a return at the first Indian Grand Prix as a replacement to Vitantonio Luizzi. Karthikeyan finished 17th, beating Ricciardo and Jarno Trulli.

Karthikeyan 2012 Canada

Kartikeyan at the 2012 Canadian Grand Prix, where he retired with brake failure.

In 2012, he signed for the HRT team again. At the Malaysian Grand Prix, he had an eventful race, reaching points-paying positions before a collision with . Narian whon about 15 race fuijbg hi rcaeree with hrt

After HRT entered liquidation after the 2012 season, Karthikeyan raced in the Auto GP series in 2013. Between 2014 and 2018

Formula One Record and Statistics[]

F1 Career Record[]

Year Entrant Team WDC Pts. WDC Pos. Report
2001 Ireland Benson & Hedges Jordan Honda Jordan-Honda Test Driver
United Kingdom Jaguar Racing Jaguar-Cosworth
2003: Did not compete
2003 Italy Trust Minardi Cosworth Minardi-Cosworth Test Driver
2004 Italy Minardi Cosworth Minardi-Cosworth Test Driver
2005 United Kingdom BMW Williams F1 Team Williams-BMW Test Driver Report
Ireland Jordan Grand Prix Jordan-Toyota 5 18th
2006 United Kingdom Williams F1 Team Williams-Cosworth Test Driver
2007 United Kingdom AT&T Williams Williams-Toyota Test Driver
2008–2010: Did not compete
2011 Spain Hispanic Formula 1 Team HRT-Cosworth 0 26th Report
Spain HRT Formula 1 Team
2012 Spain HRT Formula 1 Team HRT-Cosworth 0 24th Report

Statistics[]

Entries 48
Starts 46
Pole Positions 0
Sprint Poles 0
Front Row Starts 0
Race Wins 0
Sprint Wins 0
Podiums 0
Sprint Podiums 0
Fastest Laps 0
Sprint Fastest Laps 0
Points 5
Laps Raced 2244
Distance Raced 11,164 km (6,937 mi)

Career Results[]

Complete Formula One Results
Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pts Pos
2005 Flag of Australia Flag of Malaysia Flag of Bahrain Flag of San Marino Flag of Spain Flag of Monaco Flag of Europe Flag of Canada Flag of the United States Flag of France Flag of Great Britain Flag of Germany Flag of Hungary link =2005 Turkish Grand Prix Flag of Italy Flag of Belgium Flag of Brazil Flag of Japan Flag of China 5 18th
15th 11th Ret 12th 13th Ret 16th Ret 4th 15th Ret 16th 12th 14th 20th 11th 15th 15th Ret
20062010: Did not compete
2011 Flag of Bahrain Flag of Australia Flag of Malaysia Flag of China Flag of Turkey Flag of Spain Flag of Monaco Flag of Canada Flag of Europe Flag of Great Britain Flag of Germany Flag of Hungary Flag of Belgium Flag of Italy Flag of Singapore Flag of Japan Flag of South Korea Flag of India Flag of the United Arab Emirates Flag of Brazil 0 26th
C DNQ Ret 23rd 21st 21st 17th 17th 24th TD TD TD TD 17th
2012 Flag of Australia Flag of Malaysia Flag of China Flag of Bahrain Flag of Spain Flag of Monaco Flag of Canada Flag of Europe Flag of Great Britain Flag of Germany Flag of Hungary Flag of Belgium Flag of Italy Flag of Singapore Flag of Japan Flag of South Korea Flag of India Flag of the United Arab Emirates Flag of the United States Flag of Brazil 0 24th
DNQ 22nd 22nd 21nd Ret 15th Ret 18th 21st 23rd Ret Ret 19th Ret Ret 20th 21st Ret 22nd 18th
Key
Symbol Meaning Symbol Meaning
1st Winner Ret Retired
2nd Podium finish DSQ Disqualified
3rd DNQ Did not qualify
5th Points finish DNPQ Did not pre-qualify
14th Non-points finish TD Test driver
Italics Scored point(s) for Fastest Lap DNS Did not start
18th Classified finish (retired with >90% race distance) NC Non-classified finish (<90% race distance)
4thP Qualified for pole position [+] More Symbols

Notes[]


External links[]

V T E Teams and Drivers
2005 Teams and Drivers
Teams FerrariBARRenaultWilliamsMcLarenSauberRed BullToyotaJordanMinardi
Engines BMWCosworthFerrariHondaMercedesPetronasRenaultToyota
Drivers 1 M. Schumacher • 2 Barrichello • 3 Button • 4 Sato • 4 Davidson • 5 Alonso • 6 Fisichella • 7 Webber • 8 Heidfeld • 8 Pizzonia • 9 Räikkönen • 10 Montoya • 10 De la Rosa • 10 Wurz • 11 Villeneuve • 12 Massa • 14 Coulthard • 15 Klien • 15 Liuzzi • 16 Trulli • 17 R. Schumacher • 17 Zonta • 18 Monteiro • 19 Karthikeyan • 20 Friesacher • 20 Doornbos • 21 Albers
Other Drivers BadoerBernoldiGenéKiesaKovalainenMontagnyPanisRosbergSpeedYamamoto
2006 Teams and Drivers
Teams RenaultMcLarenFerrariToyotaWilliamsHondaRed BullBMW SauberMidlandToro RossoSuper Aguri
Engines BMWCosworthFerrariHondaMercedesRenaultToyota
Drivers 1 Alonso • 2 Fisichella • 3 Räikkönen • 4 Montoya • 4 De la Rosa • 5 M. Schumacher • 6 Massa • 7 R. Schumacher • 8 Trulli • 9 Webber • 10 Rosberg • 11 Barrichello • 12 Button • 14 Coulthard • 15 Klien • 15 Doornbos • 16 Heidfeld • 17 Villeneuve • 17 Kubica • 18 Monteiro • 19 Albers • 20 Liuzzi • 21 Speed • 22 Sato • 23 Ide • 23 Montagny • 23 Yamamoto
Other Drivers BadoerDavidsonHamiltonKovalainenPiquetSutilVettelWurz
2007 Teams and Drivers
Teams McLarenRenaultFerrariHondaBMW SauberToyotaRed BullWilliamsToro RossoSpykerSuper Aguri
Engines BMWFerrariHondaMercedesRenaultToyota
Drivers 1 Alonso • 2 Hamilton • 3 Fisichella • 4 Kovalainen • 5 Massa • 6 Räikkönen • 7 Button • 8 Barrichello • 9 Heidfeld • 10 Kubica/Vettel • 11 R. Schumacher • 12 Trulli • 14 Coulthard • 15 Webber • 16 Rosberg • 17 Wurz/Nakajima • 18 Liuzzi • 19 Speed/Vettel • 20 Sutil • 21 Albers/Winkelhock/Yamamoto • 22 Sato • 23 Davidson
Other Drivers AlbuquerqueAmmermüllerAndrettiAsmerBadoerBirdBourdaisBuemiChandhokChandhok
2011 Teams and Drivers
Teams Red Bull • McLaren • Ferrari • Mercedes • Renault • Williams • Force India • Sauber • Toro Rosso • Lotus • HRT • Virgin
Engines Renault • Mercedes • Ferrari • Cosworth
Race Drivers Vettel • 2 Webber • 3 Hamilton • 4 Button • 5 Alonso • 6 Massa • 7 Schumacher • 8 Rosberg • 9 Heidfeld • 9 Senna • 10 Petrov • 11 Barrichello • 12 Maldonado • 14 Sutil • 15 Di Resta • 16 Kobayashi • 17 Pérez • 17 De la Rosa • 18 Buemi • 19 Alguersuari • 20 Kovalainen • 21 Trulli • 21 Chandhok • 22 Karthikeyan • 22/23 Ricciardo • 23 Liuzzi • 24 Glock • 25 d'Ambrosio
Other Drivers Paffett • Fisichella • Bianchi • Gené • Davidson • Grosjean • Fauzy • Tung • Charouz • Bottas • Hülkenberg • Gutiérrez • Vergne • Razia • Valsecchi • Teixeira • Yamamoto • Wickens • Quaife-Hobbs
2012 Teams and Drivers
Teams Red Bull • McLaren • Ferrari • Mercedes • Lotus • Force India • Sauber • Toro Rosso • Williams • Caterham • HRT • Marussia
Engines Renault • Ferrari • Mercedes • Cosworth
Race Drivers Vettel • 2 Webber • 3 Button • 4 Hamilton • 5 Alonso • 6 Massa • 7 Schumacher • 8 Rosberg • 9 Räikkönen • 10 Grosjean • d'Ambrosio • 11 di Resta • 12 Hülkenberg • 14 Kobayashi • 15 Pérez • 16 Ricciardo • 17 Vergne • 18 Maldonado • 19 Senna • 20 Kovalainen • 21 Petrov • 22 de la Rosa • 23 Karthikeyan • 24 Glock • Pic
Other Drivers Buemi • Paffett • Turvey • Gené • Rigon • Fisichella • Bird • Hartley • Korjus • Bianchi • Daly • Guttiérrez • Bottas • Wolff • van der Garde • Rossi • González • Clos • Ma • Liuzzi • Chilton • de Villota


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