Karthikeyan hopes to test drive
in July-August again
India's fastest driver Narain Karthikeyan remains unfazed by the inability of the Jaguar racing team to
hire him and says he will test drive a Formula One car for another team
within the next two months.
"I will test drive for another team in July or August," Karthikeyan said over phone from London, where he became
the first Indian to test drive a Formula One car on Thursday.
Karthikeyan, however, did not divulge the name of the team he hopes to drive for due to contractual obligations.
"My managers are in touch with some teams and in the next
one or one-and-a-half month I will test drive another car," he
said.
The 24-year-old Karthikeyan put up an impressive show
when he test drove a Jaguar on the Silverstone track in
England and averaged one minute and 26 seconds per lap, which
was better than that recorded by the team's official test driver.
Jaguar said they were impressed with Karthikeyan's
performance but had no vacancy for another test driver.
"I knew about it (that Jaguar would not be able to hire
him) before the test drive. But I needed to be involved with Formula One and this was the only way to get involved,"
Karthikeyan said.
"I am very satisfied with my test drive. I clocked better
than their official driver and I am feeling good."
Karthikeyan, who will next participate in the Nippon
motor race in Japan on July 7, said he hopes to become a
regular test driver soon and then fulfill his dream of
becoming a Grand Prix Formula One driver.