Karun Chandhok is one of only two ex-Indian Formula 1 drivers. A multiple race winner and podium finisher in GP2, Karun was a test driver for Red Bull Racing in 2007 and 2008 before going on to race for HRT and Team Lotus in 2010 and 2011. For the past two years he has been competing in sportscars, finishing second in the privateers class at Le Mans in 2012 and sixth in LMP2 in 2013. Karun has also been racing in the FIA GT Series this year.
Karun was born into a motor racing family where his father, grandfather and even grandmother used to race. After winning the Indian National Championship on his debut in 2000, he won the Formula Asia Championship in 2001 before moving to Europe and Formula 3. Karun came back to Asia and won the Asian Renault V6 series in 2006 which served as a launch pad up to GP2 and then Formula 1.
Outside the car, Karun has built up quite a name for himself as a commentator and broadcast analyst for motorsport. He was a main commentator on the Formula 1 broadcast for Star Sports in Asia as well as BBC Radio 5 Live in the UK for a number of years before joining the team at Sky Sports F1 in the UK.
He also conducts two major charity events every year to raise funds for the education of underprivileged children in India – the “Karun’s Karting Carnival” in the summer in the UK and the ‘KC500’, a 500 kilometre cycling event in South India.
Source; FIA Formula E
