For Narain Karthikeyan, the ‘fastest Indian in the world’, life has come to a screeching halt due to COVID-19 . The former F1 driver agrees that he has lived his life in the fast lane all these years and a sudden stop like this is a bit unusual.
“This is the first time in the last 27 years that I am spending more time with my family. I do not know whether it is a nice thing to happen when the world is struggling because of the virus,” Narain told The Hindu here on Saturday.
“These are not normal times... in fact, they are the most difficult and make you realise that the world can change overnight — from a bright scenario to a bleak one.”
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He revealed that things were moving at snail’s pace for him. “I need to get the day going, and plan it accordingly.”
Hard at work
The 43-year-old racer, whom young drivers look up to for inspiration, is working hard to keep himself fit for future events.
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After spending some time in Japan, where he drove in the SuperGT series for Nakajima Racing and finished with a win under testing conditions in the final race of the season, Narain has set his sights on the European LeMans racing endurance series. “I doubt if anything will happen this year because the situation is so bad,” he said.
Will it be difficult for drivers to come back with a bang after a break like this? “It will be slightly difficult but you will have to go with the flow,” said Narain.
Battle-ready
“I compete with world-class drivers half my age and I feel I have enough speed in me to beat them on a regular basis. I also keep myself fit all the time,” added Narain who, along with the other drivers in the Race Legends group, has planned to chip in for those affected by the pandemic.
Narain said he has never seen anything like this in his life.
“I wish and pray this never happens again.”