The fastest Indian whizzes past Chennai

FACE THE fastest Indian on wheels! In Chennai for a fling. Welcome home Narain Karthikeyan, fresh and flushed from his first Formula 1 test drive. India's first F-1 test drive. In the city, giving a `million interviews', Narain casually picks up the telephone at his grandparents' residence and is game for a superspeed chat.

The obvious question is the first. ``How does it feel?'' ``Well, it feels o.k.'' he says, again, very casually. ``Only O.K.!!!?''. If you persist, he admits a little more, but with the characteristic humility, ``It is just a beginning. But I am pretty pleased with the way it went off. I did a good job in the limited running I had and I'd think it went off very positively''. It must have felt like heaven, getting his hands on the Jaguar Cosworth and steering it on that first, history creating drive.

But as far as Narain is concerned, ``Somebody had to do it''. However, he does recognise that this has paved the way for other Indian F-1 aspirants. Even as his dream came true, there are a number of young racers who now believe that their's will too, someday.

He is quick to record his thanks to his family, Mr. Vijay Mallya (who has been supportive all along) and Mr. Phil Spender of Ford - the people who helped him get where he is today. But dreamers keep dreaming and this young man hopes to be a full time F-1 racer eventually. That is the league he hopes to enter.

Having flown in from England, he tarries for a day in Chennai before relaxing at home, in Coimbatore, for a couple of days. After which it is time once again to fly to Japan, where he will be competing in the Formula Nippon races. One step at a time, or perhaps, one formula at a time?

By Ramya Kannan

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