Motorsports as a business is expensive and unforgiving. Nobody knows that better than Karun Chandhok. Having spent the better part of last year commentating and testing Karun realized that he needed to be racing somewhere to keep his career on the move. When JRM Racing boss James Rumsey mailed Karun asking if he would be interested in driving the JRM HPD LMP-1 prototype in the World Endurance Championship, with David Brabham and Peter Dumbreck for team mates, Karun jumped on board.
Karun is already making an impression in WEC with his usual affable and charismatic personality. Oh and the 8th place finish in the second round of the WEC at Spa helped too! Stephen Errity from the l’endurance magazine says ‘..Chandhok is one of a new breed of sportscar drivers helping to drive enthusiasm for this once-neglected brand of the sport.Undoubtedly fast, comparatively young, and eager to build a long and successful career in the WEC, he fits right in the relaxed yet highly professional environment of 21st century endurance racing.’
Quite an impression Karun has made, and he hasn’t even been in the WEC for that long. Riot Engine wishes this lad from Chennai the very best!
Karun is racing the JRM Racing LMP1 Honda Performance Development ARX-03a powered by a specially designed and tested 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine in the WEC. The ARX-03a is currently hailed as the most competitive petrol Le Mans Prototype around.
What of Karun’s career in Formula 1, the ‘pinnacle’ of car racing?
“A lot of people have asked me whether I have “given up on F1?” and the answer is NO. F1 is, was and always will be the pinnacle of our sport. I never give up on anything but what I have accepted is that unless you have the right financial backing at the moment it is almost impossible to get a full time race seat with an F1 team. As I said before, I got in this business to RACE and I’m loving this new challenge ahead – it’s time to fulfil yet another dream at Le Mans!” he wrote in a column for BS Motoring
Watch this space as we bring you the updates from the event.
Catch the Live Stream here
http://www.jrm-group.com/
The Radio Le Mans will be covering the event non stop as always, do check out their live audio stream.
http://radiolemans.0157.org/nplayer.php
