Asian Motor Sports

Narain Karthikeyan says it would be ‘logical’ for the Indian government to stage an annual Formula One race.

The 29-year-old from Chennai, who became the country’s first Grand Prix driver last year, reckons joining the pinnacle of motor sport will help India compete with key rivals like China.

”A Grand Prix would help improve our image,” said Karthikeyan, whose Indian sponsor Tata is funding his 2006 test drive for the Williams team.

Narain thinks India and the sport would mutually benefit from a race.

”It is a big market (in India),” he continued. ”We have many large international businesses and many potential Formula One sponsors.”