Williams Retain Karthikeyan

[cavallino 2]

Williams retain Karthikeyan for 2007

Thursday, September 28th 2006, 08:19 GMT

Indian Narain Karthikeyan will stay at the Williams team next season after the British squad confirmed his re-appointment.

Karthikeyan will remain as one of the team's test drivers in 2007, having joined Williams this year from Jordan.

"Next year will be an important year for Williams with the transition to Toyota power and so it is now clear that we will be well positioned with the continuity and benefit of Narain's experience," said team boss Frank Williams.

"His appointment is extremely popular within the team because he is hard working, conscientious and capable in the car. It is also significant that Narain carries with him India's growing Formula One interests, which is very exciting."

Karthikeyan, his country's first Formula One driver, was happy to stay on at Williams.

"Naturally as a racing driver, my first priority is to compete, but I would far rather test with a leading team than accept a race seat that offered no real potential to learn and develop," he said.

"Next season is extremely important for Williams with the new partners at Toyota. Williams is a team that exists only to race and I hope that whatever I can contribute to this ultimate objective will be valued by the team."

[Sato 0]

Allow me to start...

"His appointment is extremely popular within the team because he is hard working, conscientious and capable in the car. It is also significant that Narain carries with him India's growing Formula One interests, which is very exciting."

[Schumikonen 2]

Where is NarainFan?

I thought that he was the one who posted this.

I want to know about his feelings now.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

I bet karthikeyan would laugh if he could see how much his career is debated on this site! I wonder if he gets the same kind of attention on other internet forums

[mock 0]

Allow me to start...

I was shocked to see an NK thread not started by the "educator". All in all this is good news for NK's fans, congratulations and wish him a good year of testing ahead. All in all, F1 fans in India are very discerning so the presence / non presence of NK within F1 will not affect the viewership market to any great degree, though with him / and Indian driver on the grid in a good car will help boost the popularity of the sport, and the sponsors to an extent here. Btw, did anyone know that JCB, one of NK's sponsors, also recently attempted to break the landspeed record with their dieselmax car......

[Wez 0]

Allow me to start...

Fantastic news... Another year of Bashing comming up on TF1!

I was shocked to see an NK thread not started by the "educator".

No fear, Bajo will be here shortly!

[Sato 0]

Indeed he will, I just wanted to pick off an obvious bit before he took them all.

[narain fan 0]

I was shocked to see an NK thread not started by the "educator".

let me say, what he would have said

The hapless paydriver stays in F1 for another year

[goferrarigo 0]

come on guys give him some credit for his work. he must have tested well otherwise williams would not hire him. williams does not need money i think.

[monza gorilla 1]

I was shocked to see an NK thread not started by the "educator". All in all this is good news for NK's fans, congratulations and wish him a good year of testing ahead. All in all, F1 fans in India are very discerning so the presence / non presence of NK within F1 will not affect the viewership market to any great degree, though with him / and Indian driver on the grid in a good car will help boost the popularity of the sport, and the sponsors to an extent here. Btw, did anyone know that JCB, one of NK's sponsors, also recently attempted to break the landspeed record with their dieselmax car......

They did break the diesel record, at 350mph. And for those who think NK is sponsored only by Indian companies JCB is, of course, British. Anyway, good luck to the chap. I don't think he'll be getting a race seat anytime soon though.

[narain fan 0]

They did break the diesel record, at 350mph. And for those who think NK is sponsored only by Indian companies JCB is, of course, British.

actually it has an Indian arm which it wants to popularise and felt the need to have a brand ambassador

[cavallino 2]

come on guys give him some credit for his work. he must have tested well otherwise williams would not hire him. williams does not need money i think.

They do need the money, it would be rather optimistic to assume otherwise - although it is odd that there is no mention of an extension of the deal with Tata, surely the two things should and would have happened simultaneously. He is wasting his time, he should resurrect the A1 team.

[monza gorilla 1]

If Jos Verstappen's comments are true then he certainly won't get rich in A1GP!

actually it has an Indian arm which it wants to popularise and felt the need to have a brand ambassador

Hmm. Wonder if he gets a company car?

I was really making the comment to those who think that only Indian companies would want to sponsor Narain.

[cavallino 2]

If Jos Verstappen's comments are true then he certainly won't get rich in A1GP!

India, unlike Holland doesn't have two drivers in F1 - he would get his fair share of attention. It is the ideal oppurtunity - a spec series, pump a million in and you can compete with the best, a full car to put logos on and if they get the setup etc. fine, there is no reason he cannot score points regularly. Williams are not even committing to making him the third driver, they will probably sign up some young upstart for that. He is wasting his time.

[monza gorilla 1]

It was more a problem in getting the money out of the organisers, but I do agree with you that he really should be looking for another series to drive in, be it A1, Champ Cars or whatever since he's not going to be getting a race seat in F1.

[Sato 0]

I agree with Cav for once, he'd be better off going to A1.

[pumpdoc 2]

Williams finances must be in tatters, yes you brought out the most pertint point Sato

[Shadow 0]

good news for him and his fans....wish him the best for next year....

[c21 0]

If Jos Verstappen's comments are true then he certainly won't get rich in A1GP!

Hmm. Wonder if he gets a company car?

I was really making the comment to those who think that only Indian companies would want to sponsor Narain.

He already has a Williams digger to drive, isnt that enough?

[AutoRacer5 0]

come on guys give him some credit for his work. he must have tested well otherwise williams would not hire him. williams does not need money i think.

HA!

Frank Williams sold the company helicopter! They need the money!

[Racing4G 0]

Williams Retain Karthikeyan

REATIN means testing as he did this year -----> then he is wasting his time

or

is he taking the firday drive ------------> something better

- can anyone clarify

[Jem of the Shire 0]

I think if he was being promoted to 3rd driver, that would be announced. It sounds like he's keeping a testing role but williams will sign a new 3rd driver

[Schumikonen 2]

REATIN means testing as he did this year -----> then he is wasting his time

or

is he taking the firday drive ------------> something better

- can anyone clarify

I think that there will not be third drivers next year, so only real drivers will take part the whole weekend next season.

[cavallino 2]

REATIN means testing as he did this year -----> then he is wasting his time

or

is he taking the firday drive ------------> something better

- can anyone clarify

I think that there will not be third drivers next year, so only real drivers will take part the whole weekend next season.

There will be third a.k.a. backup drivers - if the plan goes through and Friday is made a free testing day, then he can drive, otherwise he can't. Not that Williams will let him. There are no designated Friday drivers as such next year.

[mock 0]

let me say, what he would have said

The hapless paydriver stays in F1 for another year

You are in error my friend, let me quote what Baggy would have said

"It is pathetic and disgusting that Sir Frank Williams has lowered his stature and hired a pay driver of the worst calibre without any talent whatsoever who has bought his way in to F1 with a large sum of 30 million USD paid by his errant sponsors TATA"

It was more a problem in getting the money out of the organisers, but I do agree with you that he really should be looking for another series to drive in, be it A1, Champ Cars or whatever since he's not going to be getting a race seat in F1.

Nothing is certain my friend, nothing, probability never can reach a 100%, as has been proved by many wise statisticians.

That MS is a 7 time WDC champion is now taken as a given, how many of us know that he got a drive only because the infamous Betrand Gachot was in jail and therefore could not drive. From such small incidents is history made, who knows what is in store for NK, for that matter when FM was driving for SP, who predicted he would one day get a podium with Ferrari ???