Mallya Breaks Karthikeyan Hopes For '08

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Sep.10 (GMM) Vijay Mallya says it is unlikely that an Indian driver will be a part of Spyker's race lineup next year.

Alongside the Mol family, the Indian billionaire is about to buy the Silverstone based team, and it has been suggested that he would like a countryman to occupy a c#ckpit in 2008.

But in a bitter blow for Indian hopefuls like Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhock, Mallya admitted that the scenario will probably have to wait until at least 2009.

"In 2009, we certainly want an Indian driver," he said in an interview with the Dutch magazine Formule 1 Race Report.

"We have Karun Chandhok, but he will probably improve a lot with a second year in GP2."