Narain Karthikeyan

Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan (born 14 January 1977, in Coimbatore) is the first Formula One motor racing driver from India. He has previously competed in A1GP, and the Le Mans Series. He made his Formula One debut in 2005 with the Jordan team, and was a Williams F1 test driver in 2006 and 2007. Like several other former F1 drivers, Karthikeyan moved to stock car racing and drove the #60 Safe Auto Insurance Company Toyota Tundra for Wyler Racing in the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In 2011 he returned to F1 with the HRT team, continued with the team in 2012 and was expected to drive for them in the 2013 season as well. However, HRT was not included in the FIA's 2013 entry list, and thus Karthikeyan was left without a drive. In 2013, Karthikeyan raced in the Auto GP series, securing 5 wins and 4 pole positions with Super Nova Racing. For 2014, Karthikeyan has signed up with Team Impul, to race in the Japanese Super Formula series.

The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of Padma Shri in 2010.