Karun Chandhok

Karun Chandhok (born 19 January 1984) is an Indian racing driver and television presenter who last competed in Formula E for Mahindra Racing.

Previously, Chandhok has competed for Hispania Racing in Formula One in.

Before this, he drove in the GP2 Series for three years, winning two races.

In 2000, Chandhok was Indian National Racing Champion winning seven out of ten races in the Formula Maruti series.

He scored pole position and fastest lap in all ten races.

Prior to his time in GP2, Chandhok won the Formula Asia championship in 2001 and was the inaugural Formula Asia V6 by Renault champion in 2006.

Since leaving F1, Chandhok has served as an analyst, co-commentator and pit-lane reporter for a variety of British broadcasters.

In 2001, Chandhok was the Formula 2000 Asia champion, becoming the youngest ever Asian Formula Champion, driving for Team India Racing.

Chandhok tested with British Formula 3 champion team Carlin Motorsport in 2001.

He raced in the National class in 2002, driving for T-Sport, finishing sixth in class.

Chandhok was born in Madras (present-day Chennai), Tamil Nadu and is the son of Vicky Chandhok, multiple Indian rallying champion and president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India since 2003.

His younger brother Suhail Chandhok is a commentator for Star Sports India.

He stayed with T-Sport in the National Class for 2003, and finished third in the final class standings, behind champion Ernesto Viso and runner-up Steven Kane.

In 2004 Chandhok stepped up to the main British Formula 3 class with T-Sport, and finished 14th in the standings.

He was instantly a top 5 qualifier and finisher when he partnered his compatriot Narain Karthikeyan at RC Motorsport in the World Series by Nissan for the final two rounds the 2004 season.

With Karthikeyan moving on to Formula One in 2005, Chandhok raced part-season in the revised Formula Renault 3.5 Series with RC Motorsport.

He was the first driver to represent A1 Team India in A1 Grand Prix at the beginning of the 2005–06 season, before handing over to Armaan Ebrahim for the remainder of the season.

In 2006 he became champion of the first ever Formula Asia V6 by Renault Championship, taking seven race wins and nine pole positions from 12 races.

Chandhok moved to the GP2 Series in 2007, driving for Durango.

Chandhok's first win in GP2 came in the sprint race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.

Chandhok also led the sprint race in Turkey after starting from pole, only for the second place Kazuki Nakajima of DAMS to collide with him.

The collision resulted in retirement for Chandhok while Nakajima was given a drive-through penalty.

Chandok got his biggest career break in November with a call up from the Red Bull Racing Formula One team to test for them over two days at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona on 13–14 November.

Chandhok remained in GP2 for 2008, switching to the iSport International team where he was partnered by Bruno Senna.

He won one race and finished tenth in the drivers' championship.

He also drove for the team in the 2008 GP2 Asia Series season.

Chandhok was presented with the series' "Best Driving Style" award at the end of the season.

In November, Chandhok became the first Indian driver to be invited to join the British Racing Drivers' Club.

India's membership of the Commonwealth entitles him to be a member.

Even though the deal with ORT was for the pan-European series, Chandhok also drove in the final round of the 2008–09 GP2 Asia Series season, in Bahrain replacing Yelmer Buurman.

Chandhok amassed ten points in the championship, with a best result of third at Silverstone.

He and teammate Álvaro Parente suffered a testing season, with sixteen retirements between them.

Chandhok was linked with the Force India team, which was created in.

It was an Indian registered-team formerly owned by a friend of the family, Vijay Mallya.

Chandhok signed to drive for the Ocean Racing Technology team in the 2009 GP2 Series season.

In 2013, Chandhok competed in the FIA GT Series for Seyffarth Motorsport.

Since 2019, he has been a member of the Sky Sports F1 live coverage team.

Chandhok has contributed to several motorsport governing bodies.

Since 2021, he has served on the Board of Directors of Motorsport UK, where he has also been a member of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

He is also a member of the FIA Driver's Commission.