When the second round of the Formula 4 Indian championship gets underway at the Chennai Formula Racing street circuit on Saturday, it will be a special moment for the city’s own Chetan Korada, who will make his debut in the Formula 4 Indian championship.
The 37-year-old is a veteran of the Indian motorsport scene and has actively participated in various championships over the past 18 years. His decorated CV includes wins and podiums, including a title in the 2009 MMSC Summer Cup (Class-FISSME).
However, the most impressive part of Chetan’s story is that he is a para-athlete who races with prosthetic legs but uses the same car as anybody without any modifications.
Due to a bone deformity, both his legs had to be amputated when he was a child, but Chetan did not let that deter him as he took to various kinds of sports before finding his love in racing.
“I was fascinated with cars even at a young age, and my mom encouraged me a lot. The first time I got into a racing car during a track day, I felt immediately comfortable, and it was even better than a road car,” recalls Chetan about his journey into racing.
“I felt so safe in the car, and when I did my first session, I refused to get out of the car and felt I was made for it,” he added.
When asked if he faced any challenges before starting racing, Chetan said, “If I had spoken about my deformity, I wouldn’t have moved forward. I got that out of my head the first time I sat in the car. People around me were very supportive because it is not every day you see a differently-abled person go racing, which has been the fuel that has kept me going for the last 18 years.”
Apart from the driving challenges, one of the prerequisites before each race is that a driver has to show the ability to extract themselves out of a car within a set time frame so that they can escape unhurt in case of a fire or escape to a safe spot away from a damaged car. But Chetan says he has been able to ace that and get out of the car quickly within the six seconds mandated in the rules.
After starting racing in 2007, Chetan trained under former racer and current FMSCI President Akbar Ebrahim and credits him with everything he has achieved.
Later, Akbar’s son and former F2 racer Armaan Ebrahim guided Chetan by helping him train abroad and take the next step in his racing career by competing in the MRF 2000 Challenge series.
On his decision not to go for modified cars to make things easier, Chetan explained, “I wanted a level-playing field and did not want any advantages because I believe in fair competition. Fortunately, I have not encountered a car where I have felt uncomfortable.”
For someone who has dabbled in various types of cars, from saloon cars to Formula LGB and Formula 2000 cars, Chetan said he is happiest racing single-seaters, which can be physically demanding to drive. “Formula cars are my favourite, and I love racing these machines. I feel I have more room in a Formula or a F2000 car than in a saloon because I can stretch my legs in these,” said Chetan following his seat-fit on Friday in the F4 car.
“I have driven the previous versions of this car, but this is the first time I will drive a Gen 2 F4 car. It looks quite compact and I had doubts before getting into the car because I am tall. But it looks compact. I was nervous before today, but not anymore,” added Chetan, who was beaming with excitement and looked like a kid presented with a new toy.
Chetan uses carbon-fibre prosthetic limbs but has shunned some of the latest technology with springs and hydraulics to maintain his feel and feedback from the pedals. “You give 100 per cent of force on the brake but only feel 60 per cent of it because of the springs in the prosthetics. I like to feel it precisely.”
So, did he or his family ever have any reservations about the dangers of being a racing driver? “Never. What have I got to lose? My family has always encouraged me and only wanted me to stay disciplined in whatever I do. I feel at home in a racing car,” Chetan says as a matter of fact as he signs off.
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