Narain Karthikeyan, the first Indian to race in Formula One, was named the Sportsperson of the Decade (Motorsports) at the 2021 Sportstar ACES Giants of the Decade.
“I am delighted to receive the Sportstar ACES Award. Our generation has a special connect with Sportstar as a magazine. They have done a lot for my sport in terms of covering all forms of motorsport,” said Karthikeyan, who made his F1 debut in 2005 with Jordan Grand Prix.
Karthikeyan returned to F1 in 2011 after a six-year gap, participating in 29 races for HRT over two seasons, and was the only Indian to line up for the country’s inaugural F1 race at the Buddh International Circuit in 2011.
In the last decade, the racer from Coimbatore has taken part in the Super Formula and Super GT championships in Japan, winning three podiums. He also finished fourth overall at the 2013 European Auto GP series.
Karthikeyan sees a lot of potential for India’s young racers. “Motorsport has been on the rise in India with lots of new sponsors like Mumbai Falcons coming on board, alongside the traditional ones like JK Tyre. We have started the NK Racing Academy to nurture young talent at the grassroots level (karting),” he said.
The 2021 edition of the Sportstar ACES Awards honoured the Giants of the Decade in Indian sport, with the winners being assessing on their performance and consistency from 2011 to 2020. Eleven awards were presented under the popular choice category, which was open to public voting, along with 14 jury awards as well as special recognition awards under two new categories – Sports for Good and Giants off the Field – that recognise the work of organisations and individuals who have used sports for the betterment of society.
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