Even as he continues to make waves at the World Series, India's top motorsport driver Narain Karthikeyan is eagerly awaiting a chance to break into Formula One, something he feels is overdue now.
His driving credentials are not in doubt -- he has proved it time and again, even test driving for F1 teams like Jaguar and Jordan with highly impressive results -- but Karthikeyan knows that is not all it takes to reach the topmost level in the sport.
"Driving skills are not the only thing. Your marketability and who you know on the circuit are equally important to get into F1," Karthikeyan said in Delhi on Monday.
"The teams not only need a good driver, they want the driver to bring in a lot of sponsorships too.
"Thankfully, a lot of companies have now come up in support of the sport and I hope that angle would be taken care of."
Karthikeyan is enjoying a fruitful season at the World Series, which is just a level below the Formula One, consisting of races mostly in South America and Europe.
He has had three podium finishes in seven races so far and is placed in the second spot among a pack of 25 drivers from 12 countries. But a call from the Formula One is what he has been yearning for the most.
"I am trying my best to get into the F-1. But it is not easy. Moving from the World Series to the F-1 is the hardest progression to make," Karthikeyan, who was in the city on a promotional tour, said.
"But I am doing well. This season has been particularly rewarding for me at the World Series. I hope it continues. There are still ten races to go. If I finish in the top three, it would certainly help me to break into the F-1," he said.
And though he is 26 now, he does not believe it is too late for him to get into the F-1.
"There have been guys who have made it to the F-1 at 22. But at 26 I am not too old. I have2-3 years left and I think I will definitely be able to make it," he said.
As for now, he is preparing for his next race in the World Series, in Lauzistring near Berlin, on July 20.
