Sport | Motorsport
Chandok to make endurance debut
Indian motorsport ace Karun Chandok will make his endurance debut during the 2009 24hr Dubai Endurance Race at Dubai Autodrome on Friday.
- By Duane Fonseca, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:38 January 8, 2009
Dubai: Indian motorsport ace Karun Chandok will make his endurance debut during the 2009 24hr Dubai Endurance Race at Dubai Autodrome on Friday.
The Formula One hopeful has taken up the invitation to join the Empire Motorsport Team, who will attempt to finish the race in the only factory-supported Lotus 211.
The grueling day-long race, starting at 2pm today and running until 2pm tomorrow, will witness 88 cars taking to the tarmac in seven categories.
Chandok believes the race will help him break new ground as he looks to break into F1 sometime soon. The 24-year-old is currently involved in the GP2 series, which is considered just a level below the pinnacle of motorsport, and is a test driver for Red Bull F1 Racing Team.
But he is hoping to enjoy this off-season opportunity with Empire. "I've never done an endurance race before and since there was no clash with any of my other plans for 2009, I agreed to join the team," he said.
"I think it's good for a driver to use the off-season to try new things and the Lotus name carries so much history with it, which makes the drive even more interesting and attractive."
An endurance race is worlds away from the kind of work Chandok has been involved with during his career so far.
He will be driving longer distances and also for longer on the clock. Moreover, he will also have to drive at night. But the prospect is a challenge he is ready to embrace with both hands.
"I think the race will be a real eye-opener for me as I'm used to pushing 100 per cent for the full 90 minutes of a GP2 race, whereas now, I will be driving six times that distance," said Chandok, winner of the 2001 Formula Asia and 2006 Formula Asia V6 by Renault series.
"Racing at night is a totally new experience for me and I think managing the traffic with 88 cars on track is going to be quite tricky. I have to say, I'm really looking forward to it."
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