A fortnight after business tycoon Vijay Mallya struck a stunning fifty per cent partnership deal for a stake in Formula One team Spyker, Indian motor sport yet again had eyeballs popping.

On Sunday, twenty-three-year-old Karun Chandhok won his maiden Grand Prix 2 Series at Spa-Francorchamps. In terms of magnitude, Chandhok’s victory is significant, particularly when the series is considered the feeder to F1.

For Chandhok, who began second on the grid, the victory was emotional. While speaking to The Indian Express from Belgium, he said: “It’s the first time I’ve heard the national anthem at a Formula One Grand Prix, so that’s a special feeling.”

With a lot of speculation about India’s involvement in F1 next year — courtesy Mallya — Chandhok felt “winning was crucial simply because it builds interest.”

At the Spa, Chandhok, driving for Italy-based Durango, swept past long-time leader Andy Soucek around the outside at Les Combes on Lap 11.

The win for Chandhok thus helped him bury the disappointing runs he’s had in the last two meetings. At Monza, Italy, last weekend, he finished sixth, while at Istanbul, Turkey, he had the disappointment of not finishing the race after leading for half of it.

Having made his mark in a series that is considered as the stepping stone to a driver’s ultimate dream — Formula 1 — Chandhok signs off: “For a deal (with Durango) that happened one week before official testing, I think I’ve done well.”

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