Jehan Daruvala aims Formula 1 spot as third Indian driver ever

Indian car racer Jehan Daruvala could soon become the third from the country to make it to the top level of world motorsport. Daruvala, who currently competes in the Formula 2 circuit with Italian team Prema, had a successful test at Formula 1 this week. He drove a F1 livery from McLaren, the eight-time constructors' winner. After completing 130 laps, Daruvala is now eligible for a Super Licence, which will take him closer to F1 debut.

If 23-year-old Daruvala makes it, he will be the third Indian racer to compete at Formula 1 level. The two other Indian drivers who achieved this feat are Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok.

Daruvala drove McLaren's 2021 race-winning challenger livery, the MCL35M, on Tuesday and Wednesday at Silverstone circuit in United Kingdom. The track time at the Silverstone over two days earned Daruvala enough points to apply for a Super Licence. This was the first time Daruvala drove a Formula 1 car on track ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone next weekend.

Daruvala has won Formula 2 races thrice. He has as many as 12 podium finishes, including five top-three finishes from six rounds in the ongoing season. He is now aiming to be the first Indian driver to win the Formula 2 championship this season.

After successfully completing his Formula 1 test run, Jehan Daruvala said, “I really enjoyed my first time driving a Formula One car. I felt immediately at home and while it was physically more demanding than anything I have driven in the past, I didn't have any issues with my fitness."

“As a result, we were able to work through the run plan well and complete everything we had mapped out. We did a mixture of high-fuel long runs and as well as shorter, low-fuel runs on different tyre compounds. That gave me a good understanding of how teams operate on an F1 weekend," Daruvala added.