Karun Chandhok

Karun Chandhok has admitted that he was ‘disappointed’ to have been overlooked for a Formula 1 role in 2009, but insists that he remains fully focussed on his ‘dream’ of being on the starting grid for the first-ever Indian Grand Prix in two years’ time. Given his family’s close links with Force India F1 chairman and managing director Vijay Mallya, and two promising seasons in the GP2 Series feeder category, many assumed that Chandhok would be a shoe-in for either a race seat or at the very least a testing position with the Silverstone-based squad this year, but with Mallya electing to retain his 2008 line-up in its entirety, there was no room at the inn for the man from Chennai, Karun.