Narain Karthikeyan, Arjun Maini and Naveen Rao, raced their Oreca07 LMP2 car to a pair of fifth-place finishes in the final two races of the season at the Yas Marina circuit, Abu Dhabi. The results came on the back of the fifth and fourth-placed finishes the team chalked up in the two season-opening races in Dubai last weekend.
Backed by JK Tyres and with technical support from reigning Asian Le Mans champions Algarve Pro Racing, Racing Team India had gone into the Abu Dhabi season-ender hoping to build on its Dubai showing. And despite a few unfortunate racing incidents hindering the #64 challenger’s chances of maximising its potential, the team’s first season of competition offered plenty of positives.
How it went
Faced with a steep learning curve, the outfit showed it has the speed to fight at the front with its Indian Tricolour-liveried car leading the second Dubai race at one stage. Former Formula 1 racer Karthikeyan and European Le Mans veteran Maini were blisteringly quick, showing all of their racing experience. Their efforts were supplemented by 2020 IMSA Prototype Challenge Champion Naveen Rao, the team’s bronze-rated driver, who also made big strides forward, unlocking a new level of performance from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.
As always, Racing Team India is grateful to the Asian Le Mans Series and the ACO (Automobile Club de l'Ouest, the organisers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race) for their support towards the team’s efforts. Ultimately, though, the team shall continue to pursue its dream of becoming the first all-Indian team to race at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.