Narain Karthikeyan Joins Ajith Racing as Mentor and Driver Development Head

In a major boost to India’s motorsport ecosystem, Narain Karthikeyan, the country’s first Formula One driver, has officially joined Ajith Racing as Mentor and Head of Driver Development, the team announced on Thursday.

The 48-year-old veteran brings with him over two decades of international racing experience, having competed in Formula One, A1GP, Le Mans, Super Formula, and NASCAR circuits. Karthikeyan made history in 2005 when he became the first Indian to race in Formula One, debuting with Jordan Grand Prix and later serving as a test driver for Williams F1. He later raced for HRT between 2011 and 2012.

Acko Drive exclusively spoke to Karthikeyan about this development. He said, “Ajith and me have been friends for a while and he’s been racing at a professional level for 2 years almost and he was putting something together and I thought I would support it and of course I love driving. I’ll be driving for the team for the upcoming Asian Le Mans.”

The Asian Le Mans series  will feature six races held across three circuits: Sepang International Circuit, Dubai Autodrome, and Yas Marina Circuit. The series kicks off with two races at Sepang in December 2025, followed by two in Dubai in January/February 2026, and concludes with two races at Yas Marina in February 2026. 

This will not be Narain’s first outing in the Asian Le Mans. In the 2021 Asian Le Mans Series, Narain Karthikeyan, along with Arjun Maini and Naveen Rao, competed as Racing Team India. They finished the season in 5th place overall, after securing 5th and 4th place finishes in the opening races in Dubai and two 5th place finishes in Abu Dhabi. Despite a strong showing, the team did not secure the automatic entry into the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which the series winner receives

On asking whether he would have stake in the racing team, he dismissed saying that there are no talks that have taken place around it. “For now I am just going to drive for the team” said Narain. But the plan is to be associated with the team long term. When asked about the fitness levels for the race, Narain clearly said that “I have been driving regularly for the past 1 year so this should be fun.”

 Ajith Racing, spearheaded by actor and motorsport enthusiast Ajith Kumar, is one of India’s most prominent emerging racing teams, focused on developing homegrown talent across circuit racing and endurance formats. The team is currently working towards participation in regional and international championships, with plans to field drivers in categories such as Formula Regional, GT, and Touring Cars.

Karthikeyan’s role will include overseeing driver scouting and training programs, advising on technical and race engineering decisions, and representing the team in international forums. His involvement is expected to significantly enhance the credibility and performance orientation of the team.