Very rarely does a driver in motorsports become the champion without any drama. Vishnu Prasad, 16, is no different.
Very rarely does a driver in motorsports become the champion without any drama. Vishnu Prasad, 16, is no different. After being declared the winner in the senior category of the JK Tyre National Karting Championship 2009, Vishnu was happy. But there was something more in store for him.
The Chennai driver was exhilarated on getting the news that he will now represent India, for the first time in his career, at the Rotax Max World Karting Championship in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in November.
All this has come at the cost of one accident though consistent podiums did the trick for this XIth standard student. After standing on the podium in the first three rounds of the championship, including two wins in the second and third round in Coimbatore and Kolhapur, respectively, fourth round was a horror. “During my testing, I met with a freak accident and broke my right leg,” said Prasad.
The accident meant he had to give up his championship lead to seasoned campaigner and rival Ameya Walavalkar. But Prasad won’t give up. Luck didn’t favour him in the fourth round, but he made a superb recovery in the final round. With a lead of 11 points going into the race, all Walavalkar had to do is to finish the race. But his chain snapped and he could not finish. Prasad grabbed the opportunity with both hands and finished fourth to eventually win the title.
Unlike other youngsters who talk about becoming Formula One drivers soon, Prasad is not basking in glory. “I am not looking at doing Formula cars for sometime and concentrating more on karting,” said the teenager. Driving is in his blood. His father DSR Prasad was a rally driver and expectedly put Vishnu behind the wheels at the age of six.
In the junior category, Kolhapur’s Parth Ghorpade — racing for Team Amaron Pro
Racing — made the cut. Both the youngsters will now face challenge from 70 drivers from 40 countries. The two will go through three practice sessions followed by qualifying and three heats to make the cut for the final 36 who will make it for the pre finals and finals.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}