LIGHTS TO FLAG: Karun Chandhok on his whirlwind F1 experience, flying the flag for India and becoming a TV star

Karun Chandhok sacrificed plenty to achieve his dream of making it as a racing driver, moving more than 8,000 kilometres from home in India to the UK and embarking on a motorsport journey that led all the way to F1. In the latest instalment of Lights to Flag, he remembers the challenges of living abroad and trying to raise funds, dealing with all sorts of politics when he got to the top echelon, and how he is now educating and entertaining fans around the world as a pundit.

Following the family path

Chandhok was born in the bustling city of Madras, today known as Chennai, in January of 1984, growing up in a family of racers and getting hooked on the sport via shipments of magazines that would arrive from Europe – often months after the events they reported on had occurred.