Chennai: It has been a dream year for Vishnu Prasad. The young Chennai racer's trophy cabinet is bursting at the seams as he won the national karting championship, inaugural JK Tyre Formula BMW title and finished runner-up in the Formula 4 class.
“Winning a hat-trick of titles would have been the icing on the cake.
Nevertheless, it was a great season. Driving in various categories helped me improve my driving skills and now I am confident of adapting to any car. The karting crown is very special to me because that's where my career began. It has been a while since I won one and it feels great to have done it this year,“ said the 19-year-old, who was leading the Formula 4 championship after two rounds before being overtaken by veteran Sarosh Hataria.
Vishnu said driving the t e c h n i c a l l y a dv a n c e d Formula BMW was an amazing experience. “It was the first time I was behind the wheel of a Formula car of this stature. The single-seater is of international stan dards and I have to thank JK Tyres for giving a fullyfunded drive. I was also fortunate to drive at the Buddh International Circuit.
The layout was really challenging with a lot of elevation changes and fast flowing corners. It was an unforgettable experience,“ he added.
The championship grid was full of young talents with Arjun Maini, Chittesh Mandody and Akhil Khushlani in the line-up. Vishnu said the strong challenge from trio brought the best out of him.
“Over the years, I have had the opportunity to race against some competitive drivers who have constantly pushed me to my limits and have helped me perform better. There is no room for error when you drive against the likes of Arjun, Akhil and Chittesh. They were always waiting for an opportunity to pounce on it,“ said Vishnu.
Vishnu thanked his mentor and former F3 racer Akbar Ebrahim for being a catalyst to his career. “My college, SRM University, also encouraged me a lot. Not to forget, my father who has been my greatest source of inspiration. He has sacrificed a lot for me,“ added Vishnu.
As a reward for winning the Formula BMW title, Vishnu would get his first taste of Formula 3 car in an European track. “I can't wait for it. If I manage to find sponsors, I can realise my dream of driving in European series. I hope my achievements this season would help me find the money and give a fillip to my career,“ he said.
