Narain Karthikeyan’s son Shiv Neel shows chops in mini category

COIMBATORE: The inaugural IAME Karting Series India got off to a thrilling start at CoASTT Kartomania on Sunday, with several young drivers producing standout performances in first round here in Coimbatore.In the junior category, Chennai youngsters Adithya Prathap and Rehan Khan Rasheed shared the honours for Momentum Motorsports, winning the super heat and final respectively after hard-fought battles.In the mini category, Coimbatore’s Shiv Neel, son of India’s first Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan, finished on top in the super heat after race winner Aaruthran Prabu of Karkrew Motorsports received a time penalty for infringements and was placed second.Starting the final from pole position, Shiv led for much of the 13-lap race before Kolhapur's Ayansh Patil of MSPORT overtook him in the closing stages to claim victory.In the senior class, Pune’s Swarnav Das of Momentum Motorsports enjoyed a dominant outing, winning both the super heat and the final.The second round of the series will be held at the same venue on June 28.Speaking on the launch of the series in India, Daniel Ling, executive director of IAME Series Asia, said: “We are very pleased to see strong support for the IAME brand in India. We expect the series to grow bigger and better in the coming rounds.”A major incentive for competitors is the opportunity to qualify for the IAME Asia Finals at the Macau International Circuit in December. The top two finishers in each category at the end of the series will earn the right to represent India.“If the national series is strong enough, drivers will naturally graduate to higher levels. Those who win the Asia Final will earn a place in the IWF in 2027,” Ling said.