Fuelling Around podcast: Karun Chandhok on Max Verstappen/Lewis Hamilton F1 climax

If you’re still seeking expert analysis on the controversial climax of the F1 Grand Prix championship in Abu Dhabi, tune in to the latest Fuelling Around podcast – powered by Adrian Flux.

Joining Jason Plato and Dave Vitty for episode seven in the third series of the popular Fuelling Around podcast is former F1 and FE race driver, Karun Chandhok.

Chandhok, who is also a co-presenter with JP on TV’s Fifth Gear Recharged, mulled over the upshot of the Verstappen/Hamilton duel for the F1 crown just two hours after arriving home from London Heathrow en route back from Abu Dhabi.

A ‘messy’ finish to the F1 championship

In what Chandhok described as a “messy” finish, Verstappen was declared world champion after the intervention of the safety car when Hamilton led the race and was in a position to take the title.

Chandhok describes told the Fuelling Around podcast what happened, and what he felt should have happened. He said both drivers were worthy of being world champions and that Hamilton was “incredible and magnanimous” in defeat.

As an Indian blazing a trail in the F1 Championship and the first to drive at Le Mans, Chandhok has a host of stories and reminiscences about his route into motor racing.

He said as a child he helped pick drivers for his father’s rally team, and then as a teenager he travelled the Indian circuits with the pit crew and learned how to “use a set of spanners”.

First car was a gold Suzuki Swift

He spoke on the Fuelling Around podcast with great fondness of his first car. It was one of his father’s Suzuki Swift rally cars. His dad had the roll cage removed, the seats reinstated and the interior lined. The outside was painted gold and it had gold wire wheels.

And there’s fondness too for the first car he bought in England, which was a £3,400 1997 Vauxhall Vectra 2-litre. The only problem was that he bought the thing at a service station on the M4 in the dark and when he got it home he discovered every panel was a different colour! 

Enjoy plenty more from the Fuelling Around podcast

You can listen to all our famous petrolhead guests by subscribing to the Fuelling Around podcast, powered by Adrian Flux, on Spotify and Apple podcasts.