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Narain Karthikeyan Turns Formula One Legacy Into Two-Wheeler Business
Narain Karthikeyan was the first Indian driver to score points in Formula One.
He earned five points in a 2005 race that only six cars entered.
He later drove for other teams and competed in racing series around the world.
Karthikeyan stopped professional driving in 2019.
He then started DriveX, a company that checks, repairs, and sells used scooters and motorcycles.
The company began in Coimbatore during the Covid period.
TVS Motor Company later bought a large share of DriveX and invested more money.
Karthikeyan also runs a racing academy to help young Indian drivers enter motorsport.
Narain Karthikeyan became India’s first Formula One driver to score championship points, earning five in the 2005 United States Grand Prix.
He competed in 48 Formula One entries, made 46 starts, and later returned to the grid with Hispania Racing Team in 2011 and 2012.
After ending his professional driving career in 2019, Karthikeyan co-founded DriveX Mobility in Coimbatore in April 2020.
DriveX refurbishes and sells used two-wheelers, while TVS Motor Company acquired a 48.27% stake for ₹85.41 crore in 2022.
The company’s reported valuation was about ₹177 crore, though Financial Express said it had not independently verified the figures.
- Who
- Narain Karthikeyan, an Indian racing driver and entrepreneur, co-founded DriveX Mobility with Christopher Sargunam.
- What
- Karthikeyan’s post-racing business, DriveX, is organizing India’s used two-wheeler market while TVS Motor Company has taken a major stake.
- Where
- Karthikeyan began his racing journey in Coimbatore and launched DriveX there; his Formula One career included races worldwide and India’s Buddh International Circuit.
- When
- Karthikeyan raced in Formula One from 2005 and later returned in 2011-2012; he launched DriveX in April 2020 and TVS acquired its stake in August 2022.
- Why
- DriveX was created to address the used two-wheeler market’s limited organization, inconsistent quality checks, and reliance on cash and personal trust.
Key facts
- Formula One points
- Karthikeyan scored five points at the 2005 United States Grand Prix.
- Formula One record
- He had 48 entries and 46 starts, according to the profile.
- DriveX launch
- DriveX Mobility was launched in Coimbatore in April 2020.
- TVS investment
- TVS Motor Company bought a 48.27% stake for ₹85.41 crore in August 2022.
- Reported valuation
- DriveX was valued at roughly ₹177 crore; the figures were not independently verified by Financial Express.
- Used vehicle pricing
- DriveX sells refurbished two-wheelers at an average price of around ₹50,000.
- Driving career end
- Karthikeyan ended his professional driving career in 2019.
Sources
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