Shillong: Talented young Indian racer Jaden Pariat is raring to get into his Formula car, the Tatuus T421 for team Phinsys by Argenti, ahead of the opening round of the 2023 FIA British ROKiT F4 championship at Karnataka’s Donington Park in Bengaluru on Thursday.
The 16-year-old talent from India’s northeastern state of Meghalaya, who took part in the final two rounds last year, caught the eye of the teams at the famous Silverstone circuit in 2022, scoring a rookie podium on his debut.
“I am excited to start racing as we prepared well over the winter. We want to have a strong start, but the aim is to progress over the year and keep improving as a driver. It has 10 race weekends and 30 races. If we focus on that, hopefully, the wins and podiums will follow. With only two weekends of saddle time under my belt, my target is to be consistent,” Pariat said.
The Shillong-born teenager, who made Bengaluru his second home, honed his skills in Chennai and Coimbatore before shifting base to the United Kingdom. And he took part in two rounds of the Winter Series. The former Indian National Karting Junior Vice-Champion was also offered to be an ambassador for Lyca Radio, one of the leading South Asian stations, where he would offer a special VIP prize to a lucky winner who would join him behind the scenes.
“It will be good fun to show the Lyca winner what motorsport is like for the first two rounds. I’m looking forward to welcoming them to taste motorsports,” Pariat, who is eligible for the rookie class this year too, said.
After an unofficial test on Thursday, the Indian will take part in qualifying on Saturday, followed by the first race. On Sunday, April 23, Jaden will have another two races. Race 3 will be live on ITV4 in the United Kingdom.
Pariat is an aggressive driver, a family skill he acquired from his father, Atikur Rehman, an Indian rally champion of yesteryears. But Jaden, an avid footballer, decided to take up a different variant of motorsport discipline.
The ROKiT F4 British Championship is the first step for aspiring young drivers making the transition from karting into single-seaters to following in the footsteps of Lando Norris. The second-generation Tatuus T-421 chassis features a halo safety cage and has Abarth engines. The championship is certified by the FIA, and 12 Super Licence points will be awarded to the overall champion.
