What a thrill it was to interview Aditya Swaminathan.
Driving fast is a thrill. The speeding car raises and leaves a cloud of ecstasy both to the driver and the viewer. Now imagine doing that as a profession. Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Nigel Mansell, and Aryton Senna are the few names that come up on the global stage when we mention the sport.
India, too, has produced an adequate number of racers with Karun Chandhok, Narain Karthikeyan, Jehan Daruvala, and many more. The good news is that India has still been producing professional car racers, and one of them is Aditya Swaminathan from Bengaluru, India. Aditya started racing at the age of 11, and this is his 10th year in the Racing field.
Aditya Swaminathan is a 19-year-old race car driver from Bengaluru, India. Motorsports and racing have interested him since he was a child.
Aditya Swaminathan: Motorsports has been a huge passion of mine ever since I was five years old. I had just watched a few F1 races and the Pixar movie, Cars, and I had become obsessed with the sport. I began racing professionally at age 11 in the National Karting Championship with Team Meco Motorsport under the guidance of the legend Mr. Akbar Ebrahim.
Family is everything in the subcontinent, particularly in Sri Lanka and India. Our lives revolve around our parents, siblings, and cousins growing up, and later on, around our partners, kids, in-laws, and extended family. When asked about his family and support, Aditya said, “My family has been incredibly supportive of my journey, so It is a costly sport and requires money to participate. But regardless of it, my dad has worked hard to make sure I am on the grid. My mom has always been by my side supporting me- she always motivates me and ensures I do what I am supposed to do. We as a family have sacrificed a lot just for me to drive year after “year.”
Also, parallel and synonymous with family, our lives are circled by what we study and how much we study. You can be a big superstar, but you will still be questioned about your qualifications and exams. Sports education is a subject taken for granted too many times. When asked about how important a role he thinks academics play in the life of a sportsperson with the potential to cut him/her above the rest, Aditya said, “I always tried to maintain a balance between my education and my racing. Eventually, I will need a career that can support my finances when I race, so I educate myself and learn skills that can help me further myself along that front. I think that you need to work smarter and choose subjects that are easier for you/help you improve your skill. I think in this day, and it is, it is easier to equip yourself with skills online, so a balance is easier to achieve.”
Aditya Swaminathan continues to grow and still is a contender to be a champion! Currently, he is looking for sponsors who can help. He will always keep going despite being a champion. TSC’s Ravi Mandapaka caught up with this young, promising motorcar racer. Here are a few excerpts from the interview.
On the cusp of greatness!
Ravi: Can you tell us some of the challenges you have faced or have been facing in India on your tours? How do you manage your finances? Are you seeking any sponsors?
Aditya: The main challenge is always the money, of course. When I was racing to go karts, I remember we would run an older chassis and opt out of extra practice to save money. I was always running a significantly lesser budget than others on the grid but still managed to win races and get on the podium. So I invest the money that I save to earn additional income. Right now, I am looking at various value propositions for companies to sponsor me, whether branding on the racecar or a corporate motorsport event on the track.
Ravi: There has always been a talk about being fit physically and mentally. How big an area of concern was that when you started racing and today?
Aditya: When I started going karting, fitness was a significant concern as karting is a physically demanding discipline in motorsport. When you have good fitness, you can think calmer as fat’s effects do not impact you. Thankfully my fitness was taken care of by Ramji Srinivasan and the team at Sports Dynamix. This sport is very tactical and cutthroat- you need to make lightning-quick decisions with no margin for error, so keeping my mind sharp has always been a primary objective. There are a lot of ups and downs, and dealing with everything requires a lot of mental strength and stability.
Ravi: How do you prepare yourself for your race? What challenges do you encounter on a typical training/workday, and what sport, recreation, or fitness activities do you partake in?
Aditya: Well, most days are spent,t not a racetrack. Practicing involves many expenses, so it is very limited on-track time. Instead, I spend my time at the gym working on my fitness and trying to visualize the race mentally. Attending college takes up most of my time during the day. I usually play games on my PS5 or football to relax.
Ravi: What are some domestic and international circuits you drive in? Can you brief us about a specific racing calendar of yours?
On track as a pro
Aditya: I mainly race domestically here in India and still need the finances to drive internationally. Here we have the Kari Motor Speedway and the Madras International Circuit hosting most of the racing events. The Buddh International Circuit is also an F1-grade track that occasionally hosts races. Recently the street circuit in Hyderabad also hosted some of its first races. The last two seasons for me have been very on and off, but hopefully, in 2023, I will get to race on these circuits more as the racing calendar looks to be packed this year.
Ravi: What have been your major highlights/achievements in your career? Do you have any favorite track or circuit?
Aditya: Being vice-champion of the karting championship in 2019 has been my most significant achievement, but I am prouder of the resilience I have built up. There have been more days where things out of my control went wrong. In general terms, you could call it ‘bad luck.’ But, over the years, I have learned to deal with it, stay strong, and not give up. I have seen myself lose championships due to exceedingly unfair and uncontrollable circumstances. I am proud of getting up and moving on from these situations at the end of the day.
Ravi: How would you encourage and preach good sportsmanship, and what is your philosophy in sports and life? Do you also wish to say anything to young boys and girls wanting to take up racing as a profession?
Aditya: Well, I always make sure to stay disciplined and open-minded. Being open-minded helps me learn from mistakes and have different perspectives. To those who want to take up racing as a profession, I would like them to enjoy driving, as racing a go-kart or racecar around a track is very rare. Another thing is to make the goals realistic, look at the available resources, and ask your “elf, “What is it that I can have the most fun” in?”
Ravi: Last but surely not least, we are thrilled with the success you have achieved so far. Where do you wish to see yourself in the next five years?
Aditya: Hopefully, in the next five years, you will see me drive internationally and help others to achieve success in the sport. I want to be a role model and a champion on and off track.
