Mallya's views, however, have also received adverse reaction from others involved in the top flight, with many suggesting that his assessment of both Karthikeyan and Chandhok is wide of the mark.
“A non-grand prix driver cannot give an opinion as to a driver's abilities," double world champion Emerson Fittipaldi commented, "When Narain drove in F1, he did not have a competitive chassis or technical package. He's capable of winning GPs in a good car.”
F1 commercial guru Bernie Ecclestone, meanwhile, suggests that Chandhok ought to be India's next representative on the grand prix grid, particularly with an Indian GP on the horizon.
“The time is getting closer for F1 to be in India, which is something I am really enthusiastic about - and, hopefully, Karun will be part of it," he stressed, "His place is in F1.”
Respective team-mates, including Tiago Monteiro and Bruno Senna, both gave positive assessments of the talent possessed by Karthikeyan and Chandhok, but it remains to be seen whether either will appear in the top flight, with Force India or elsewhere.
