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Success at 17

Aditya Akkineni is the next Indian face to look out for in the racing circuit

STAYING FOCUSSED Aditya Akkineni PHOTO: K. V. SRINIVASAN

Aditya Akkineni doesn't have a driving licence. But the 17-year-old has been vrooming his way up in the motorsport world. Over the past five years, Aditya has gone from participating in junior go-karting championships (winning in the Junior Class at the `Baazee.com National Go - Karting Championship and the JK Tyres National Karting Championship in 2000) to winning the Rotax Max Challenge 2004, in the Seniors category. Aditya will be representing India in the Rotax Finals to be held on November 26 at Lankawi, Malaysia.

The secret behind his success is not a super fast reflex, an obsession with speed or a strong neck. "The biggest advantage has been having sponsors like Amaron back me. It is a big boost to your confidence, knowing that you are not financially weak, and having a name on your suit," says Aditya, who understands the value of sponsors but is still self-conscious during photo shoots, and shy about being interviewed.

Aditya has not only been participating in championships all over the country, but also winning races and scholarships to train with teams in England and Malaysia. With all the travelling, studies have taken a backseat of late, admits Aditya. "You have to focus on one thing; if you focus on both, your passion and academics, you could burn out."

"Motorsport is not about just getting to the track and driving. You have to be thinking about it all the time. It's a lot of mental pressure," says Aditya who gets good advice from Narain Karthikeyan. For fitness, Aditya does an hour of cardio everyday and rotates sessions of yoga, weight training and circuits.

A big year ahead

Next year is big for Aditya. There is the Formula LGB championship and the Formula BMW Asia and a scholarship to Bahrain that he hopes to win. And the Board Exams.

His fitness regimen may suffer a bit, but exams can't be ignored. "Eighty per cent would have been good, but I am hoping to get by with 60 to 70 per cent at least," he says.

Akkineni is already a household name in Andhra Pradesh, his grandfather being Dada Saheb Phalke Award winner, Padmashri and Padmabhushan Akkineni Nageshwar Rao. Everyone knows uncle Nagarjuna. Aditya has no interest in films. "No, no, no, no!" he says.

But some day he hopes to be a Formula One champion. Aditya is young but will not make grand promises, nor announce big plans. "I take each day as it comes," he says. "Racing for me is not about the prize money (there isn't much initially, it's more about finding sponsors) but the satisfaction you get doing what you like, playing tennis, or going to work everyday."

MEERA MOHANTY

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