Karun Chandhak has returned to the wheel of an F1 car with Sebastian Vettel's RB8.

The former Indian driver, now a consultant and commentator, shared his emotion on his social media after piloting the Red Bull RB8, the car world champion with Sebastian Vettel in 2012. The event took place on the Buddh International Circuit track, venue for the Indian Grand Prix from 2011 to 2013.

Karun chandhok "never thought I'd have the opportunity to pilot a again Formula 1 in India. Yet that is what happened thanks to an initiative by Red Bull's Indian branch, which allowed him to get behind the wheel of this legendary car from the Austrian brand. The Indian driver, who competed in 11 Grands Prix between 2010 and 2011, had not driven a Formula 1 car in India since the Grand Prix was removed from the calendar. This test thus took on the air of a return to his roots, on a circuit that had generated immense popular enthusiasm in the early 2010s.

Beyond the nostalgic dimension, the event also illustrates Red Bull's desire to maintain a link with the Indian public, in a context where Formula 1 seeks to strengthen its presence in various strategic markets, as was the case with the United States. For one day, the roar of the naturally aspirated V8 once again echoed through Greater Noida. And for Karun Chandhok, the moment clearly had a special flavor: that of a chapter that was thought to be definitively closed, briefly reopened on the Indian asphalt.

Awesome day at the Buddh International Circuit!

I never thought that I would get a chance to drive an F1 car in India again so a big thanks to @redbullindia for a very special day in Sebastian Vettel's 2012 Indian GP – and Championship winning – RB8

🇮🇳🏁🏎️💪🏽🔥 pic.twitter.com/gbqMBbmkDF

- Karun Chandhok (@karunchandhok) February 27, 2026

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