New Delhi: Narain Karthikeyan, country’s first Formula One driver, has made way for rookie Parthiva Sureshwaren in A1 Team India as it headed to Sydney in Australia this week for the seventh race in the A1 Grand Prix.

Karthikeyan, who scored four points for India at the A1 GP Taupo, New Zealand, will be unable to attend the Australian round due to his F1 commitments and Sureshwaren will take up racing duties for the entire week at the eastern creek circuit beginning Friday.

Having scored their first points at the last race in New Zealand, the team is feeling positive to go into the race with Sureshwaren, who has gained in wide and varied experience in motor racing since becoming Indian National Karting champion in 1998.

Sureshwaren, who made his debut with the team in the rookie session in Indonesia, has also competed in the Indian National Formula Maruti Championship and British Formula Ford Winter Series.

Sureshwaren, the runner-up in the Formula Asia Championship and ‘Rookie Of The Year’ in 2000, said he was excited to represent the country.

“A1 GP is a great championship and it’s an honour to be able to represent my country,” he said in an official press release on Wednesday.

“I took part in the rookie session in Indonesia and worked really well with the team, so I’m feeling positive that we can have a good result in Sydney,” Sureshwaren said.

“Narain called me earlier this week to wish me good luck and to pass on a few tips about racing in A1 GP, so I hope this will help me bring success to A1 Team India,” he added.

A1 Team India seatholder Yohann Setna praised Sureshwaren. “Sureshwaren impressed the team with a solid performance after just a few laps in the car in Indonesia. I’m confident that he will be able to progress further in Australia,” he said. (PTI)