Karthikeyan considers Le Mans, wants F1

Karthikeyan has not raced since he left now-defunct Jordan in 2005.

"There is a possibility I might do the 24 hours of Le Mans. It is one of the greatest races in the world," the 30-year-old told Reuters on Friday at the launch of the new Toyota-powered Williams FW29.

"When you start doing well in this (Le Mans) category, which has good drivers, people still see you as a potential (F1 driver) candidate," added the Chennai-born racer, whose long-term focus remains the same.

"In the future, I want a long career in Formula One," he said. "Just being the test driver is not the greatest thing."

Karthikeyan did not rule out a return to A1GP, dubbed the World Cup of motor racing, after earning Team India their first points of the season on his debut in New Zealand last month.

"It is still up in the air, (but) it is possible. If it doesn't clash with my Formula One commitments, I will be doing some more races," he said.

"The cars are more basic, (but) it keeps your race juices flowing and keeps you sharp."

Karthikeyan was unfazed by the disappointment felt by millions of fans in India, who had prayed for the driver's instant success.

The Indian said he had come a long way since his debut as his country's first Formula One driver, scoring points after finishing fourth in a six-car U.S. Grand Prix.

"As a driver, I'm probably more of a package now," he said. "Just not driving quickly, but also understanding how to drive quickly, how to get the best out of the car."

He disagreed with those who felt age was against him.

"Age is just a number," he said, pointing out that Williams race driver Alex Wurz was back after six years of testing. "It is just in India, they don't understand and keep saying about age," he added.