Kunal Kapoor to turn professional racer

Taking his passion for racing to the next level, actor Kunal Kapoor has decided to pursue his hobby as a professional sport.

The 35-year-old actor, who is a huge F1 and rally fan, is training under a coach and will be competing at the National Rally Championship next year.

"I always loved fast cars but I realized that I needed to get off the road to test my limits, otherwise I would be endangering my life as well as the lives of others. The adrenaline rush I get when I am behind the wheels is just something else! That is when I got into rally driving, a year-and-a-half back," Kunal said.

"My coach wants me to compete in the nationals. It is a skill that needs to be honed as you need to understand your car, the terrain you are driving on -- be it slush or mountains -- and develop the stamina needed to focus on long hours of driving," he added.

Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com