Shanghai: Narain Karthikeyan walked away from the biggest crash of his career wondering what he had hit at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday.

Indian’s first Formula One driver ended his first season in Formula One with a bang, clambering from the smouldering wreckage of his Jordan with flames flickering around the radiators and exhausts. The car lay shattered in the middle of the track, with no marshals in sight.

“I don’t know what happened because I can’t remember the impact,” Karthikeyan said. “What I can remember was that we had a long period behind the safety car and everyone was making mistakes left, right and centre because the tyres were so cold.

“After the restart I passed (BAR’s Takuma) Sato and was keeping up with (Toyota’s Italian Jarno) Trulli when at turn 13, I remember the car steered off to the artificial grass and that was it. I was a passenger after that.

“Next thing I opened my eyes and some car was coming straight at me. That wakes you up a bit.”

The crash gave him a sore neck and brought out the safety car for the second time in the race that settled the constructors’ championship in Renault’s favour.

Karthikeyan added that he was extremely disappointed at not finishing the race.

“What a shame to have such an early end to a good race. Everything was really going fine. I am so disappointed for myself and the team,” the rookie F1 driver said.

“I was lucky to escape the accident. I did not hurt myself although the car was in pieces,” he said. “I wish I didn’t have to give up under these conditions.”