HRT

Hispania

FIA Entry: HRT F1 Team
Car 22: Narain Karthikeyan
Car 23: Vitantonio Liuzzi
Engin:e Cosworth V8
Team Principal: Colin Kolles
Technical Director: Geoff Willis
Race Engineer Car 22: Angel Baena
Race Engineer Car 23 Richard Connell

Stats as of end 2010

First Entered 2010
Races Entered 19
Race Wins 0
Pole Positions 0
Fastest Laps 0
Driver World Championships 0
Constructor World Championships 0

Campos Racing

Having run cars in lower formulae former F1 driver Adrian Campos secured one of the 3 places for new teams in F1 for 2010. He commissioned Dallara to build a chassis and signed a deal to use Cosworth engines and Xtrac gearboxes. They also announced that Bruno Senna, nephew of Ayrton, would drive for them.

Struggling for funds, especially to pay for the Dallara Chassis, Campos was bought out by major shareholder in Campos Racing Jose Ramon Carabante and the team renamed Hispania Racing Team

HRT

The team’s financial problems meant they were unable to take part in any pre-season testing and arrived at the first race with Karun Chandhok partnering Senna in completely untried cars. Unsurprisingly both cars were somewhat off the pace and retired early on. By Malaysia reliability had improved, if not speed, and both cars finished.

Continuing financial problems meant both Senna and Chandhok were substituted for Sakon Yamamoto, at various races and at the end of the season Christian Klien was drafted in to try and move the team further up the grid. Despite their poor pace the team finished 11th out of 12 in the Constructors Championship on count back of minor placing’s.

2011

Financial problems continue to dog the team into 2011 and they again missed pre-season testing as the new F111 car wasn’t built in time. Jordan driver from 2005 Narain Karthikeyan is partnered by Force India refugee Vitantonio Liuzzi and the team continue with Cosworth engines.

 

[RasputinLives]

Lets remember no one thought they'd qualify for Malaysia last year either.

I still think the team as a whole is in better shape to survive than it was last year. As I've written elsewhere I think they're perfectly aware results aren't going to come this season and are just learning what its like to be in F1 still.

Still - lets hope they actually get in the races eh?

 

[Viscount]

They had no DRS in qualifying which is probably worth about a second in addition to the power steering problems, so once they're fixed they should definitely be able to qualify within 107%.

On a side note, the HRT is designed to run the Williams KERS unit this year but I wonder if they'll actually put it in the car this season.

 

[RasputinLives]

HRT state we'll be in the race..................but we might not finish it!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98295

I guess its better than nothing.

 

[the_roadie]

Well, in Malaysia not only did they both make the 107% they outsmarted all the other teams - they were the only team starting both drivers on full wets and at one point before the red flag not just were they ahead of the other two "new" teams, they were in the points.
For a rubbish team with no money, a rubbish car and rubbish drivers, that's a fantastic achievement that forces me to stop writing them off as a joke.
(God forbid I should become reasonable but I'm being boxed in here !!!)

 

[Viscount]

Commendable decision making, but they did end the race 2 laps down on the leaders and were lapped by almost every other car (including one of the Marussia's) at least once.

Still interested to see if they develop their car much this season and eventually run KERS.

 

[tooncheese]

Malaysia was the first time ever that HRT were within 107% of the eventual pole time. Definite improvement there.

 

[the_roadie]

Commendable decision making, but they did end the race 2 laps down on the leaders and were lapped by almost every other car (including one of the Marussia's) at least once.

Still interested to see if they develop their car much this season and eventually run KERS.

"From little acorns, ..."

Everyone has to start somewhere, and with being able to meet the 107% with both cars (thank you tooncheese) and one strategic masterstroke, it looks like after two years they finally have started.
Oh yes, I nearly forgot, and they finished higher than Virgin in both their previous seasons.
And as for being lapped, there's no special disgrace in that, so were both Caterhams and both Marussias

 

[Viscount]

No shame in being lapped, just disappointing that 1 Marussia and the 2 Caterhams also lapped them.

 

[the_roadie]

No shame in being lapped, just disappointing that 1 Marussia and the 2 Caterhams also lapped them.

Well I certainly wasn't suggesting that they were in line for a podium, ....

 

[Galahad]

Strategic masterstroke? Or lucky gamble by a team that had nothing to lose by getting it wrong?

 

[RasputinLives]

Well, in Malaysia not only did they both make the 107% they outsmarted all the other teams - they were the only team starting both drivers on full wets and at one point before the red flag not just were they ahead of the other two "new" teams, they were in the points.
For a rubbish team with no money, a rubbish car and rubbish drivers, that's a fantastic achievement that forces me to stop writing them off as a joke.
(God forbid I should become reasonable but I'm being boxed in here !!!)

Strategic masterstroke? Or lucky gamble by a team that had nothing to lose by getting it wrong?

Whichever one it was it got them some good TV time as did the incidents with Narain 'Champions Slayer' Karthikeyen and right now for HRT getting sponsors to believe they'll get their moneys worth if they make an investment is probably just as important as improving the car.

Just ask yourself if your paying to get your product name painted on to an F1 car which one are you more likely to get it seen on Marussia or HRT? I'm inclined to say the latter.

 

[Galahad]

Just ask yourself if your paying to get your product name painted on to an F1 car which one are you more likely to get it seen on Marussia or HRT? I'm inclined to say the latter.

Interesting point. I suspect the car we see the least of is the Caterham: too slow to battle with anyone, too fast to be lapped very often.

 

[RasputinLives]

Speaking of HRT

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2012/4/13185.html

Toni Cuquerella has been promoted from within to take over as Technical Director after Geoff Willis left donkeys years ago. I guess they searched round for someone to fill the role and when they couldn't find a suitable candidate they decided to let fresh blood have a go. Could turn out to be a wonderful move or it could be a complete disastor. To be fair as its HRT it might be hard to tell which it is.

 

[teabagyokel]

Interesting point. I suspect the car we see the least of is the Caterham: too slow to battle with anyone, too fast to be lapped very often.

But fortunately, plenty of exposure as Mike Gascoyne does interviews with everyone!

 

[RasputinLives]

So once again evidence that whilst the race and design team are struggling HRT do have people in Marketing and Finance who are thinking outside the box

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98597

I'm sure the timing of the announcment was preciously timed and they're basically saying 'we'll run the first Chinese F1 driver if you give us enough financial reason too' not a bad move to grab sponsors from an untapped area. The Chinese Grand Prix certainly needs to attract more to the race and would probably invest money if it meant having local interest for the race next year. Of course this all depends on what the Chinese governments attitude to the sport is but lets not forget their history of picking a sport for their athletes to dominate and smashing the records. We've seen it in long distance running and Swimming - Why not produce an army of super F1 drivers?

As for Ma Qing Hua himself - not really got much to go on to see if he cuts the mustard or not. 2 races in British Formula 3 in 2009 is not exactly a sterling record though.

 

[RasputinLives]

HRT looking like they've caught the tail end of Marussia again if Practice is anything to go by. Pedro certainly seems upbeat

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/...gpupdate&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=news

Anyone know if HRT are running a KERS system at the moment?

 

[FB]

I don't believe so. I don't think Cosworth have developed one and I can't imagine HRT have produced their own.

 

[RasputinLives]

Well I thought they'd bought one from Williams but not heard when or if they were going to be running it. I thought if they'd fitted it here that might be why they'd caught the Marussia's (who don't have one) up a bit.

 

[Josh]

I don't think so: http://patronisef1.com/index.php/f1...12/7659-hrt-team-unlikely-to-use-kers-in-2012

 

[RasputinLives]

Cheers Josh. I wondered how much time per lap they're losing by not running it.