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]

I have to agree with Brogan. At least HRT have never waxed lyrical about the big jumps up the grid they're going to make and Just talk about catching up Marussia. Caterham came in with a much bigger budget than them and aren't exactly much further up the grid even with a KERS system and a much bettrr driving pair.

 

[Fenderman]

Adventures in Reliant 3 wheelers would make an excellent fun thread for the winter. In keeping with this thread though, I should point out that the Robin has a remarkably good "safety cell" in that since it rolls easily at low speed 15 bikers squeezed into it can experience a 720 degree roll and emerge unscathed. I trust an HRT can boast a similarly secure office for its pilot.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I'll buy the team for next years FF1 how much do they want for it?

 

[Greenlantern101]

Lets have a whip round and CTA can buy it.

 

[Mephistopheles]

One CTA tenner final offer....

 

[Brogan]

It looks like the money issues are starting to cause problems.
Both HRT cars missed a significant amount of running in the practice sessions at the US GP today.

 

[Hamberg]

It would be nice if an organisation with a bit of cash could buy HRT, I didn't realise the cash flow was so bad. I'd like to see an Apple team. Not a bad area to get into given they are leading software developers.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Yeah Hamberg but apple would probably claim the roundy corners of the car as their own patent and make all the other teams use square cornered cars....

 

[teabagyokel]

Mephistopheles - Apple are babies in the skullduggery world compared to Ferrari, and incompetents compared to Red Bull.

 

[Brogan]

Yeah Hamberg but apple would probably claim the roundy corners of the wheels as their own patent and make all the other teams use square cornered wheels....

Fixed

 

[Hamberg]

Not right sure how much grip their wheels would have with a big bite taken out of them? JB would combust!

 

[Jen]

No, JB will drive round it, silly - and Nando won't notice

 

[GermanF1]

And Kimi wouldn't like to be told about it

 

[Bill Boddy]

The two HRT drivers would think that the car was going better than usual.

 

[FB]

Here's the official statement from the group that own's HRT

The current owners of HRT Formula 1 Team, TC II S.a.rl., would like to confirm that they are currently in talks with a number of groups interested in buying the team. HRT Formula 1 Team’s current management hopes to conclude the sale in the upcoming weeks and, with it, enable the team to continue progressing and become a reference in modern-day Formula 1 after the important achievements already accomplished in this 2012 season. HRT Formula 1 Team hopes to communicate the name of its new owner in the upcoming weeks.
According to the HRT Formula 1 Team management, "we believe the moment to let new investors come through for HRT Formula 1 Team has arrived. We’re very proud of the work done by the entire team and of the excellent sporting evolution achieved but the time has come for the team to continue growing with new financial backing. We’re convinced that the sporting potential of the team is huge and that the presence of new investors can give it a big boost”.

http://www.hrtf1team.com/en/noticias/comunicado-oficial-de-thesan-capital-sl.html

 

[gethinceri]

"We're convinced that the sporting potential of the team is huge" = "the team is currently shit"
"The presence of new investors can give it a big boost" = "we've spent all our money, anybody else wanna give it a go?"

 

[Galahad]

Abu Dhabi was the first time an HRT has ever completed a full race distance. Any change can only bring improvement, and frankly I would even include closing the team down as an improvement.

 

[Brogan]

Harsh but fair!



Interesting stat' too, I never knew that.

 

[Kamui-FastestChefInTheWorld]

Only because of a late safety car with the new unlapping rule.

 

[Brogan]

Apparently Antonio Mesquida and Alex Wurz are behind an attempt to try and save HRT.

https://twitter.com/f1enigma/status/270784397962268673