Yamamoto to race for HRT in Hungary

Sakon Yamamoto will be in action for HRT at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Yamamoto replaced Karun Chandhok at the last round in Germany and he will once again occupy the Indian driver’s seat to race alongside Bruno Senna in Budapest.

“I can’t wait to go back to the Hungaroring as I know the circuit already very well from my Formula One races with Super Aguri, Spyker F1 and with ART in GP2 series,” said the Japanese driver, who is a veteran of 16 Grands Prix starts.

“The races there are always very tough because there is no big gap between the corners. You need a good braking stability and good traction on the car. I keep on pushing for another challenge and I hope that we are luckier than in Hockenheim.”

Yamamoto qualified in 23rd at the German event but was forced to retire on Lap 20 following mechanical problems. He had previously replaced Senna at the British Grand Prix, where he qualified in 24th and finished in 20th.

Source: Formula1.com

Senna will be back after Britain

Bruno Senna will return to Hispania after the British GP with the team insisting Sakon Yamamoto is only racing because they wanted to give him an 'opportunity.'

On Thursday evening it was revealed that Senna had been dropped for this weekend's Silverstone race with reports in the British press claiming that it was due to financial reasons.

Hispania refused to comment at the time, saying only that Senna would be replaced by test driver Yamamoto for the British GP.

The team, though, has now confirmed that it is only for the Silverstone race that Senna will be replaced as they wanted to give Yamamoto an "opportunity" to race.

"In respect to the rumours about Bruno Senna's current status with Hispania Racing, HRT F1 Team, the team wants to confirm that Bruno Senna has all the support of the Spanish team, that he remains one of the Hispania Racing, HRT F1 Team official drivers and that he will be continuing to drive in the remaining races of the 2010 Formula 1 world championship."

Source: Planet F1

Yamamoto replaces Senna for British Grand Prix

According to sources in the Silverstone paddock on Thursday evening, Hispania Racing test and reserve driver Sakon Yamamoto is set to replace regular racer Bruno Senna for this weekend’s British Grand Prix.

Yamamoto first joined a Formula 1 event as a third driver for Jordan at the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix before switching to Super Aguri and competing in seven races the following year.

In 2007 came a move to Spyker and the subbing of The Netherlands’ Christijan Albers from the Hungarian Grand Prix onwards.

Having joined HRT earlier in 2010, the Aichi man replaced Senna in Friday’s first practice session in Istanbul.

Source: GP Update

Chandhok 'not worried' about HRT rumours

Karun Chandhok has tersely insisted he is "not worried" about the future of the struggling HRT team.

Recent reports quoted Bernie Ecclestone as suggesting the new Spanish outfit was in financial trouble, amid reports it will run out of spare parts by next month's Canadian grand prix.

In fact, team officials insist the F1 chief executive is simply helping Hispania with its technical plans for 2011, including the use of a wind tunnel and facilities to design its own car.

Asked about the negative rumours by the Times of India, Chandhok said this week: "That's a matter between Bernie, Colin (Kolles) and (Jose Ramon) Carabantes.

"It has nothing to do with me," added the 26-year-old Indian rookie. "I know what the truth is and I am not worried."

Although friends with his teammate Bruno Senna, Chandhok insists he has been the quickest HRT driver in 2010 but is keen for a car upgrade in order to ensure he has a seat next year.

"I've generally been faster than Bruno," he said, adding that the Cosworth powered F110 "really needs" a new aerodynamic package.

"But as of now, my objective is to keep pushing as much as I can and secure a good position for 2011. The rest isn't up to me," added Chandhok.

Source: F1 Complete

Chandhok: It looked worse than it was

Karun Chandhok insists his Monaco GP accident with Jarno Trulli was not as bad as it looked - and it did look really bad.

Three laps from the end of the grand prix, Trulli tried to overtake the Hispania Racing driver through the Rascasse corner. But instead of pushing ahead of him, he landed on top of him in a rather frightening accident.

Chandhok escaped unharmed as Trulli's wheels luckily did not hit his helmet.

"Jarno just tried something silly really," the Indian driver told Reuters.

"I don't think he would have even had enough steering lock to get around the corner from the angle he was coming at. He would have done the old Schumacher 2006 parking move.

"He has apologised... I quite like Jarno, he's a nice guy and I think when he apologises he knows he's screwed up.

"Fortunately I was a bit lucky as I ducked and he went over my head.

"It didn't actually touch me but it looked worse than it actually was.

"But it was very frustrating because that was probably my best race of the year in terms of pace and we were racing the other two new teams."

Source: Planet F1

5-place grid drop for Chandhok

Hispania's Karun Chandhok has been handed a 5-place grid drop ahead of qualifying in Barcelona this afternoon.

Drivers are required to run the same gearbox for four full race weekends - in order to keep costs to a minimum - although Indian Chandhok receives the penalty following a change at the Circuit de Catalunya after Friday practice.

However, as Hispania are almost certain to be eliminated from Q1 in normal circumstances, the Murcia-based team effectively receives no disadvantage in comparison to its current expected pace.

Source: GP Update

Chandhok 'amazed' as Klien faster than Senna

Karun Chandhok will have to admit to being "amazed" after sitting out the morning practice session in Barcelona.

To both his and teammate Bruno Senna's chagrin in Spain, the Indian rookie's HRT car was occupied instead by new test and reserve driver Christian Klien.

Austrian Klien's 26 laps were the first at a grand prix weekend since he practiced in a Honda in 2007, but he has been brought in by team boss Colin Kolles for his experience of 48 grands prix and three subsequent years of testing.

Before the morning session, Chandhok was quoted as saying by the BBC: "I'll be amazed if he goes half a second quicker than Bruno; I highly doubt it."

However, Klien was in fact exactly half a second quicker than Brazilian rookie Senna, cutting the deficit to F1's other new teams to just five tenths.

Chandhok said: "Christian has got good experience of some good teams so he could bring something.

"The team is a little bit behind the game, so any information we can get from other people is useful. It's frustrating for me, I want to drive the car as much as possible."

Source: F1 Complete

Klien granted Superlicence 10 minutes before practice

Incredibly, Christian Klien very narrowly missed out on driving in Spain's first free practice session on Friday as the Austrian's FIA Superlicence - required by all drivers to take part in Formula 1 sessions - was finalised as little as ten minutes before the morning session began.

With Sakon Yamamoto confirmed as an official test and reserve driver for the Murcia-based Hispania team last month, former Jaguar and Red Bull racer Klien's confirmation arrived earlier this week.

However, although Team Principal Colin Kolles felt that placing a more experienced driver in Karun Chandhok's cockpit would help the rate development for the debutant team, Klien's Barcelona outing very nearly didn't happen at all.

"It was a bit exciting today as I got my Superlicense only ten minutes before the start of the first practice session!" 27-year-old Christian explained. "Fortunately, everything had been prepared perfectly and then I was allowed to jump into the car.

"I had 90 great minutes in the car. It was my first time in a Formula 1 car since January last year and felt perfect right away; I was able to feel the limits of the car and posted constant times, which will help the engineers - I was able to give them important feedback to improve, in terms of setup, and my work with top teams will help them."

Kolles was also relieved following the dramatic events of the morning. "We want to thank (governing body) the FIA and (commercial rights holder) Mr. Ecclestone for their support to make it possible," he began. "In that short period of time, Christian got his Superlicense and consequently was allowed to drive this morning."

Source: GP Update

Klien replacing Chandhok in Practice 1

The Hispania team has confirmed that it will be Karun Chandhok who is replaced by Christian Klien in Barcelona's first free practice session on Friday. The Austrian joined the Murcia-based squad this week as official test and reserve driver alongside Sakon Yamamoto.

With Japan's Yamamoto having been signed in the middle of last month, Hispania announced Klien as the second reserve driver on Wednesday, confirming the Austrian's first Formula 1 contract since BMW pulled out of the sport at the end of last month.

Following in the footsteps of Force India's Paul di Resta and Lotus' Fairuz Fauzy, Klien will become the third test driver this season to take part in a weekend session as he takes to the wheel for the 90-minute period on Friday morning.

Source: GP Update

Campos to change name to Hispania Racing F1 team

Campos Meta 1 intends to change its name to Hispania Racing F1 Team before the start of the 2010 season next weekend.

Jose Ramon Carabante, who had already been the team president, took over the outfit from former Minardi driver Adrian Campos last month.

Grupo Hispania is the name of 57-year-old Spaniard Carabante's company.

The Spanish newspaper Diario AS said the name change, which must be approved formally by the sport's authorities, will be unveiled officially on Thursday in the Spanish city of Murcia.

It is believed the event could also see the unveiling of the Dallara-built car's livery and the announcement of Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok as its drivers.

France's Auto Hebdo said the former Prost, Sauber and Honda engineer Jacky Eeckelaert, who worked with new team boss Colin Kolles at Le Mans last year, will also be revealed as being a part of the team.

Hispania was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula, including modern-day Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Gibraltar and some of France.

Source: Motorsport