Dani Clos © HRT F1 Team
It was officially announced on Monday that Spanish GP2 driver, Dani Clos, will be HRT F1’s reserve and test driver for 2012. The Spaniard drove for the team at last years Abu Dhabi Young Drivers’ Test, and will join the team at the third and last pre-season test before the 2012 season begins.
Clos insists he is delighted with his new role as HRT tester, despite some seeing him as little more than a 'pay driver'.
A reporter for Spain's Diario AS newspaper admitted to the 23-year-old from Barcelona that when he read the news about his Clos' new role, he surmised that the driver must have some lucrative backers.
"That's definitely not why I'm here," Clos insisted.
He admitted however that he is also "looking at some options" to split his time between HRT and another race series this season.
"There are offers but I'm happy with HRT. Some people would give their right arm to be here."
Clos conceded, however, that if he had lots more money to spend on Formula 1, he might have been appointed as Pedro de la Rosa's teammate in the place of Narain Karthikeyan.
"It's obvious that if you contribute more then you have more options," he said, "but for me this is my place now, and where I have to be right now."
He revealed that the role will include running on Friday mornings at grands prix, rather than the symbolic role played by many 'test drivers' nowadays.
"Yes, yes, I'll do Fridays," said Clos. "I will not be one of those who are there just to be there."
He also denied that his new deal could fall apart the way countryman Andy Soucek's did at Virgin in 2010, when the Spaniard was promised track time that never materialised.
"I have no fear in that regard," insisted Clos. "I trust the team."
Last week, HRT’s car failed its crash test and put the team on a further back foot than they were already on. They will be hoping for no more setbacks as they aim to release their car towards the end of pre-season testing in preparation for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
