With two seasons behind his back as a Formula 1 driver in 1988 and 1989, and a permanent link with motorsport, Luis Pérez-Sala wasn’t entering an unknown world when he was named Team Principal of HRT Formula 1 Team at the end of last year. Pérez-Sala has been at the fore of a project that has experienced a deep transformation in 2012 and, having reached the halfway stage of the season, he assesses what these eight months at the head of the team have been […]

HRT boss Luis Perez-Sala has admitted his first taste of the struggling Spanish team was not a happy one. The former Minardi driver was appointed by HRT's new owners Thesan Capital last year. His first taste of life at HRT under his predecessor Colin Kolles' rule was at the 2011 British grand prix. "What I saw, I did not like," Perez-Sala told El Pais newspaper. "It was a total disaster. There was no organisation, no credibility. No aerodynamic research. No home, no identity. "Everything was […]

Spanish driver Pedro De La Rosa has expressed his satisfaction at the gains HRT has made in 2012. HRT failed to qualify for the Australian Grand Prix and, although they sit last in the championship, have been battling Marussia. "We’ve made steady progress but now we’re at a key moment and we must take another step forward", said De La Rosa in an interview published on HRT's official website. "My assessment is very positive because we set ourselves realistic targets, we’ve accomplished them and we’re, […]

Thirty-five years ago today, something unusual happened...

Marussia driver didn’t score any point at the Hungarian Grand Prix yesterday but he definitely did a great job on track which haven’t gone unnoticed. Finishing on 20th position might not say much about his performance but if we only look at the overall picture the French rookie was at his best race so far. Despite having a poor start Pic managed to recover quick and soon to close the gap to Caterham, enjoying a close battle with Vitaly Petrov for the whole race almost: […]

Reuters news agency described Michael Schumacher's Hungarian grand prix as a "comedy of errors". And two of the errors were committed by the 43-year-old even before the race started. It has emerged in Germany's Auto Motor und Sport that, after the formation lap, Schumacher parked his silver Mercedes in the wrong grid slot, which is what caused Charlie Whiting to abort the start. "I radioed the pits to say that he was in my place," Caterham's Heikki Kovalainen, who qualified 19th - two places behind […]

Pastor Maldonado has ended a rain struck second practice at the Hockenheimring fastest ahead of this weekend’s German Grand Prix, with inclement weather once again plaguing proceedings. The Mercedes of Nico Rosberg came home a close 2nd, with reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel 3rd for Red Bull. The first practice session earlier in the day was hit by intermittent showers, however the second practice session started in torrential conditions reminiscent of Silverstone. Once the session began, no-one seemed overly keen on tiptoeing out into the […]

It was an historic day for Formula 1 and HRT Formula 1 Team today at the Silverstone Circuit where Ma Qing Hua made his debut at the wheel of the F112, becoming the first Chinese-born driver to drive a Formula 1 car at an official event. As opposed to the previous days, the weather permitted the first day of the Young Driver Test to take place without any setbacks and Ma Qing Hua was able to make the most of the test. The morning’s programme […]

At least three teams are going ahead with the young driver test at Silverstone this week. With November's Abu Dhabi plans up in the air, there had been uncertainty the Silverstone alternative was going ahead at all until HRT said Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua will be running on Thursday and Friday. The French-language news agency AFP now reports that Williams and Marussia will also be in action. Williams will be running its reserve and 'Friday' driver Valtteri Bottas, while the Marussia-sponsored GP2 drivers Max […]

Bruno Senna has asked his critics to give him more time before writing him off. Despite his famous name, and two previous tenures in Formula One with HRT and Lotus (nee Renault), the 28-year-old has notably struggled alongside Pastor Maldonado this season at Williams. "There is pressure that comes with my surname, plus people think this is my third year in Formula One, which it is not," he told the Sun when asked about his struggles in 2012. Senna admitted some of the pundits' "bad […]

Luis Perez-Sala has indicated HRT wants to keep its Cosworth engines for the 2013 season. It emerged recently that, with the independent British engine supplier losing key clients Williams and Caterham recently, Cosworth might not develop a V6 engine for the all-new 2014 regulations. Citing paddock speculation, the media reports even suggested the viability of Cosworth staying in F1 for the final V8 season next year is in doubt. The engine maker's last remaining F1 customers are backmarkers HRT and Marussia. HRT team boss Perez-Sala […]

HRT reserve driver Dani Clos will take to the track next weekend at the British Grand Prix. Clos took part in first practice at the Spanish Grand Prix in May and will replace Narain Karthikeyan during the corresponding session in Britain. "I’m very happy to step into the F112 once again in Silverstone, a place where I’ve got good memories since I’ve made the podium every time I’ve been in GP2", said the Spaniard. "After Barcelona I’ve really been looking forward to this new opportunity. […]