HRT's 2012 car is still not ready to test, team driver Narain Karthikeyan has clarified. While the struggling Spanish team ran with its 2011 car at the recent Jerez test, the new single seater failed to pass two of the mandatory FIA crash tests. It means the machine cannot run this week at Barcelona test, prompting HRT to pull out of the second group test altogether. Karthikeyan and his teammate Pedro de la Rosa now hope the car is ready to run for the second […]

HRT on Friday refused to guarantee Narain Karthikeyan will race the full season with the struggling Spanish team. Albeit with different team ownership and management, HRT began the 2011 season also with Indian Karthikeyan at the wheel, but he was replaced mid-season for the Red Bull-backed Daniel Ricciardo deal. Reportedly with millions in sponsor backing, 35-year-old Karthikeyan is back on track for this season -- but perhaps not guaranteed a place at all twenty races. "The idea as of now is to race him the […]

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 […]

HRT team members had their fingers crossed this week that the 2012 car would pass the FIA's mandatory crash tests. Most of the Spanish team's rivals have already begun testing their new single seaters, but at Jerez Pedro de la Rosa had to be content with the outdated 2011 machine. "If it (the new car) passes (the FIA tests), we will have the car at the next test in Barcelona," said the Spanish driver. "It is very important that we pass the tests even though […]

Jaime Alguersuari has announced he will be absent from the Formula One paddock in 2012. After two and a half seasons and at just 21-years-old, the Spaniard has lost his Toro Rosso race seat. And the final spot on the 2012 grid, at the Spanish team HRT, has been secured by Narain Karthikeyan. There has been speculation Toro Rosso sponsor Cepsa was unhappy with Red Bull's decision to dump Alguersuari, but the Faenza based team announced that the Spanish oil company is staying on board […]

Narain Karthikeyan speaks about his return to F1 with HRT

Narain Karthikeyan has been confirmed as HRT's second driver

Yes, F1 2012 has a great line-up. But what of those left out and those trying to join in...

Narain Karthikeyan has not ruled out returning to Formula 1 yet again. Six years after his 2005 debut, the now 34-year-old returned to the grid at the beginning of last season with HRT before losing the seat to Daniel Ricciardo. He then made a one-off comeback as his sponsors paid for a seat in India's inaugural grand prix. That Delhi event "has helped drivers like me connect to corporate India and we are now looking at a few options and trying to work out something […]

HRT is looking to move forwards next year as they shift towards becoming a Spanish national team

Narain Karthikeyan enjoyed a positive return to the F1 grid on Sunday but he's not sure he will be back in 2012. The Indian lost his seat to the Red Bull-backed Daniel Ricciardo earlier this season, but was back at the wheel in Delhi for a one-off return at his home race. His teammate for the Delhi weekend was Ricciardo, and despite not driving since June Karthikeyan came within a hair's breadth of outqualifying the Australian. And in the race, Karthikeyan beat Ricciardo to the […]

HRT on Saturday announced that it will be Vitantonio Liuzzi who sits out next weekend's Indian grand prix. The Spanish team had already said Indian Narain Karthikeyan would return to the grid for his country's inaugural formula one race. It was believed that Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who earlier this year replaced Karthikeyan due to a deal struck between HRT and Red Bull, would sit out India. Liuzzi's manager said in September that the Italian has a firm contract for every race in 2011, with Ricciardo […]