Modified front wing for HRT F111 at Spa

 

       It took half season for HRT to launch the first update of its 2011 spec wing ( the version raced back inAustraliawas actually a 2010 wing ) . The revised wing with the oversized and reshaped cascade winglets wasn’t able to change the natural grid order of course and HRT remained at the far back. However it is admirable to see small teams put hard effort to gain speed with minimum budget .

 

 

HRT F111 – quest for extra downforce

 

 

In slow and high downforce street track of Monaco , HRT F111 inherited an extra single element winglet over the rear light to increase the stability of the rear end . Nevertheless during the whole weekend the team faced balance problems on both cars , problems difficult to be delt properly due to reduced amount of free running . Luckily for the team both drivers managed to finish race , something really important for HRT .

 

HRT F111 , Fin-less engine cover for Liuzzi in China

 Liuzzi , China

In China Liuzzi raced with a fin-less engine cover in contrast to Karthikeyan ( lower illustration in yellow )  . The shark fin improves car streamline but has a negative impact as it makes the car more sensitive to side winds . Liuzzi choice to reject the shark fin can be justified by the fact that his car version in Sinopec had less rear axle winglets    ( https://formula1techandart.wordpress.com/2011/08/20/hrt-f111-rear-axle-winglets-revisions/ ) which provided less aerodynamic grip  to the rear axle. So keeping the shark fin could potentially cause handling issues of the rear end and even excessive ware to the rear tyres . Liuzzi returned to the standard version of F111  after China , with three winglets per rear brake and an engine cover with the shark fin .

 Karthikeyan , China

HRT F111 – More rear wing revisions in Turkey

  Turkey 

More rear wing revisions took place at Turkey with a series of 5 curved gills were put on the endplates to lower significantly drag production generated by the wing , with a small downforce loss as a side effect but giving more freedom for steeper attack angles at the same time . This was the first serious upgrade for the rear wing as the previous were only refinements of the original version . 

HRT F111 – Rear axle winglets revisions

Australia and Malaysia– asymmetric

     It is very interesting to investigate HRT rear brake winglets development over season, which reflects in some occasions the different driving style between the two drivers of the team . Initially the F111 run with asymmetric winglets (red arrows).This asymmetric configuration offers sufficient grip to the inner rear car side, which is shadowed in a right hand turn , something important to reduce rear pitch sensitivity having in mind that both  Melbourne and Sepang circuits feature more right hand turns than left ( 10R/6L  , 10R/5L  respectively) .

China – Karthikeyan

China – Liuzzi

    Later the season at China two versions of symmetric configurations were applied on the rear axle. More experienced Liuzzi raced with single winglets while Karthikeyan raced with double winglets which offered a more stable rear end .

since Turkey

   Finally since Turkey both drivers race with symmetric rear axle winglets but increased in number up to three elements at each side . The brake winglets are considered to be part of the braking system and as long as they are within FIA dimension rules are considered to be legal .

HRT F111 rear wing – minor refinements for the first races

Australia

 

       F111 rear wing is consisted of  a rather large movable flap compared to other teams with a black colored tab fence (1) across the trailing edge , two flap fasteners (2)  , gill-less endplates  and finally the wing is supported on a single vertical element (3) which also houses the flap moving mechanism .Having a closer look on the endplates we can observe the uncovered  flap angle adjuster (4) and the flap connecting spots (5) to the endplate body .

 

  Malaysia

China

 

       In China HRT decided to put elegant white colored coverings on rear wing’s flap adjusters to cut turbulence created by the anomalies on endplate surface . Meanwhile the two lower dot style flap connectors to the endplate were already covered since Malaysia( red arrows ) .

 

 

Hispania Racing Team F111 – diffuser details

    The F111 follows also the trend of exhaust blown diffuser having the exhaust pipelines ending close to the rear crash structure . There is a pair of vertical fences (in yellow) twisted outwards  in either side section of the diffuser pattern and also a high tab fence across the diffuser roof extending even to its vertical sides to improve air sanction. Of course the tab partially blocks the hot exhaust emissions preventing a stronger blending of them with the air coming from under the floor, a situation by passed by some teams, like Red Bull, Lotus Renault and Toro Rosso for example, using a slotted tab fence .

Hispania Racing : FP3 & Qualifying for the British Grand Prix

 

FP3 & Qualifying for the British Grand Prix

Silverstone, 9th of July of 2011

Silverstone Circuit

10.00-11.00 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 3

Daniel Ricciardo        F111-03  #22  23rd     (19 laps)  1:38.289

Vitantonio Liuzzi       F111-02  #23  24th      (17 laps)  1:38.568

Maximum temperature: Air 18ºC, Track 20ºC – Intermittent rain

13.00-14.00 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING SESSION

Daniel Ricciardo         F111-03 #22   24th     (6 laps)   1:38.059

Vitantonio Liuzzi        F111-02 #23   23rd    (7 laps)   1:37.484

Maximum temperatura: Air 20ºC, Track 23ºC – Intermittent rain

Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “It was a difficult day because a lot of rain came down in FP3 and it wasn’t easy to get the set up right for qualifying. Obviously, also during qualifying it started to rain and, unfortunately, we had the wrong timing and were unable to do a second run. So this is why the result is quite disappointing”.

“Tomorrow we have to finish the race and we will see what will be the end. Today I would have expected more; we knew that it would be difficult because we had traction problems and have a lack of downforce. We had some new parts on the car but, unfortunately, it was difficult to get the right timing and to react in the right way under these circumstances”.

“If tomorrow we have what we had today then I will be happy. In free practice it’s better to have dry conditions; in qualifying it’s better to have consistent conditions, either rain or dry, and all this didn’t happen. For us, starting at the end of the grid, the best would be to have heavy rain like in Canada for the race”.

Daniel Ricciardo, Driver #22: “My first qualifying session was alright but it was a bit frustrating with the weather, we couldn’t do two runs so we were just limited to one but it was ok. I would like to be a little bit closer to the rest of the field but I can’t try to expect too much for now, it’s a big learning curve. I’m half a second off Tonio which isn’t much but for a racing car driver it is quite a lot, I want more but I shouldn’t really expect too much at this stage, if I can keep closing the gap then it’s ok”.

“The F111 is actually quite good, with the option tyres the level of grip has surprised me, that’s one part that will come from experience; knowing how far I can push it. In high speed corners I can still race at my speed. I think there’s definitely potential and if I’m able to keep an open mind and am willing to learn; I think we will definitely move forward”.

“I met the team on Wednesday and it’s been a pretty deep introduction and I think it’s gone quite smoothly, everyone seems really nice. With the engineers, it’s hard to come into Formula 1 and start a fresh relationship in the middle of a season but I think we’re doing quite well and I’m sure it gets easier from here”.

“I expect to finish the race and be competitive, if I can maybe close the gap in the race and be within a few tenths of Tonio, I think that would be a positive start and some progress. If we can get ahead of a few other cars then that would be a good result”.

Vitantonio Liuzzi, Driver #23: “It was a difficult qualifying session because of the weather but also because we’ve had an issue with the car since yesterday; the handling hasn’t been good since the beginning and the weather hasn’t helped us to understand the new bits we’ve brought on the car. It hasn’t been easy, we didn’t have the best balance for qualifying but, overall, it was the best run we’ve had all week because it was a bit better overall”.

“The race will be quite difficult because our rivals seem to be running faster than last year. We knew that this circuit wouldn’t be great for our car but we have to keep on pushing and see how it goes tomorrow”.

 

 

 

credit : Hispania Racing Team

HRT – Grand Prix of Europe

 

Grand Prix of Europe

Valencia, 26th of June of 2011

Valencia Street Circuit

Weather: Sunny – Air 28ºC, Track  47ºC

Race: 57 laps

Track distance: 5.419 km

Narain Karthikeyan   F111-03 #22  24th

Vitantonio Liuzzi        F111-02 #23  23rd

Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “We struggled the whole weekend with the tyres, especially on the rear end of the car. We had to go for a three stop strategy since the wear of the tyres was too high; our main competitors were on two stops. The pace overall was good but due to the additional stop we could not gain positions. We have to work hard, especially in improving the aero and the rear end of the car, in order to reach our targets for the championship”.

Narain Karthikeyan, Driver #22: “As expected, the car was quite difficult to drive in the race because of the heat; the rear tyres were degrading a lot and we had the same braking problems as the whole weekend. At the beginning I was trying to keep with the pack, with Liuzzi and D’Ambrosio, but after seven laps I locked the front and after that I had a lonely race. I finished the race but there aren’t many positives I can take away from it”.

“Obviously our performance wasn’t the best but the local support has been great and we were hoping for more here”.

Vitantonio Liuzzi, Driver #23: “It was a really difficult race for us because we were struggling with the rear tyres. We knew since Friday that it would be difficult because we were overheating the rear and this was wearing the tyres out even more and that is why we were forced to do a three stop strategy and, unfortunately, were unable to cope with the Virgins. In the first two stints we were fighting with them but then, because we stopped one more time than them, we were struggling to fight with them”.

“We need to fight hard if we want to keep up with the pace of our competitors, we need to improve and work hard day and night. It’s a shame because we were in front of our crowd, they have been fantastic with us but we need to push for the rest of the season”.

“The weekend was really tough but beautiful because Valencia has been a fantastic city that has welcomed us really well. We had a beautiful week, it’s a shame because we wanted to achieve a better result but now we are fighting for the future”.

 

 

credit : Hispania Racing Team

 

Q&A with Colin Kolles, Team Principal

 

Q&A with Colin Kolles, Team Principal

Friday, 17th of June of 2011

Q: As you predicted after Qualifying on Saturday, the race in Canada was crazy…

CK: Yes, as predicted, it was a crazy race with a positive ending for us.

Q: Has the Canadian GP been Hispania Racing’s best GP? How did the team react to achieving its best ever position?

CK: Yes, the Canadian GP was the team’s best result. This is just the result of people, within the team, working very hard. We will continue to work hard and hope to improve and achieve better results.

Q: The team has taken a step forward and is reaffirming itself as a structure more and more.

CK: The team in itself is a strong team with a lot of dedicated people who give their 100% and work very hard. We are a small team but very efficient.

Q: Hispania Racing faced a lot of criticism at the start of the season, did you pay much attention to that or did you feel that with time the team would answer its critics?

CK: Time will always show who is right and who is wrong. Of course there are always things to be improved and criticism is ok as long as people understand what they are talking about.

Q: What has been the key to Hispania Racing’s improvement?

CK: Without a doubt, the continuous hard work and dedication put in by every member of the team.

Q: Do you feel there is more pressure at Hispania Racing than at other teams?

CK: This is all relative. Some people feel pressure and some don’t. The fact is that you have to push every day.

Q: When will the wind tunnel programme start?

CK: In July in the Mercedes wind tunnel.

Q: Will this programme already focus on the 2012 project?

CK: We will switch very soon to the 2012 car.

Q: What qualities do both drivers bring to the team?

CK: They contribute a lot to the team but if I had to single out Tonio and Narain’s biggest virtues, I’d say they are speed and experience.

Q: What is the team’s aim for the next few races?

CK: There are still a lot of races left this season. We want to improve our results and achieve our target of being 10th in the constructor’s championship.

 

 

credit : Hispania Racing Team

HRT – Spanish Grand Prix , Race

Spanish Grand Prix

Montmeló, 22nd of May of 2011

Circuit de Catalunya

Weather: Sunny – Air 27ºC, Track 44ºC

Race: 66 laps

Track distance: 4.655km

Narain Karthikeyan   F111-03   #22    21st

Vitantonio Liuzzi        F111-02   #23    DNF

Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “Tonio started the race very well, he was in a good position, improving lap by lap and creating a bigger gap with the cars behind him. Unfortunately, after the first pit stop, we noticed that the gear box wasn’t running properly so we had to change the gearbox mode. We started losing pressure and had to stop due to a gearbox failure. We don’t know what happened on Narain’s car, we will have to look into it and assess the situation but getting over the finish line is positive. Tonio’s start to the race is proof that we have made the next step and can compete with our closest rivals on the track”.

Narain Karthikeyan, Driver #22: “It was a very hard race. The tyres were degrading a lot, especially the rear ones making it very difficult to drive. The first few laps were all right but then the rear started giving me a lot of problems. I also had some trouble with my seat, I burnt my back and at times the pain was unbearable. The positive aspect was that I finished the race although we didn’t get much out of it. We need to find out why we were off the pace, we thought our race pace would improve this weekend but that has not been the case. Qualifying was good but our race pace wasn’t good unlike in previous races. Perhaps this is because of the drastic difference between prime and option compounds which made the setup very difficult and resulted in massive oversteer. So we now need to work on this”.

Vitantonio Liuzzi, Driver #23: “I had a great start to the race passing a few cars into the first corner just like at the last grand prix. Everything was going fine, the balance of the car was good, I was ahead of both Virgin cars and pulling away in the first stint. This confirmed the step forward we’d predicted from the last race. After the first pit stop, with the second set of tyres we lost some grip in the rear just like in qualifying. I also started feeling issues with the upshift, it was getting worse and worse and eventually had to stop. We have to investigate why this happened but it’s still too early to say what the reason was. It’s a real shame because without this issue we could’ve had better pace for the second stint and fight with the Virgins until the end. Narain finished the race which is always positive because it means we can have more data but it’s now time to start thinking about racing and not just finishing because we’re growing and must try and get ahead of Virgin”.

credit : Hispania Racing Team

HRT – FP3 and qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix

FP3 and qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix

Montmelo, 21st of May of 2011

Circuit de Catalunya

11.00-12.00 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 3

Narain Karthikeyan  F111-03  #22  24th     (16 laps)  1:29.562

Vitantonio Liuzzi       F111-02  #23  21st     (17 laps)  1:28.330

Maximum temperature: Air 24ºc, Track 33ºC – Sunny

14.00-15.00 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING SESSION

Narain Karthikeyan  F111-03  #22 22nd     (9 laps)  1:27.908

Vitantonio Liuzzi       F111-02  #23 21st      (9 laps)  1:27.809

Maximum temperature: Air 24ºC, Track 43ºC – Sunny

FP3 and qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix

Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “Today’s qualifying had some positives and some negatives. The positive side is that we were quicker than one of the Virgins and made some steps forward. The negative part is that we could’ve had both Virgins behind us but Tonio didn’t have the best lap. My impression is that we made some progress and will make some more, let’s see what happens in the race.  We will use a strategy which best suits the car, not too different from the rest. We’ll try and run as much as possible on option tyres”.

Narain Karthikeyan, Driver #22: “Yesterday and today have been very difficult, especially P2 and P3 where we drove with new parts and didn’t have the right balance. After that I was a little bit worried about qualifying but we pulled everything together. We sat down and analysed the situation. I’m happy to be in front of our nearest competitors for the first time and also close to Tonio. I’m pleased to be in this position, especially since it’s the team’s home grand prix, now let’s see how the race goes tomorrow”.

Vitantonio Liuzzi, Driver #23: “We can be happy about today’s qualifying, there was some improvement with the upgrades, now we need to keep pushing for new updates in the next race. We are in the right direction to improve the car and the team as a whole. So we’re doing well and need to work hard to make the next step. It’s very positive to be in and amongst the Virgins, it’s important for us to do a good race tomorrow for the home crowd. There’s always a great atmosphere in Spain but it’s even more motivating when you’re driving for a Spanish team, you can feel the support and want to give something back to the fans by doing well. Hopefully we can get a good start tomorrow and have no issues with pit stops. It will be a difficult race as we’ve suffered a bit with the new Pirelli compounds”.

credit : Hispania Racing Team

HRT – Finally an update for F111

      HRT F111 nose box-front wing part failed to pass FIA crash test and thus the team reverted back to the F110 thinner nose box and front wing version for the first 2011 race in Melbourne . In Sepang finally the new parts managed to make it to the track and HRT successfully qualified within the 107 % rule and got the green light to race for the first time this season. The new nose is much wider and more boxy and has the “hammerhead” style camera winglets like Williams and Red Bull do . The new wing is totally new, speaking for the flaps and mini winglets, but the endplates resemble a lot to the old version instead .

       HRT during 2010 season showed very poor development failing to update its front wing not even once , racing the launch version from start to finish even at ultra low downforce track of Monza, something that HRT wants to change in 2011 .

HRT – “The race was not as we expected. In Barcelona we expect to have a better weekend”

“The race was not as we expected. In Barcelona we expect to have a better weekend”

Istanbul, 8th May, 2011
Istanbul Park

Weather: Cloudy – air 17°C, track 35°C
Race: 58 laps
Length of the track: 5.338 km

Narain Karthikeyan   F111-03 #22  21º
Vitantonio Liuzzi        F111-02 #23  22º

Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “The race was not as we expected because we faced some unpredicted problems with the tyres during the pit stop. The wheel gun seems to have not worked properly on Liuzzi’s car resulting in the loss of a wheel nut.We had to do more stops also to make sure that it was safe to continue running.”

“All in all without these problems we could have achieved a better result. Narain’s lap times were a good sign, showing that our performance has improved. We will have a major update for Barcelona which should put us closer to our competitors. It is our home race and if all the upgrades bring the improvement in lap times that we expect then we will have a better weekend”.

Narain Karthikeyan, Driver #22: “I think we should be happy with the fact that today we got another finish under the belt. I got more time in the car which is important, I’ve now finished my second race out of three, so I need to get more comfortable in the car and that will happen with every lap that I do. I couldn’t keep the two Virgin cars behind and we will have to analyze why we were slower. But, all in all, I’m reasonably happy, now we must work on the updates for Barcelona and keep on working to improve”.

Vitantonio Liuzzi, Driver #23: “Overall this has been a positive weekend up until qualifying. We’ve shown an improvement in our performance and had good pace on Friday and Saturday proving that the gap has closed with Virgin. In the race we need to try and understand what we did wrong, we had a problem with both front tyres and need to work on this to make sure it doesn’t happen again in the next race. Our expectations are much higher for Barcelona, we’re pushing for some new upgrades there as it will be important to show our home crowd what we’re capable of, I’m sure we will be much more competitive there”.

credit : Hispania Racing Team

HRT – Colin Kolles: “We know we can fight for a good position”

Colin Kolles: “We know we can fight for a good position”

Istanbul, 7th May, 2011
Istanbul Park

11.00-12.30 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 3
Narain Karthikeyan  F111-03  #22  24th     (15 laps)  1:32.009
Vitantonio Liuzzi   F111-02  #23  23rd     (19 laps)  1:31.375
Maximum temperature:  Air 16ºC, Track 32ºC –  Sunny

14.00-15.00 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING SESSION
Narain Karthikeyan  F111-03  #22  23rd     (8 laps)  1:31.564
Vitantonio Liuzzi   F111-02  #23  21st     (7 laps)  1:30.692
Maximum temperature: Air 18ºC,  Track 37°C-  Sunny

Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “Qualifying was not bad today, as predicted yesterday we made a step forward. We were ahead of one Virgin car and very close to the other one, it would’ve been possible for Tonio to be ahead but nevertheless we’re very happy to be close to our main competitors and also to the top, being 3.6 seconds off the quickest time in Q1 is very positive. Tomorrow we’re hoping for a nice race in which we can fight with others to finish in a good position”.

Narain Karthikeyan, Driver #22: “I should’ve done better today considering that my team mate did quite a good lap. My first set of tyres was alright but with the second set I couldn’t feel any grip, the car was sliding all over the place so we must try and find out what went wrong. It’s my third race back in Formula 1 and Turkey is not an easy track, there are a lot of bumps and it’s quite technical. So the longer I spend in the car the more comfortable I will get. The car is improving a lot, reliability is good so once again my aim for tomorrow is to try and finish the race”.

Vitantonio Liuzzi, Driver #23: “We were motivated coming into this weekend with the upgrades and we’re pushing for more in the future. We’re all pushing every race and every hour back in the factory so this result is important as it is a reward for that work and confirms that the gap is closing with the rest. We’re nearly ahead of both Virgins which is our aim, they’re pushing as well so it won’t be easy. But we’re closing the gap with the leaders, which is very important for us.”

“I struggled a bit at the beginning with the first set of tyres but the second set had a really good performance, the car reacted very well. We had a few problems in the morning, we were a bit worried we didn’t have the right balance for qualifying but in the end it all went well. 21st position is a great result for tomorrow where we will try to finish ahead of both Virgins which is our target. It is important to keep in this line”.

credit: Hispania Racing Team

HRT – Turkish Grand Prix Preview

Press Release
Turkish Grand Prix Preview
6th-8th May Istanbul Park, 58 laps, 5.338km The fourth race on the 2011 FIA Formula 1 World Championship calendar takes the teams to Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul Park is one of the few tracks to have an anti-clockwise layout and offers a number of dramatic gradient changes. The circuit is made up of a mixture of slow and fast corners which means that there are plenty of opportunities to overtake. Especially demanding is turn 8 which is a fast, multi-apex corner regarded as one of the toughest on the calendar. Istanbul Park is especially tough on the tyres, meaning that getting your race strategy right could be a decisive factor in the race. Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “I believe that the Turkish Grand Prix should see Hispania Racing take the next step. Istanbul Park is a track that, due to its nature, should be favourable for us, add to that the fact that we have aerodynamic and mechanical updates for this race and I think that, if the data is confirmed on track, we should be able to beat our closest rivals.” “Our aim for the weekend is to close the gap with respect to our closest competitors in qualifying and fight for positions in the race, hopefully getting both cars over the finish line. Hispania Racing has made significant progress since the start of the season, we are working very hard to improve and definitely will improve”. “I think that, due to the tyre situation, we should see a very close race, anything is possible. In terms of speed, Red Bull is ahead but you never know what will happen.” “Istanbul is one of the most interesting cities in the world and the track itself has some of the best facilities on the calendar”. Narain Karthikeyan, Driver #22: “I don’t have great memories of this circuit as my only previous visit in 2005 with Jordan GP was marred by mechanical problems but my memories of Turkey itself are great, the people are so nice and the food is fantastic.” “Istanbul Park is a medium to high downforce track so, hopefully with the new aerodynamic upgrades on the car, we’ll be able to find a good balance on the car. The circuit has a great variation of corners and stringing together a perfect lap will be a real challenge. The stand out corner is obviously turn 8, which requires a great amount of precision from both car and driver in order to get it right.” “I hope to continue from where I left off in Shanghai by finishing the race, gathering valuable data and getting closer to optimising the potential of the F111, which I know has a lot more to give. We are moving in a good direction ever since our first race in Malaysia, so I’m sure that with the upgrades due on the car for Turkey, we will take another step forward towards challenging the teams who are just in front of us”. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Driver #23: “Istanbul Park is a very technical circuit where I enjoy racing. I remember back in 2006 when I went from 16th to 6th after a great start but, unfortunately, wasn’t able to finish the race because of a differential problem.” “I expect a vibrant race with a lot of overtaking. The unique thing about this track is curve 8 which is a turn like no other, it’s a very tough curve especially when you’re in a car that doesn’t have a great amount of downforce, it’s very easy to lose your rear and snap out of the racing line.” “I think we should be in much better shape due to the updates arriving here in Turkey and after the time out on the track in the last few races. Every minute on the track is important for us”. “Our target for Turkey is to verify that our updates are working as per plan, closing the gap on the leader and obviously finishing the race ahead of our direct competitors. If everything goes to plan, I think Hispania Racing can surprise a lot of people by closing the gap considerably with respect to other teams thereby showing how serious our intentions of growing are”.

credit : Hispania Racing Team

Hispania Racing: goal achieved in Shanghai

Press Release
Hispania Racing: goal achieved in Shanghai
Shanghai, 17th of April 2011 Shanghai International Circuit Weather: Sunny – air temperature 23°C, track 32°C Race: 56 laps Track distance: 5.451km Narain Karthikeyan F111-03 #22 23rd Vitantonio Liuzzi F111-02 #23 22nd Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “We reached our target, which was to finish the race. We planned a one stop strategy for today. Narain went for this strategy but Tonio had a drive-through penalty for a jump start and lost some positions so we switched to a two stop strategy with him. Tonio’s times were impressive at the end, he was doing similar times to the middle of the field which is positive”. “All in all, we had a normal weekend where we did a lot of miles and the improvement of the car is visible. We had no technical issues and both drivers did a good race so we’re happy with the weekend. The aerodynamic and mechanical upgrades for Turkey will put us closer to the field.” Narain Karthikeyan, Driver #22: “We met our main objective today which was none other than to finish the race. I don’t think the Virgin’s are that far ahead of us which is good for future races. After having completed our target today we now have to improve the car and try and attack from Turkey onwards. With the new updates and parts we will be a lot more competitive for the next race. Nothing is easy in Formula 1 but we can definitely compete with our closest rivals soon.” Vitantonio Liuzzi, Driver #23: “We have performed a lot better than in Malaysia and have closed the gap on Virgin, our closest rival. Unfortunately I had a drive-through penalty because of a problem at the start where I dropped the clutch too early and moved before the green light. But overall I’m happy because we achieved our target which was to reach the checkered flag. Now we have to look forward to Turkey because our race pace has improved from Malaysia and will be even better in Turkey with the updates.” “Our strategy was to do a single stop but it turned out to be too difficult on the tyres so I asked to come in. The second stop helped us to achieve better lap times. We still need to improve. But still we were only 17 seconds off Virgin and without the drive-through penalty it could’ve been a close race.”

credit : Hispania Racing Team

Tonio and Narain ready for their second race with Hispania

Press Release
Tonio and Narain ready for their second race with Hispania
Shanghai, 16th of April 2011 Shanghai International Circuit 11.00-12.00 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 3 Narain Karthikeyan F111-03 #22 24th (18 laps) 1:40.881 Vitantonio Liuzzi F111-02 #23 23rd (17 laps) 1:40.593 14.00-15.00 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING SESSION Narain Karthikeyan F111-03 #22 24th (9 laps) 1:40.445 Vitantonio Liuzzi F111-02 #23 23rd (9 laps) 1:40.212 Both Hispania Racing cars accomplished their targets for the day and will be on the starting grid again tomorrow at the Shanghai International Circuit. The two drivers were able to qualify comfortably inside the 107% time, a rule which doesn’t look like bothering the team anymore as it progresses with every race. Today weather conditions were much different to Friday with a maximum track temperature of 24ºC. Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “All in all today was a positive day. We did a lot of miles in the morning and in qualifying we could have done better but we weren’t able to put our fastest sectors together which would have meant that Tonio would have been three tenths quicker putting him in the 39’s, closer to the likes of Virgin and Lotus”. “We had no technical issues, so today we have taken another step forward. Tomorrow we will follow the normal plan, the updates will be ready for Turkey where we hope to be ahead of our closest rivals”. Narain Karthikeyan, driver #22: “The day started off well with the third practice session where the car went really well. I think that I could have gone quicker and done a better time. We have a better package and qualifying shouldn’t be an issue anymore, our target is now to get closer to Virgin. I definitely need to get some laps under my belt, my aim is to finish the race”. Vitantonio Liuzzi, driver #23: “Today was alright, we could’ve achieved more from the second set of tyres but we got a strange reaction from them with a bit of under steer. We closed the gap with Virgin which is the aim, considering that we didn’t use all the new development it was a positive qualifying session. Now we have to push hard for Turkey. I’m sure we can give Virgin a better race than in Malaysia”. “We have shown that in both soft tyre and hard tyre conditions we are competitive so the 107% rule should no longer be an issue. We have to now focus on developing the car and try to finish ahead of our main rivals”.

credit : Hispania Racing Team

Chinese GP – “Promising times” on Hispania Racing’s first day

Press Release
“Promising times” on Hispania Racing’s first day
Shanghai, 15th of April 2011 Shanghai International Circuit 10.00-11.30 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 1 Narain Karthikeyan F111-03 #22 24th (23 laps) 1:45.019 Vitantonio Liuzzi F111-02 #23 21st (18 laps) 1:44.359 14.00-15.30 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 2 Narain Karthikeyan F111-03 #22 20th (25 laps) 1:42.902 Vitantonio Liuzzi F111-02 #23 21st (3 laps) 1:43.850 Hispania Racing went out onto the track at 9:00 am sharp this morning with the aim of achieving more mileage. Under the grey skies of Shanghai, both drivers were able to complete a solid morning session. Liuzzi ran a total of 18 laps posting a best time of 1:44.359, whereas Karthikeyan completed 23 laps with a best time of 1:45.019. In the afternoon, Narain did 25 laps and set a best time of 1:42.902. Tonio’s session was altered by hydraulic problems and was only able to complete 3 laps clocking a fastest time of 1:43.850. Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “Today was not a bad day, unfortunately we had some issues and couldn’t run as we wanted but the times look promising. I think we made another step forward in terms of performance so I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s qualifying.” “Tonio had a hydraulic leak which had to be fixed so we had to take off the gearbox, the clutch and other things which took up some time, this was the main reason for the delay. Taking in mind that he was only able to complete one timed lap in the second session, he did a fantastic time.” “Narain did a really good job today, he had no issues with his car so was able to the run the programme according to plan and post a good time. I think performance-wise there is still room for improvement so that is promising.” “We are confident ahead of tomorrow’s qualifying where hopefully we can achieve our target of getting closer to our rivals.” Narain Karthikeyan, driver #22: “Today we tried different set-ups and got in a reasonable amount of running. We tested out our race set-up as well so, overall, it was quite a productive day. We will try and take another step forward tomorrow and see where we can get. I’m happy with the amount of laps we got under our belts today, apart from my quick spin towards the end, it was a very good day. Now we must look to qualify in a good position and aim to finish the race on Sunday.” Vitantonio Liuzzi, driver #23: “We had a productive morning of testing in which we did quite a few laps and everything went according to plan. The car was running fine, we brought some updates which we will be able to use in Turkey so it was a good morning. Unfortunately we had to stop on the last lap because of a hydraulic problem which dragged on into the afternoon where I was only able to do one lap.” “It’s a shame we weren’t able to run more in the afternoon. By doing more laps we would have got to understand the car a little bit more and would be better prepared for tomorrow. The time was not bad at all so we have to be positive coming into tomorrow’s qualifying.”

credit : Hispania Racing Team

HRT – A positive weekend in Malaysia

Press Release
A positive weekend in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, 10th of April 2011 Sepang International Circuit Weather: Cloudy with a dry track. 28ºC air, 31ºC track Race: 56 laps Track distance: 5.543km Narain Karthikeyan F111-03 #22 lap 14 DNF Vitantonio Liuzzi F111-02 #23 lap 46 DNF Hispania Racing comes away from the Malaysian Grand Prix with a positive attitude after having completed 82% of the race with one of its cars. The race took part in extremely hot conditions, with an average track temperature of 31ºC and 80% humidity. Narain Karthikeyan was able to complete 14 laps but was forced to abandon to prevent damageto the motor. Vitantonio Liuzzi drove a consistent race and was very close to reaching thecheckered flag but a a damage on the wing meant the Italian had to retire with 10 laps togo to the finish. Now the team must evaluate the data received from this race and put itinto use for the Chinese Grand Prix next week in Shanghai. A race that Hispania Racingtakes on full of motivation after having got both cars out on the track in Malaysia. Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “We stopped both cars just to be safe. Narain’s car had very high water temperatures so we advised him to stop. Tonio was close to the finish the race and felt an unstable rear. We pitted the car twice to check the problem and found out that there was a damage on the rear wing so we decided to stop just for safety reasons. Overall it wasn’t a bad day considering this was our first proper race and our first chance to test the car in a race situation. There were no major issues so we need to try and improve for the next race in China where we hope to finish. Our lap times were not bad compared to the front runners, this shows there is some light at the end of the tunnel.” Narain Karthikeyan, Driver #22: “I would have definitely liked to have finished the race and done more miles but this was not the case. There were some problems with the water temperatures so we had to abandon in order to not damage the engine. The car balance was not the best but we have some information from Tonio because he almost completed the race. It’s a shame because I was just settling in when I was forced to abandon but anyways, now I’m focused on China where I will be looking to finish the race.” Vitantonio Liuzzi, Driver #23: “It’s a shame we didn’t finish by 8 laps because our target was to reach the checkered flag. We had a small issue with the rear wing and were forced to stop. It’s a shame because we had a really good start where I was able to pass a few cars. It was an interesting first lap but then our pace wasn’t too competitive and those cars were able to overtake me. After that, it was a really complicated race because the car was struggling with the rear end, it was drifting a lot during the three stints we did. We have to work a lot on the balance and the set up for the future. We knew we weren’t exactly where we wanted to be but today it was important to achieve mileage and get some information on the car. So now we have some data to work with for the future.”

credit : Hispania Racing Team