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 – “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

Hispania will be on the starting grid

Press Release
Mission accomplished: Hispania will be on the starting grid
Kuala Lumpur, 9th of April 2011 Sepang International Circuit 13.00-14.00 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 3 Narain Karthikeyan F111-03 #22 24th (11 laps) 1:43.383 Vitantonio Liuzzi F111-02 #23 23rd (6 laps) 1:43.147 16.00-17.00 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING SESSION Narain Karthikeyan F111-03 #22 24th (7 laps) 1:42.574 Vitantonio Liuzzi F111-02 #23 23rd (7 laps) 1:41.549 Both Hispania Racing cars will be on the starting grid tomorrow in Sepang for the Malaysian Grand Prix. On a dry and hot track (track temperature surpassed 40ºC), Narain Karthikeyan and Vitantonio Liuzzi did a superb job. The pair overcame a few mechanical problems in the morning’s practice session in order to qualify for tomorrow’s race. Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “We made the next step by qualifying into the race. This was our target: to qualify and to be able to do more laps. By doing more miles we are understanding the F111 better and our drivers are getting more and more out of it. Both drivers did a good job out there today, Tonio set a very good baseline. Now we have set a base from which to work from in the future.” “Once more, I would like to thank the whole team for their massive effort. Now we have our next target in mind which is to keep doing laps and finish tomorrow’s race with both cars.” Narain Karthikeyan, driver #22: “We made it through qualifying which was our aim for today. The car is virtually brand new so it’s good to get some more mileage done, the more time we can get out on the track the better. I flat spotted my second set of tyres on turn one so it was hard to set a good time with them after that but everybody worked extremely hard and we’re delighted to be in the race”. “We marked Sepang on the calendar beforehand as one of the toughest circuits to get under the 107% time so it’s a great satisfaction to have done it. Now I hope to finish tomorrow’s race and get a lot more laps under my belt with the new car. They’re forecasting rain for tomorrow so you never know what will happen out there.” Vitantonio Liuzzi, driver #23: “It’s great for everyone that we were well under 107%. We proved that in Australia the problem wasn’t a matter of pace but a matter of time out on the track, we had half a day of testing compared to the three months other teams did. You can’t just gain mileage out of nothing. Now we have to work hard in the following months, in the next races to try and close the gap”. “This is just the first step for Hispania Racing, we’ve done a great job and we’ve improved the car a lot from Australia to now. I’m proud of the work done by everybody, starting with when they got the car on the ground in Australia and now having got it in good condition here in Sepang. We had a few minor issues both yesterday and today but that is normal when you’re working with such little time. I think we can still improve, I did a good lap and this is the result: we will be on the grid tomorrow”.
credit : Hispania Racing Team

The F111 racks up some miles in Sepang

Press Release
The F111 racks up some miles in Sepang
Kuala Lumpur, 8th of April 2011 Sepang International Circuit 10.00-11.30 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 1 Narain Karthikeyan   F111-03 #22  23rd     (10 laps) 1:46.267 Vitantonio Liuzzi        F111-02 #23  22nd    (20 laps) 1:45.228 14.00-15.30 FORMULA 1 PRACTICE SESSION 2 Narain Karthikeyan   F111-03 #22  21st     (15 laps) 1:43.197 Vitantonio Liuzzi        F111-02 #23  22nd    (14 laps) 1:43.991 The F111 has hit the track here in Sepang. Both Hispania Racing cars finished both practice sessions without any major problems. Both Narain and Tonio encountered minor issues regarding oil levels in the motor and electrical problems respectively but were able to get back out on to the track. Vitantonio Liuzzi completed a total of 20 laps in the first session setting a best time of 1:45.228 and Narain Karthikeyan racked up 10 laps clocking a best time of 1:46.267. The afternoon session was also affected by the extreme heat and high track temperature. Both cars got through their sessions, which is good news for the team as the F111 keeps getting more miles under its belt and the team can work with more information in order to better understand the car. In the afternoon session, Narain completed 15 laps with a best time of 1:43.197 and Tonio did 14 laps setting a best time of 1:43.991 Colin Kolles, Hispania Racing Team Principal: “Although Narain and Tonio were forced to stop today, they were minor issues as proven by the fact that they were able to get back out on the track again. All in all we could say today was a good day, I believe we made some progress and will make some more tomorrow as this is our first real test of the new car. It’s good news that Narain was under the 107%. We didn’t run a qualifying set-up today and the car didn’t look too bad, we didn’t have any reliability issues just a small problem with a switch which we will have to sort out for tomorrow. Our target is to improve as quickly as possible, the only way to do this is by working consistently and pushing, you can’t get anywhere by complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. We have new updates which will hopefully be completed for Turkey, we have a wind tunnel programme in place, everything is falling into place, now we have to work on it in order to take another step forward.” Narain Karthikeyan, Hispania Racing driver: “In the morning we didn’t have the best of starts, I lost a lot of time because there were some issues with the oil level in the car. The balance is alright, now we are just exploring what the car is doing. There are a lot of things to work on. The second session was good, we only did 15 laps because there was an issue with the car that lost me half an hour again. We’ve done 25 timed laps so we still have a lot of catching up to do and that’s what we’re doing. The point is not to complain with what you have but try and get the best out of it.” Vitantonio Liuzzi Hispania Racing driver: “The morning session went alright, we started with hard tyres and couldn’t do many laps because we spent most of the time doing aero-setting in order to understand the balance of the car. But we did some laps and the car didn’t look too bad. We had some issues with the balance, a few traction problems also. Therefore we made some changes for the afternoon. The afternoon session wasn’t easy because we had an issue similar to Australia with a switch. Basically after riding over a bump, the ignition switch turned off and the car stopped. So I had to stop when we were starting our new tyre runs which was a great shame because we didn’t get to test as much as we wanted. When we got out to d o our last lap there was a lot of traffic so we weren’t able to test and evaluate the tyres.”

credit : Hispania Racing Team

HRT – Malaysian Grand Prix Preview

Press Release
Malaysian Grand Prix Preview
8th-10th April Sepang International Circuit, 56 laps, 5.543km The 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship moves to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the second race of the season. Sepang will provide the setting for the second grand prix on the calendar. This track, designed by Hermann Tilke, is one of the most technical circuits in F1, combining long high speed straights with tight twisting complexes. The characteristics of the track and the high temperatures take their toll on the tyres. There is also a high probability of rain in Malaysia meaning the race is one of the toughest on the calendar. Colin Kolles, Team Principal:”The expectations for Malaysia are to get back to normality. We know that the car has potential and we hope that we will be able to get all updates on the cars. The 107% should not be an issue under normal circumstances. The target is to do as many laps as possible in free practice in order to prepare for the qualifying session and for the race.” Narain Karthikeyan: “The last time I raced in Malaysia, back in 2005, I had huge support from the local fans. A lot of Indians also made the trip to come and watch the race, so my memories of this Grand Prix are fantastic. I also love local food as it is nice and spicy just like back home.” “Despite driving the car for very few laps in Australia, I could sense that the F111 has the potential to be an improvement over last years’ machine. Sepang is a very demanding track technically, both for the driver and the car. It will be a good proving ground for the F111. Our primary goal for the weekend is to get as many miles under our belt as possible. It is only with more and more miles of running that we will be able to begin to understand the F111 and to start extracting its potential. Qualifying for the race and finishing it will be our primary goals for Malaysia.” “I have been working very hard on my outdoor training back home in India ever since I announced my comeback into F1. The weather back home is quite close to what we will experience over the race weekend here so I’m confident that fitness-wise, I will be ready for Sepang.” Vitantonio Liuzzi: “The Malaysian Grand Prix has the added factor of extreme weather conditions. I remember last year’s qualifying session which was affected by the rain as a really challenging session.” “I think Sepang will be a really good track for the F111 because it’s a very technical and demanding track. It’s a challenging venue for our first proper race but a place where we will get a lot of information on the car. Our expectations for the weekend are to do well in qualifying and finish the race, confirming the performance and reliability of the car.” “I am really confident and motivated for this race. I’m sure things will be a lot different from Australia because we are better prepared and conscious of what we need to do.”

Hispania Racing Team – Australian Grand Prix Preview

Australian Grand Prix Preview
25th-27th March
Albert Park, 58 laps, 5.303km

After a long off season, the 2011 FIA Formula 1 World Championship is just over a week away from getting underway in Melbourne, Australia. Albert Park will be the host for the inaugural race of the season where the new regulations and new tyres will offer more overtaking and excitement. Due to the nature of the track, which includes consistent corners and short straights, drivers find it relatively fast and easy to drive. Albert Park will therefore provide the perfect setting for the start of the World Championship. Hispania Racing arrives in Australia eager to see the performance of the new F111 after it was unable to test in Barcelona due to external difficulties. Narain and Tonio step into the car hoping to keep progressing.

However, the joy and excitement of this new World Championship is overshadowed by the tragic events in Japan. Hispania Racing would like to express its condolences and share their support for Japan by sporting a Japanese flag on the car for the whole weekend.

 

Colin Kolles: “Albert Park is one of my favourite venues on the calendar. We will run our new car for the first time on Friday and hopefully there won’t be too many surprises. We are confident that our package is better, quicker and more reliable than last year’s. We have definitely taken a step forward.”
“What has happened in Japan is terrible. I would like to express that I was very shocked with what occurred. Japan is one of my favourite countries and I have a huge amount of respect for Japanese people and their culture. I am sure they will overcome this terrible situation.”

 

Narain Karthikeyan: “My first ever race in Formula 1 was here in Melbourne back in 2005 so it’s always a great feeling to be back. Even though it was disappointing to not be able to drive the new car in Barcelona, I’m sure the car is a significant step forward from last year’s. It certainly looks the business, we just have to wait until Friday morning in Melbourne to put it all into practice. I think Albert Park will be a great place to start off with the new F111 since it’s not a very demanding track. For a new and unproven car such as ours, I think that reliability is something we need to work on before we can start to extract the maximum performance, so I believe that if both cars finish the race, we will have had a satisfying weekend. Once Tonio and I have driven the car in Melbourne, we will both have a better understanding of what to expect for the rest of 2011.”

“I have been very upset and disturbed by the news reports coming out of Japan over the past week. I raced in Formula Nippon in Japan in 2002 and made many friends there. I have spoken to some of them, and fortunately they are ok. My heartfelt sympathies go out to all the families affected by this tragedy. They are all in our hearts and minds.”

Vitantonio Liuzzi: “I’m feeling quite positive coming into the Australian Grand Prix. It’s a special grand prix where the Aussie fans always prove their love for motorsport and Formula 1 in particular, it would be a real shame if Melbourne decides to quit F1. Albert Park is a track I like, specially the first three corners where it is difficult to overtake but not impossible, you have to be impeccable in that section in order to do a good lap. It’s difficult to predict how the car will respond here since we didn’t get to test it in Barcelona, but I’m sure the areas we concentrated on developing will prove to be a significant improvement from last year’s car. The aim for the weekend is to come away with a clear picture of the car, making sure that all the new regulation items work well. If both cars make it to the checkered flag at the end with good pace and reliability then the weekend will have been a great success. Hopefully in this 2011 season we will take a giant leap forward and set some solid bases for the future.”
“This is a terrible thing for the Japanese population. I am shocked. I cannot watch TV anymore. I feel so sorry for all my friends there, but I am sure that they will come out of this situation stronger than ever. Hopefully they will be able to recover and limit the damage. They are a strong population and I am sure they will react soon because they have incomparable dignity and hopefully all the other nations will help in every way possible because this kind of event should make the world unite.”

 

credit : Hispania Racing Team

HRT – Karthikeyan and Mondini drive on Barcelona Day 3

Press Release

Karthikeyan and Mondini drive on Day 3
BARCELONA TEST – D3 09.00-13.00 Morning Session Narain Karthikeyan  #22  14th  (32 laps, 148.8 km)  1:30.722 14.00-17.00 Evening Session Giorgio Mondini  #41  12th  (39 laps,181.35 km)  1:28.178 Montmeló, Barcelona, 20th February 2011 Narain Karthikeyan and Giorgio Mondini were both in action for Hispania Racing today. In the morning, Narain was back on track for the second time this weekend. Despite the track condition, damp from yesterday and today’s rain, and a few problems with the gearbox, the Indian driver was able to set a time of 1:30.722, leaving him in 7th place for the morning session and 14th overall. In the afternoon, it was Mondini’s turn. The Italian drove on a dry track with intermediate, soft and supersoft tyres and clocked a time of 1:28.178 in 39 laps. Colin Kolles, Team Principal: “Today was an interesting test day for us. The rain enabled us to test in very tricky conditions, therefore I am very happy with Narain’s performance in the morning. In the afternoon, I was very pleased to see Giorgio driving. His last time in an F1 car was in 2006 and it was nice to give him the opportunity to drive at this level again. I’m pleased to see he was setting a good pace”. Narain Karthikeyan, Hispania Racing driver: “The weather was unfortunate today, the track was pretty damp in the morning. We also had some trouble with our gearbox so we lost a bit of time before getting out. Towards the end of the morning, the track was pretty greasy so there wasn’t much grip. But the car has improved a lot, there is much more front grip. Tonio’s feedback has definitely helped the front end of the car and we were able to clock a pretty decent time in the end”. Giorgio Mondini: “I’m very happy to have driven today. It was a test to see if I was still able to drive at this level. It’s been two years since I raced competitively and physically I could really feel it. Now we must work on this”.
credit : Hispania Racing Team

Liuzzi makes his debut with Hispania Racing in Montmeló

09.00-17.00   BARCELONA TEST – D2 Vitantonio Liuzzi  #23  12th  (70 laps  325.5 km)  1:27.044 Montmeló, Barcelona, 19th February 2011   Today Vitantonio Liuzzi had his first experience in the Hispania Racing car. During the test the Italian driver got used to the team and the car. The aim of the day was to achieve a lot of mileage and make small improvements to adapt the car balance to Tonio´s driving style. It was also a good chance for Liuzzi to test the last spec of Pirelli tyres, alternating between medium, soft and supersoft compounds. At the end of the two sessions, Vitantonio was satisfied with the work done and the progress made. Liuzzi ran a total of 70 laps clocking his best time at 1:27.044 Colin Kolles, Team Principal: “It was nice to see Tonio driving for us today, our aim was none other than to have him get used to the car. We tested different settings on the car balance during both sessions and, looking at the times, we clearly improved as the day went on. We are very happy with Tonio’s work today”. Vitantonio Liuzzi, driver: “Today was a positive day. We made a lot of changes on the car, focusing particularly on the set-up and the tyres. It was a chance for me to get to know the new tyres and the team as it was my first day with Hispania Racing. We couldn’t do a lot of laps since we had a problem with the gearbox in the afternoon, but we were able to clock a good time given the circumstances. We did long runs and short runs to test the performance of the car. Overall, I believe we’ve taken a step forwards with the balance of the car”.

 

credit : Hispania Racing Team

Karthikeyan works hard on Barcelona Day 1

Press Release

09.00-17.00   BARCELONA TEST – D1 Narain Karthikeyan  #22  9th  (116 vueltas, 539.4 km)  1:28.393 Montmeló, Barcelona, 18th February 2011 Hispania Racing returned to the tracks this morning at the Montmeló circuit for the first day of testing prior to the start of the World Championship next March. With the sun shining, the fans flocked in to catch a glimpse of their favourite drivers and were not left disappointed. Narain Karthikeyan is back in Spain and very satisfied with the progress made in Valencia earlier this month. The Indian driver is determined to take in as much information as possible in order to put it into action over the next few days of practice. The heavy rainfall on Thursday left a damp track this morning which Hispania Racing took advantage of by trying out their intermediate tyres. As the day wore on, the track dried out leaving more grip. Karthikeyan was then able to try out medium, soft and supersoft tyres. The Indian driver finished the day with a best time of 1:28.393, having completed 116 laps. Colin Kolles, Team Principal:  “We did a lot of laps today, 116 in total, more than any other team. The good news is that the car got through the sessions without any problems. Today was a great opportunity for Narain to get to learn more about the new Pirelli tyres. I’m delighted to see that Narain is growing accustomed to the car, the progress is clear for everyone to see with his improving lap times”. Narain Karthikeyan, Hispania Racing driver: “Today was a very productive day for me because I got a lot of laps in. I was able to use various types of Pirelli tyres; the morning was damp so we started with intermediates and as it dried up we moved on to medium, soft and supersoft tyres. The most important thing was to get the mileage done, a few more days like this and we will be ready for the start of the championship”.

credit : Hispania Racing Team

Liuzzi tests the Hispania Racing car tomorrow in Montmeló

Barcelona, Friday 18 February 2011
credit : Hispania Racing Team

Hispania Racing is pleased to announce that Vitantonio Liuzzi has joined the Spanish team for tomorrow’s Saturday session test in Barcelona. The Italian driver will be behind the wheel of the Spanish outfit for the whole day. Colin Kolles, Team Principal: “As I always said our target is to get the best possible package. Tonio is a strong contender for the second seat given that he has a lot of experience in Formula One. We hope his comments and feedback will help the team to progress in the right direction”. Vitantonio Liuzzi: “I am happy to be back in a car again here in Barcelona for the upcoming test. Hispania Racing is a team with potential that can grow in the future and could have a good package for the season with the new car. There is still a lot to do because we are starting tomorrow with the first test, but there will be a lot to come. I am sure it will be a good day and I am looking forward to the next step”. Vitantonio Liuzzi will attend all media in a press conference tonight at 19.30 at the Hispania Racing Hospitality. Tomorrow he will be available from 18.30 to 19.00 after the evening tests. One to one interviews will be upon request.
José Ramón Carabante . Vitantonio Liuzzi