Hispania Racing News

[Anna]

Team Info

Base: Murcia, Spain
Team Principle: Colin Kolles
Chassis: Hispania F111
Engine: Cosworth
1st Driver: #22 Daniel Ricciardo
2nd Driver: #23 Vitantonio Liuzzi
3rd Driver: Narain Karthikeyan
Website: www.hispaniaracing.com/
Twitter: n/a
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HRT_F1

Statistics

Year Entered: 2010
1st Grand Prix: 2010 Bahrain GP
Races: 33
Wins: 0
Best Race Pos: 13th (2011 Canadian GP)
Pole Position: 0
Best Grid Pos: 20th (2010 Belgian GP)
Fastest Laps: 0
Points: 0
Drivers Championships: 0
Constructors Championships: 0
Highest Championship Pos: 11th (2010)
Current Championship Pos: 11th (0 Points)

Recent Championship Positions

2010: 11th (0 Points, 0 Wins)

Driver History

Karun Chandhok (2010)
Bruno Senna (2010)
Sakon Yamamoto (2010)
Christian Klien (2010)
Narain Karthikeyan (2011-Present)
Vitantonio Liuzzi (2011-Present)
Daniel Ricciardo (2011-Present)

Engine History

Cosworth (2010-Present)

Notable Achievements

[Anna]

Italy 2011 - GP Preview - HRT F1 Cosworth


Team quotes

Friday 2 September 2011 - 13h47, by Olivier Ferret
HRT F1 Team is preparing for the 82nd Italian Grand Prix and the 61st World Championship race since 1980 at the 5.793 km Autodromo di Monza in Italy. It is the final European leg of the 2011 Formula 1 Championship, before the remaining Asian and South American events of the season. Monza is the fastest circuit on the calendar and top speed is the order of the day for the legendary Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, so the two HRT F1 cars have to have a very low downforce setting to be able to maximize their top speeds. The brakes are in high demand and it is important to look after them.

Vitantonio Liuzzi: “To race at the home Grand Prix for a driver always gives mixed emotions. I will take the wheel of an F1 car in Monza for the fifth time in my career and I really want to perform well. I am always looking forward to racing here because it’s my home crowd and I want to do well and I want to pull it all together. And if it’s at Monza, it’s true that it will be even more satisfying. I want this Grand Prix to become a special event for my fans and I have prepared a special surprise for them.

In terms of racing, Monza could be a tricky weekend as one of the key factors is having good mechanical grip for braking stability into the chicanes, and good traction on the exit. Drivers have to be careful at the first chicane after the start finish line, as it can lead to contact with a competitor or a trip over the kerbs. At the same time we need to achieve the highest speed possible at the exit of the corners to make up positions”.

Daniel Ricciardo: “It won’t be the first time in my career racing at Monza, but as a rookie in Formula 1, I will be at the wheel of a completely different car than any I have previously experienced. I am counting on my Italian roots to push me to a good performance in Italy. Monza is a special track that will require a very different approach to the other tracks that I have driven. It is a low downforce, high speed track with heavy braking required into the chicanes, so it’s going to be another experience to put in the book. I want to put behind my first F1 non-finish at the last race in Spa. The word of the weekend is speed and it will be possible with team-work”.

Colin Kolles, Team Principal: “The Autodromo di Monza is a power circuit and we must find the speed that we lacked at the Belgian Grand Prix. We have to find a very low downforce set-up for the car to achieve the maximum speed potential. The cars are difficult to control and the drivers have to be attentive and concentrated. We want to show a good level of performance and be able to finish the last race of the European 2011 season with both cars for the eighth time this season”

[Anna]

HRT F1 Cosworth


Daniel Ricciardo and Vitantonio Liuzzi finished in 21st and 22nd place respectively after today’s first free practice sessions for the 2011 Italian Grand Prix held in Monza. In the second session, Liuzzi drove 34 laps and managed a best lap time of 1’29.162 to rank 21st while team-mate Daniel Ricciardo only managed 7 laps and finished 24th. The Australian driver endured a tough afternoon session after being stranded in the garage for some time with an alternator change.

Vitantonio Liuzzi: "It was a pretty good first day in Monza, just how I wanted to get my home grand prix underway. This track suits our car better than others because there aren’t any high speed corners where a lack of downforce tends to cost us. So we’ve closed the gap quite a bit with our main rivals".

"We did some set-up work in the morning and worked on understanding the soft tyres in the afternoon so, overall, we got some valid information. I think we have a good balance on lung runs but need to work on our single lap pace tomorrow morning. Everybody did a good job today and I think we can have a good weekend but we must keep on working hard".

Daniel Ricciardo: "The morning session went as planned and we got through the established programme. I understand the car better and how it behaves on track with every day that goes by. On the first lap in the afternoon session we had an electrical issue and had to spend around an hour in the garage to solve it. The mechanics did a good job under pressure in a short amount of time which allowed me to get back on track at the end of the session to do a few laps. Obviously, I would have preferred to have done 20 or 30 laps but at least I was able to get back out".

"I have a lot to learn from Tonio’s experience and, realistically, if you look at his times and compare them to Lotus and Virgin, then we were pretty close. The F111 adapts better to this track than to others, so I think this could be a good weekend, but now what we have to do is work hard for tomorrow".

Colin Kolles, Team Principal: "It is Friday practice but the sessions have not been as productive as the drivers and team were hoping for. We gathered some good data in the morning and worked on the tyres. Liuzzi has had a good run in the afternoon session, but we had to change the alternator on Ricciardo’s car and he could not push as hard as he should have. It is a pity we could not have a second full proper sessions and enough running time to test our whole programme".

[Anna]

HRT F1 Cosworth


Daniel Ricciardo, the 22 year old Australian rookie could not start the fifth race of his career. The car stalled on the grid and the mechanics pushed the car back to the garage. It took about 18 minutes for the mechanics to refill and bleed the water system after the pressure release valve was activated before Ricciardo could rejoin the race. The Australian crossed the finish line 14 laps behind the race winner, which prevented him from qualifying. Vitantonio Liuzzi got on to the grass at the start and lost control of his car making his car spin into the pack and ending his race. The stewards considered that Liuzzi caused a collision when involved in the incident and reprimanded him with a penalty of five grid positions at the next race.

Vitantonio Liuzzi - DNF: “I was really looking forward to my home race and, although I knew it was going to be tough, it all ended prematurely. I had a good start getting past both Virgins, Lotuses and Daniel but then I went for another overtaking manoeuvre and got closed out. That put me into the grass and once I was there I tried to slow down but completely lost control of the car and unfortunately hit other cars. I am really sorry for Petrov, Rosberg and the other drivers who were forced to retire because of this. Now it’s over but we are fighters and we have to look ahead to the next race”.

Daniel Ricciardo - Not classified: “The race started as bad as it could, for some reason the car went into anti-stall, jammed in third gear and then the engine switched off. I couldn’t get restarted and had to get the car back into the box. The mechanics got it going again and I was back on track but the engine temperature rose and they called me back to check it and it took us a few more minutes until we could rejoin the race. I went straight into a bit of traffic which made it hard to get a bit of rhythm. But at least in the second stint at the end of the race I was able to get in quite a few good laps and we got some data out of that. A little bit is better than nothing but I need to keep pushing for a better result in Singapore”.

Colin Kolles, Team Principal: “This was a weekend to forget after losing both cars before the first corner of the first lap. The mechanics managed to fire up the car and Ricciardo completed 39 laps. We knew that Monza would be difficult but everything was set up for a satisfying race. It is a pity for both our drivers, but let´s look ahead to a much better weekend in Singapore”.

[Anna]

Singapore 2011 - GP Preview - HRT F1 Cosworth


Team quotes

Friday 16 September 2011 - 13h01, by Olivier Ferret
After the European leg of the 2011 FIA Formula 1 World Championship came to an end in Monza, the teams are ready now to fly out to Singapore for the 14th race of the season. The first of a swing of five Asian Grands Prix, the Singapore round stands out as the only night race on the calendar. The Marina Bay Street Circuit is one of the few anti-clockwise circuits and poses a real challenge to the drivers. It is a slow, narrow, bumpy racetrack with barriers very close to the track meaning that there is no room for error.

Finding a good set-up is not easy here as the track conditions change, with the surface evolving and providing better grip as the race unfolds. Cooling of the engine is also an issue in Singapore because there are 23 corners, the majority of which are slow ones, meaning that it is worked very hard with little time to recover. The high temperatures don’t make it any easier either. It is also a physically demanding track for the drivers because it is a long race with a lot of corners in hot and humid conditions. Pirelli have chosen their soft and supersoft tyres for this race.

Vitantonio Liuzzi: “Singapore will be an interesting weekend for everybody because of the characteristics of this Grand Prix. It will be a tough race physically because it is very hot and also a tough race for the car. The guys have been working hard back home to arrive in Singapore with some new upgrades that will help us in our fight with our closest rivals. With the lighting system at the Marina Bay Street Circuit it feels like you’re driving at midday so the fact that it is held at night doesn’t affect the racing. It would make things different if it rained, with the reflection of the lights in the water, but for us it shouldn’t be a big difference. After what happened in Monza I’m looking forward to putting in a good performance in Singapore, fight until the end and try to get the best result possible”.

Daniel Ricciardo: “I haven’t raced at the Marina Bay Street Circuit before, although I was there last year as a reserve driver. But I’ve spent some time on the simulator and it looks like an interesting and fun circuit with a lot of corners. It’s quite a confusing track but should be fun. I like street circuits and am yet to do one with HRT so it should be a good challenge. Physically it will be difficult, the drivers say it’s the toughest race all year, because it’s so humid and a long race with a lot of corners. It will be nice to race at night because I haven’t done so since I was competing in go-karts around eight years ago. I’m really looking forward to it because it is also closer to home”.

Colin Kolles, Team Principal: “Singapore is always a highly demanding race for the teams, drivers and cars. Racing and working at night under high temperatures and humidity make it a very special one. Everybody needs to be very focused and adapt to these circumstances but the positive is that we will be working in European times, which will certainly help. After the disappointment of Monza, we are ready to move on and I am sure that both drivers will do their best to put in a good performance. We expect Tonio to take the most out of his experience and push the car and the team, while Daniel should keep on improving and take another step forward on a track that he has never raced before. We are bringing some updates on the aero side like a modified engine cover and a new underfloor that we hope will help us to close the gap to our rivals. Last year we couldn’t make it to the end but this time, with everybody’s effort, I am sure we can hope f or a two-car finish in Singapore next Sunday”.

[Anna]

HRT to set up camp at Valencia harbour - report


But the deal is not done yet

Friday 16 September 2011 - 09h59, by GMM
HRT is set to select the port of Valencia as its new headquarters, according to the Spanish sports daily Marca.

The newspaper said the back-of-the-grid Spanish team is targeting the harbourside site recently occupied by the BMW Oracle yacht racing outfit.

Warning that the deal "is not done yet", Marca said HRT chose Valencia, the scene of the annual European grand prix, over other frontrunners including Madrid and Barcelona, and the factory of the sports car team Epsilon Euskadi.

The report said HRT’s new owner Thesan Capital is providing an initial budget of EUR 200 million.

The team is expected to maintain its new wind tunnel relationship with Brackley based Mercedes GP, amid reports of a possible split with technical boss Geoff Willis.

On the Willis rumours, HRT has been contacted for comment.

[Anna]

Abu Dhabi 2011 - GP Preview - HRT F1 Cosworth


Team quotes

Friday 4 November 2011 - 13h35, by Olivier Ferret
The 2011 Formula 1 World Championship visits Asia for the last time as Abu Dhabi hosts the penultimate Grand Prix of the season. It is the only day-night race on the calendar with proceedings getting underway at 17:00 local time as the sun sets. The Yas Marina circuit is a futuristic complex designed by Hermann Tilke, which combines tight corners with high-speed straights meaning that braking and traction will be key factors. The track is one of the few ones in the Championship to run anti-clockwise and provides a unique setting beside the sea with the impressive harbour and the five star Yas Marina Hotel located within the circuit itself.

After stepping aside for Narain Karthikeyan in India, Vitantonio Liuzzi will return to the cockpit of the F111 #23 car for this Grand Prix, with Daniel Ricciardo lining up alongside him. Pirelli has nominated its PZero medium (prime) and soft (option) tyres for the United Arab Emirates event.

Vitantonio Liuzzi: “After lending my car to Narain for the Indian Grand Prix, I’m really looking forward to getting back into the action in Abu Dhabi. I’m positive coming into it because in India the car appeared to suit the track well and our pace was good in comparison to our rivals. Abu Dhabi is a special track because there is a lot of stop and go so we need to work on braking and traction. There are not many high speed corners and, overall, it is quite a tricky track because you have to work a lot over the kerbs. It is a circuit that I like and one where I have performed well in the past. We will face another tough weekend in Abu Dhabi but I am sure that we will put up a good fight”.

Daniel Ricciardo: “I’ve never raced in Abu Dhabi but have driven there last year in the young driver test with Red Bull so I’ll be expecting it to be quite a bit different this time round, especially with the Pirelli tyres. India would have been another successful race had it not been for the problem we encountered so I’m hoping to experience a good weekend again in Abu Dhabi. I enjoyed driving on this circuit last year and I’m definitely looking forward to racing there this year where I’ll be looking for a good result. There are only two races left in the season son I’m going to give it everything to achieve the best result possible”.

Colin Kolles, Team Principal: "We had quite an encouraging weekend in India, showing a much better pace than our direct rivals, and we are looking forward to Abu Dhabi to round it off. However, we have to keep our feet on the ground, focus on ourselves and do our job properly. If we do, I am sure we can hope for a good result at the Yas Marina Circuit. The event was fantastic last year, a really impressive facility with great atmosphere. For the first time, Daniel will drive at a racetrack that he has already been before with a Formula 1 as he was one of the young drivers participating in the post-race test. He actually had an impressive performance and, although this time will be a different situation, I am confident that this can allow him to kick the weekend off from a better position. Tonio will be back in the car this weekend and he is highly motivated. I am sure that we will see an interesting Grand Prix. The team’s performance has improved th roughout the season and the last races have been particularly positive for us. We certainly are in a much better position than we were eight months ago and I hope that we will continue this way until the end".

[Anna]

2011 end of term report – HRT Cosworth


0 point, 11th in the constructors’ championship

Tuesday 6 December 2011 - 16h35, by Sandrine Bouchard
HRT’s second season in Formula One was probably as tough as the first one and yielded the same result: eleventh in the standings ahead of Virgin. It was a pretty satisfying result for the team, especially considering the challenges it had to overcome during the winter and also during the season itself.

Season review:

HRT did all its winter testing with the 2010-spec car, gathering data on the new Pirelli tyres. The Spanish team shipped its brand new car to Australia in pieces and the mechanics had to work frantically in the Melbourne paddock to build both cars. They got them ready for qualifying but, with virtually no mileage under their belt, neither Liuzzi nor Karthikeyan managed to qualify for the race.

The critics were harsh but the team, led by Colin Kolles, kept its head down and turned up in Malaysia with two 2011-spec cars and a few updates. Behind the scenes, HRT signed an agreement with Mercedes to use one of its windtunnels. This time both drivers qualified but none of them finished the race. From then on, the team enjoyed good reliability and consistently brought both cars home. It suffered only eight mechanical retirements during the season.

Rain in Canada offered the team a rare opportunity to shine and Liuzzi grabbed it with both hands, finishing the race in 13th position. This result moved the team ahead of Virgin in the constructors’ standings.

Driver-wise, Narain Karthikeyan was replaced by Daniel Ricciardo from the British GP onwards. The Indian made a one-off return for his home race and drove Liuzzi’s car.

Most importantly for the team, it changed owners in July. Thesan Capital replaced José Ramon Carabante at the helm of the Spanish team and quickly implemented several changes.

Conclusion:

Apart from the Australian fiasco, HRT did pretty well in 2011. The team took a step forward and improved quite significantly, so much that it consistently performed better than rivals Virgin.

Expectations:

Under its new ownership, the team is taking a new direction. Jacky Eckelaert has been recruited to design the car while Stéphane Schosse is the newly appointed chief aerodynamicist. In addition to this, a technical partnership has been signed with Williams F1. Engine-wise, the team is expected to stick with Cosworth but hasn’t officially confirmed it yet.

Regarding its drivers, HRT has chosen to bet on the experience of Pedro de la Rosa. The former McLaren reserve driver signed for two years with the Spanish team. His teammate is still to be announced as the outfit ponders its options.

Highs :
Showed a decent level of performance, especially in the second part of the season
Finished ahead of Virgin in the standings
New ownership and technical partnership with Williams

Lows:
Australian Grand Prix fiasco
Cannot fight for points

Nextgen-Auto.com marks :

Olivier Ferret : 8/20
D.Thys : 9/20
Sandrine Bouchard : 10/20
Jean-Michel Setbon : 10/20
Average mark on the forum Nextgen-Auto.com : 9/20

Total : 46/100

[Anna]

HRT to start 2012 season with new car


"The target is to be at the second test with the new car"

Saturday 21 January 2012 - 09h22, by GMM
HRT has scotched reports it will start the 2012 season with last year’s car.

The BBC quoted a spokeswoman for the Spanish team as admitting to a "critical delay", but denied the recent staff and factory shakeups had overly affected development of the new single seater.

HRT’s new car is highly anticipated, given the team’s struggles since inception in 2010 with the uncompetitive Dallara design.

"Rumours that we will take part in the initial grands prix with the 2011 car are not true," said the spokeswoman.

"The target is to be at the second test with the new car."

The BBC said the team will be present at the opening test at Jerez early next month with the 2011 car.

The former Renault team, meanwhile - now called Lotus F1 - will be at Jerez with its new contender.

It will be launched two days earlier on the team website, before Kimi Raikkonen gives the car a brief track debut on 6 February — the day before the official test kicks off.