Thesan Capital puts HRT Formula One team up for sale
By Berthold Bouman
Just ahead of the United States Grand Prix, HRT owner Spanish investment company Thesan Capital has said in a statement the Spanish outfit is for sale, and are currently ‘in talks with a number of groups interested in buying the team’.
HRT for sale
The statement further read, “HRT Formula 1 Team’s current management hopes to conclude the sale in the upcoming weeks and, with it, enable the team to continue progressing and become a reference in modern-day Formula 1 after the important achievements already accomplished in this 2012 season. HRT Formula 1 Team hopes to communicate the name of its new owner in the upcoming weeks.”
The Spanish team has been in financial troubles ever since the team was founded in 2009. In February 2010 founder and ex-Formula One driver Adrian Campos was forced to sell his team to Spanish businessman José Ramón Carabante, who already had a majority stake in the team.
In July 2011 Carabante sold his stake to the Madrid-based Thesan Capital, who wanted to give the team a Spanish base, and in February 2012 the team moved their headquarters to the Caja Mágica complex in Madrid.
In the statement HRT said, “We believe the moment to let new investors come through for HRT Formula 1 Team has arrived. We’re very proud of the work done by the entire team and of the excellent sporting evolution achieved but the time has come for the team to continue growing with new financial backing. We’re convinced that the sporting potential of the team is huge and that the presence of new investors can give it a big boost.”
Team members and Team Principal Luis Perez-Sala have so far not given their reaction on the news, nor did drivers Pedro de la Rosa and Narain Karthikeyan.
United States GP: HRT heading for uncharted territory
By Berthold Bouman
HRT is looking forward to the United States Grand Prix this weekend at the Circuit of the Americas, but like all other teams, they will be heading for uncharted territory, and according to Team Principal Luis Perez-Sala, adapting to the new circuit will be crucial.
Pedro de la Rosa, HRT
“Once again we’re heading to an unknown circuit, so the key will be to learn the circuit and adapt as quickly as possible. All we know about this circuit is what the simulation department, who have been working on it for some time, have put across to us,” he said.
And he added, “According to them it’s a very complete and spectacular track and that gives us extra motivation to face this penultimate test of the season.”
Veteran driver Pedro de la Rosa knows how to tackle the challenges of a new circuit, but he also said, “The truth is we don’t know much about this circuit. All I know about it is from what I’ve seen on the Internet. The first thing that strikes you about this track is the number of gradient changes and how extreme they are.”
But he also reckons the Pirelli tyres will play an important role this weekend, “The important thing is for our car to adapt well to this circuit and we will dedicate Friday to learning the track and setting up the car. The choice of medium and hard tyres seems, on paper, an election of quite hard compounds. But until we don’t confirm the grip of the asphalt it will be difficult to draw any conclusions”.
Narain Karthikeyan is impressed by the circuit layout, “The Circuit of the Americas looks like a promising layout, lots of parts from different circuits around the world but what I’m looking forward to most is the massively uphill Turn One. These gradient changes do well to add to the circuit’s character as we’ve seen in India so it is going to be a challenging layout.”
And practice makes perfect as the Indian driver added, “So as a driver, it would be up to us to do the maximum number of laps possible on Friday to learn the circuit and get the base set-up right and then take it from there.”
Perez-Sala is confident his team will perform well during the final two races of the season, “It’s been an intense end of year but I’m confident that we can finish off on a good note which will enable us to make a positive overall assessment of this special season.”
HRT to maintain reliability and progress during Singapore GP
By Berthold Bouman
HRT are looking to maintain their reliability and progress during round 14 of the FIA Formula One World Championship, the Singapore Grand Prix. Unknown territory for the team, as only Narain Karthikeyan has acquired some experience on the circuit last year.
Narain Karthikeyan, HRT
“I don’t personally know the Marina Bay Street Circuit but I’m really looking forward to getting to know it since everyone says it’s one of the most beautiful races in the Championship,” said Team Principal Luis Perez-Sala.
And HRT has an important upgrade for the Asian races, “In Singapore we’re incorporating the second major upgrade to the car of the season which we hope will help us take another step forward.”
Spanish driver Pedro de la Rosa is looking forward to the event, “I’ve never raced at Singapore but I know the circuit because of my simulator work as a test driver for McLaren. It’s a spectacular track and probably the toughest circuit on the brakes in the entire Championship besides being a very physically demanding race because of the heat and humidity.”
And he further commented, “We should have a good performance as there are many slow corners and it is quite similar to Monaco. Besides, we’ve got an aero upgrade which should help us to cut down the gap to our rivals. I have to make the most of the practice session to adapt to the circuit but I’m up for the challenge.”
Karthikeyan said about the circuit, “The Marina Bay Street Circuit is bumpy and very complicated. You can’t make any mistakes as it is a street circuit. Besides, it’s also very demanding physically because of the high temperatures and humidity.”
Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua will be in the car on Friday morning for the second time. “It will be very exciting to drive a F1 around the streets of Singapore. It’s a very demanding track for all of us, but it will be even more of a challenge for me as this is only the second time I will be driving the car at a race weekend,” said the young driver.
“This is yet again another step in my career and I look forward to getting more experience at the wheel of a Formula 1 car as well as doing my best to help the team to prepare for the race,” he added.
HRT are still the slowest team on the grid, but the Spanish outfit has certainly made progress, and they are looking to beat the Marussia team, who lately have encountered problems that could give HRT the chance they need to finish ahead of the Russian sponsored team.
Italian GP: HRT’s Ma Qing Hua to make debut at Monza Friday practice session
By Berthold Bouman
Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua will make his début during the first free practice session for the Italian GP at Monza this weekend. The 24-year old driver will take over Narain Karthikeyan’s car during Friday morning practice, after following a HRT development program which included work on the simulator. Ma Qing Hua has already been in the HRT F112 during the Young Driver Test at Silverstone, and he feels he is ready for the next step.
Ma Qing Hua, HRT
“I’m very excited about driving at a circuit like Monza. The objective of this session is to continue advancing with my programme, rack up more miles and experience at the wheel of a Formula One car and help the team with whatever they need,” he said.
And he added, “I’ve been training hard in the past months to be prepared when the opportunity presented itself. I’ve also worked on the simulator to get to know the circuits a bit better and how a Formula One car reacts. In the last months I’ve been with the team at Grands Prix I’ve also learned a lot from the engineers and my team mates, who have shared information and their experience, which will be very useful.”
HRT Team Principal Luis Perez-Sala is impressed by the progress the Chinese driver recently has made, “Since we started working with him in March everything has been very quick but he’s responded and overcome every phase accordingly.
“From tests with World Series or GP2 cars, passing through sessions on the simulator, to the Formula One tests in Silverstone where he completed 500 km with no problems. He’s shown to us that he’s on a good level and has transmitted the necessary confidence to take the next step, which is to make his début at a free practice session of a Grand Prix.”
Ma Qing Hua is the first Chinese-born driver to participate in a Grand Prix, as Chinese driver Ho Pin Tung, who also has had a chance in Formula One, was born in the Netherlands and not in China. Ma Qing Hua was born in Shanghai and has competed in several race series.
In 2005 he participated in the Italian Formula 3000 Series, and also drove for team China in the A1GP Series. He has also participated in the Spanish Formula Three Championship, the British Formula Three Championship, Superleague Formula and last year won the China Touring Car Championship driving for team Beijing Hyundai.
“It will be the first time that a Chinese driver takes part in a Grand Prix and that, for Chinese motorsport, is another huge stride and a fantastic opportunity. I want to thank all the people who have supported and helped me to get here,” said a proud Ma Qing Hua.
Belgian GP: HRT ready to take on any situation at Spa-Francorchamps
By Berthold Bouman
HRT has like all other teams enjoyed a well-deserved summer break this month, and the Spanish outfit is ready for the 12th round of the FIA Formula One World Championship, the Belgian Grand Prix at the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit, the favourite track of many drivers.
Dani Clos will be behind the wheel on Friday morning
“We’ve all returned full of energy from the holidays and I personally arrive in my best physical condition of the season and really looking forward to taking on the second half of the championship,” said Spanish driver Pedro de la Rosa.
De la Rosa also likes the track, “Spa is one of the drivers’ favourite tracks; it’s spectacular and difficult, not only because of the type of corners but also because of the weather, since one part of the track can be dry whilst another is wet, so you have to be able to adapt quickly. We’re going to use the same medium downforce that worked so well in Canada so we hope to perform well despite the large amount of high-speed corners.”
Narain Karthikeyan also has good memories of the track and he loves it as well. “Even though a lot of run-off has been added over the years, it still has some of the most challenging corners on the calendar,” said the Indian driver.
And he added, “And then there’s the classic Spa weather which nearly always plays a part in the final result. We’ll be using the same medium rear wing which worked well in Canada so we hope it goes well in Spa and aim to maintain our progress throughout the second part of the championship.”
Dani Clos will be behind the wheel again on Friday morning, and the Spaniard is looking forward to another outing in the F112, “Once again I have a chance to step into the car and work for the team and that fills me with satisfaction. For me it is really important to stay active and be able to continue growing alongside my team mates Pedro and Narain.”
Team Principal Luis Perez-Sala also enjoyed his holiday and is ready to roll again. “After the summer we head into the Belgian Grand Prix with a lot of hunger and desire. We’re starting the second part of the championship and we will try to continue in the same manner as the first part and improve,” said the Spaniard.
About the circuit he commented, “It is a medium-downforce circuit and the temperatures aren’t extreme so we shouldn’t have any reliability issues. The weather is always unpredictable in Spa so we have to be ready to take on any situation”.
HRT Team Principal Perez-Sala positive about first half of the season
By Berthold Bouman
HRT Team Principal and former Formula One driver Luis Perez-Sala is happy with the achievements of his HRT team during the first half of the season. A lot of things have changed at the Spanish outfit, as they changed almost the entire team, contracted a new Team Principal, Perez-Sala, moved their headquarters to the capital of Spain, Madrid, and at the same time had to build a car for the 2012 season.
The Spanish HRT team posing at the Hungaroring ahead of the summer break
Asked about the move to Madrid the Spaniard replied, “It was a very ambitious challenge, a priori it was impossible to accomplish, but we’ve made it with very limited resources. Once we settled in, from April and May onwards, we started to get a race rhythm going. It’s safe to say we’ve encountered some very intense months where the team has given its all, because we’ve been able to carry out everything we set out to do.”
He also praised the team’s personnel for their commitment. “What I would say is that the most rewarding thing has been to see the commitment of everyone implicated in this project. These people have been united in very difficult moments and have shown bravery, honour and responsibility to continue supporting this project in the toughest moments,” he said, adding, “It’s not easy to work and perform to the best of your ability having not slept much, being away from home for weeks or going through uncomfortable journeys, but the members of this team have done it, and that’s something to be thankful for.“
Although it was a tough start of the season as HRT failed to qualify for the first round of the season, the Australian Grand Prix, HRT certainly made progress thanks to the F112. “I think that, overall, the F112 is a car that has given quite a good result, keeping in mind how it started. In winter I had a lot of doubts, because the car was handed to us and we didn’t have enough time to review it,” said Perez-Sala.
Asked whether the full potential of the car has been unlocked he stated, “The car has given good results. It has a good base and that’s its biggest strength. It’s a reliable car with good mechanical resistance and it offers a lot of possibilities for its development. I’d say we’re at 50% of its potential and we can still extract another 50%, mainly in aerodynamics.”
Perez-Sala admitted it is difficult for a small team to come up with upgrades every two weeks like the big teams do, but HRT does have an upgrade for the car after the summer break. “We have some upgrades prepared for the Singapore Grand Prix. As a small team we can’t afford small upgrades every two or three races because the cost of an upgrade or creating a new piece for a small upgrade is very high.”
And he further explained, “Besides the aerodynamic study, you have to produce the parts and that also implies a lot of time. So we have to make the most of any changes and have a very clear idea of the direction we want to take for those upgrades to be productive.”
Asked what HRT needs to call 2012 a successful season he was clear, “For me it would be a success to maintain the reliability we have and improve our performance a little bit more. To achieve this I hope that the aero package that we will introduce after the summer will help us to take the next step.”
And he added, “The objective is to stay between the 104 and 105 per cent [of the fastest car] and have the project for 2013 prepared. If we achieve all of this I’d be satisfied. Besides I hope that the team is fully functioning, with the design and aerodynamics department working at the Caja Mágica, although to achieve this we need a bit more time.”
And finally, asked about his pans during the summer break he said, “I’m staying with my family in Spain and we’re going to spend some days by the beach and others in the mountains. I’m really looking forward to spending some time with them and to disconnect to gain some strength because we’ve got a great end to the season ahead.”
HRT thinks car suits Hungaroring well and eyes to continue progress
By Berthold Bouman
HRT Team Principal Luis Perez-Sala thinks the HRT F112 will suit the Hungaroring and is aiming to continue the progress the Spanish team recently has made. “Both Pedro and Narain are in a good moment of form and given that in theory our car should adapt better to the characteristics of this track, I hope that we can continue with this progress to achieve a good result before heading out on holiday,” said the Spaniard.
Pedro de la Rosa, HRT
But he also knows it will be difficult for the drivers at the Hungarian Mickey Mouse circuit, “We arrive at a different kind of circuit to the one in Germany because the Hungaroring has a lot of slow turns and few straights, meaning that overtaking isn’t easy.”
Pedro de la Rosa is also confident the car will perform better during the Hungarian Grand Prix. “The Hungaroring is the permanent Monaco and a circuit where I have very good memories since I achieved a podium there in 2006. I’m really looking forward to going this year because it’s a circuit where our car should adapt pretty well, as there are many slow corners. It’s similar to Monaco, and we were pretty competitive there, so I’m full of hope,” said the veteran driver.
And he added, “The asphalt evolves a lot throughout the weekend and the track gets quicker so it’s very important to interpret this. In Germany we had a good performance and a good race so we’re looking forward to Hungary because we should do better there.”
Indian Narain Karthikeyan has only raced once on the Hungarian track, back in 2005 when he raced for Jordan. “I remember it being quite a technical and challenging track. Seven years have passed since then so I’m going to have to work hard and make the most of the practice sessions to get used to the track,” he said.
Unfortunately for him, Dani Clos will again be in the car on Friday morning, so he will only have two free practice session to get used to the track. The young Spaniard, who is HRT’s test and reserve driver, commented, “It will be the third consecutive Grand Prix and the fourth time this season that I get into the F112, and I hope to transform that continuity into a good rhythm and a positive result on the track with which to make my contribution to the team.”
HRT actually did perform well during the German Grand Prix, both drivers finished the race, and de la Rosa even finished ahead of the Marussia of Timo Glock. The Hungarian Grand Prix is the last race before the summer break, next race on the calendar is the Belgium Grand Prix at Spa on September 2.
HRT aims to be more competitive during German Grand Prix
By Berthold Bouman
HRT aims to be more competitive and to improve its reliability at the German Hockenheim circuit, according to Team Principal Luis Perez-Sala. “The F112 adapts better to the characteristics of the new Hockenheim, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be favourable for us. Our objective for this Grand Prix is to maintain our competitiveness and reliability so that we can continue to advance with the consolidation of the team,” said the Spanish ex-Formula One driver.
Dani Clos will be back in the car on Friday morning
Perez-Sala also confirmed Dani Clos will be in the car on Friday morning, “We’re giving Dani a new opportunity to run in Friday’s free practice session and we hope that this time he can make the most of the session.”
Of course the young Spaniard is happy to be back in the car again, “I wasn’t able to do much mileage in Silverstone because of the weather but my sensations and the work we did were very positive both for me and the team. We did a great job on a wet track and, although it was brief, it was very intense. Hockenheim will be a good opportunity to improve and do more miles with the F112.”
Veteran driver Pedro de la Rosa hopes the German circuit will suit the HRT a bit more, “Hockenheim is a circuit which is a little bit more favourable for us than Silverstone because it’s made up almost entirely of slow corners, except for the first one which is quick. We haven’t brought any upgrades to this track so we’ll try to get the most out of the car with the different options at our disposal.”
Narain Karthikeyan hopes to improve the long-term competitiveness, “In the last few races we have proved that our car is quick in qualifying but we haven’t yet shown it over a race distance. We’ve been working on that and in Germany we are aiming to give our main rivals a fight throughout the entire race”.
About the circuit he said, “The new Hockenheim circuit is quite different to the old one, which for my liking was more exciting. Before it was quick but now it is slower and a high-downforce track, it is also quite short, not too complicated and very stop-and-go.”
HRT has yet to score their first World Championship points, de la Rosa scored his last points with BMW-Sauber during the 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix (he was seventh and scored six points), while Karthikeyan scored his last points during the famous 2005 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis, only six cars started in this race, he became fourth for Jordan and scored five points.
HRT’s Pedro de la Rosa aiming for three stops at Silverstone
By Berthold Bouman
Veteran Pedro de la Rosa thinks three stops for tyres will be exactly right for the British Grand Prix at the demanding Silverstone circuit this weekend. “It’s a quick, high downforce track with a lot of quick corners linked together. It’s very demanding on the tyres, so the logical thing is to go for three stops. Strategies will play a big part,” said the Spaniard.
Pedro de la Rosa, HRT
But the high-speed Silverstone circuit will be very demanding for the HRT F112, de la Rosa admitted, “It’s not the most favourable circuit for us so we’re going to have to grind our teeth because, apart from that, it’s also one of the toughest tracks for a driver. We’re going to try and continue the good work from the last Grands Prix, finish this race and improve on our result in Valencia. That is our objective”.
Team Principal Louis Perez-Sala agrees, and expects some progress as a result of the recent car upgrades, but it will not be an easy race. “We want to see how our car performs at the British track with the latest upgrades because it’s a track that contains various quick turns and that’s where we suffer most,” he said.
Perez-Sala was also happy to announce test and reserve driver Dani Clos will be in the car on Friday morning, “This time he’ll be able to get more out of the session because in Barcelona there were many things to test and he had to focus on them, but now he’ll be able to get the most out of the experience.”
Clos is looking forward to his second outing in the F112, “The work we’re carrying out with the team is positive and I think that I can make a good contribution. I will be able to run in better conditions than in Barcelona because the car was new back then and I had to carry out various aero tests.”
Narain Karthikeyan has fond memories of Silverstone, but hasn’t raced on the new circuit. “Copse and the Becketts complex are special corners and are up there with the most exciting ones in the championship but I don’t know the new part of the circuit as I didn’t race at Silverstone last year so it will take me a few laps to adapt,” he commented.
And asked about his expectations he replied, “After a positive weekend in Valencia, with a good performance in qualifying, I’m hoping to continue from there and build on it in Great Britain.”
Second home Grand Prix for HRT at Valencia
By Berthold Bouman
Despite a disastrous weekend in Canada where both F112 HRT cars had to retire with overheated brakes, the Spanish outfit remains optimistic ahead of round eight of the FIA Formula One World Championship, the European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain. Valencia, the fourth street circuit on this year’s calendar, will again be a test for the brakes, but Pedro de la Rosa is confident the problems have been solved.
Pedro de la Rosa, HRT
“At the Valencia Street Circuit we will encounter high air and track temperatures so the brakes will be put through their paces once again, but we’re confident we can make the necessary modifications to overcome the problems we experienced in Canada,” said the Spanish veteran driver.
About the circuit he said, “Valencia has long straights but overtaking isn’t easy and it is a high-downforce track. I think we can do quite well here, although it’s not as favourable to our car as Canada, because there are a lot of braking areas and slow corners which are good for us.”
Narain Karthikeyan shares de la Rosa’s view on the Valencia circuit, “It shares some characteristics with Montreal and Monte Carlo, like emphasis on low-speed traction so I expect our car to do well here.” And the Indian driver added, “Yes the walls are close but the adrenaline factor isn’t close to Monaco or even Montreal. But on the back of the promise we showed in Canada, I’m looking forward to the race and hopefully we’ll have a chance to build on it this time.”
Team Principal Louis Perez-Sala is also looking forward to the second home Grand Prix, and he hopes his team can build on the progress they made in Canada. “In Canada we were quick and performed well but were unable to finish the race. In Valencia we want to confirm this progress and achieve a good result, plus doing so in front of the Spanish public is even more special.”
Asked whether it helps to be cheered on by a home crowd, de la Rosa remarked, “We’re looking forward to putting in a good performance in front of our fans and we want to continue with our progress from the last few races, where we’ve been at a good standard, but here we want to confirm this improvement in the race.”
HRT hoping for trouble-free weekend at Monaco
By Berthold Bouman
Like all other teams HRT is getting ready for the toughest race of the year: the Monaco Grand Prix. HRT has last week completed the move to their new headquarters at the Caja Mágica in Madrid, an ultra-modern facility with brand-new management, administration, operations and engineering areas.
Narain Karthikeyan, HRT
“It’s been a lot of hard work but it’s a dream that has finally come true and an exciting project. This is the present but we continue to work looking ahead to the future to make this a top level sporting and technological centre and surely, with the help of everyone, we will achieve this,” said HRT Team Principal and ex-Formula One driver Luis Perez-Sala.
About Monaco Perez-Sala said, “It’s a very demanding track mechanically, where drivers need great ability and suffer physically and psychologically because you can’t make any slip-ups and therefore you need to be fully focused at all times.”
And he added, “It’s a tough test for the car’s reliability and even more so if it is hot. We have minor upgrades for this race which we hope will help us to close the gap to the front pack.”
Driver Pedro de la Rosa describes the circuit and the problems drivers encounter. ”Monaco is by far the most difficult and technical circuit in the entire Championship. The only trick to this track is to do miles and not change the car’s set-up too much because you can find more time in the driver than in the car.”
Qualifying will be the biggest problem, de la Rosa reckons, “Another major difficulty at this track is the traffic, it’s vital to complete a clean lap and make the most of it. Pirelli is bringing its soft and super-soft tyres so it’s even more important to do a good first lap with the super-softs as you won’t have two laps with them.”
Narain Karthikeyan agrees with his Spanish team mate, “It’s not every day that you get to race in such a beautiful setting and with such a special vibe surrounding the race. It’s one of the toughest races because you’re so close to the guardrails that you know you can’t make one single mistake.”
Karthikeyan encountered a lot of problems during the Spanish Grand Prix and was plagued by cooling problems, which meant he was only able to complete a few laps in free practice. “I am hoping for better luck this time and to get a proper chance to work with the updates we brought in Spain and have a trouble-free weekend,” the Indian commented.
Berthold Bouman's Grand Prix Journal 