HRT explores the Yeongam circuit
None of the three HRT drivers know the Yeongam circuit, nor does the team manager, Luis Pérez-Sala, but everyone remains confident for this South Korean event, thanks in particular to the good performances by the F112 in Japan with its new floor.
No HRT driver knows the Yeongam circuit which hosts the Korean Grand Prix this weekend, but that doesn’t worry them, starting with Pedro de la Rosa: “I know very little about Korea because I have never raced there, everything I know about the circuit comes from my work in the simulator. […] We will have no time to waste and we will need to do as many laps as possible to learn and get used to the track.”
Narain Karthikeyan also hopes to take advantage of track time to learn the layout: « From what I’ve seen, the Korea International Circuit is very comprehensive as there’s a mix of several things like very close walls, fast corners, straights, and hairpins. I have never raced there, so I will need to make the most of my track time to adapt and set up the car. »
The track time for the Indian driver will be reduced this weekend, as Dani Clos will replace him during Free Practice 1, a new experience aboard an F1 that the young Spaniard is eagerly anticipating: « Driving the F112 is always a great satisfaction and I feel really fortunate for this new opportunity and I thank the team for allowing me to drive during the first practice session in Korea. As always, I will give my 100% and my main objective will be to work with the team to accomplish the planned program. »
Like the three drivers of the HRT team, Luis Pérez-Sala will discover the Yeongam track, but with the good performance in Suzuka, he shows confidence: « Like our drivers, I do not know the Korea International Circuit but what I do know is that we arrive in good shape and we hope to make further progress as in Suzuka. The most important thing will be to adapt as quickly as possible in order to optimize the car’s settings without wasting time. »
The director of the Spanish team believes that the South Korean track should suit the F112: « Given its characteristics, it’s a track where we should be performing well, so we will work very hard to maintain and improve our competitiveness. We lack neither determination nor motivation. »
Same optimism from Pedro de la Rosa, who wishes to continue the positive momentum observed at Suzuka: « This should be a circuit that suits us better than Suzuka. Furthermore, after seeing in Japan that the new floor was a real step forward, I am looking forward to being there. »
Narain Karthikeyan, for his part, will be eager to see the checkered flag: « After two consecutive retirements, I’m looking forward to this Grand Prix and hope to have more luck and would like to achieve a positive result. »
