Report: HRT has just completed its shakedown!

The latest F1 team has achieved its first goal: being present for the first GP. By the end of this race weekend, it is very clear that the Hispanic team formerly known as Campos, now renamed HRT (Hispania Racing Team), took advantage of the Sakhir circuit to conduct a full-scale shakedown.

One could not have expected a miracle, so Bruno Senna, who started 23rd on the grid, retired after 17 laps due to a mechanical problem. The analysis from Ayrton’s nephew is nevertheless optimistic. On the side of the first Indian driver on the grid, Karun Chandhok, the weekend was also complicated. Starting from 24th position, he could only complete one lap. An off-track excursion forced him to retire. Realistic about his adaptation to the circuit, he still wanted to apologize.

Bruno Senna – Abandon: « Everything was going well…. but I felt I had a bit of understeer… There was a vibration at the back one lap earlier, and the car suddenly stopped. We will have to investigate what happened….. It’s still a relief to have been in the race for so many laps. I had a good setup with these laps completed, my engineers will have a better foundation to work from for the next race. »

Karun Chandhok – Retirement: « Sorry, it was my fifth lap on this track. I hit a bump in the new part of the circuit, which I couldn’t properly recognize with only four timed laps over the weekend…. I was pushed onto a curb, trying to go through smoothly, but I didn’t know this part of the track. I want to thank my mechanics for supporting me during my first laps on this track, but also the whole team for this fantastic weekend and the long sleepless hours. Now we look forward to Melbourne. »

Colin Kolles – Technical Director: « The goal of the whole team was to start the race and get both cars on track… I am satisfied with how it went. For Karun Chandhok, who retired early in the race, it wasn’t a mechanical failure; he couldn’t have known there was a bump at that spot, as he had too few kilometers on this circuit, quite simply… We are going home with a lot of important data that will allow us to take a new step before the second Grand Prix, and thus make consistent improvements. I want to thank everyone for their dedication; today we have taken a historic first step. »