Trulli replaced by Chandhok at the Nürburgring

The Indian driver, Karun Chandhok will replace Jarno Trulli this weekend at the wheel of the second Lotus T128. The Indian driver’s appointment had been discussed for several months in anticipation of the Indian Grand Prix, to be held next October, but the former HRT driver will have his chance as early as this weekend to gain experience and to provide a fresh perspective on the ongoing power steering issues the Malaysian team is experiencing, which are particularly troubling for Jarno Trulli.

« I am happy that we are able to offer a full weekend in the car to Karun. He has been an asset to our team of drivers and now we are giving him a chance to take the next step in expressing his potential, » explains Mike Gascoyne, the team’s technical director. « We will compare Karun’s impressions throughout the weekend with the experience of Jarno and Heikki so far this season in many aspects, including the power steering system, to help us move forward in 2011 and beyond. »

The Indian driver who has ten Grand Prix races under his belt intends to live up to the trust placed in him. First of all, I wish to thank Tony Fernandes, Kamarudin Meranun, and SM Nesarudin who have given me the opportunity to race this weekend for Team Lotus. Ever since I joined the team, I have been waiting for this opportunity and I am determined to do my best to reward them for the faith they have placed in me and to help the team progress, this season and in the years to come. I approach this weekend with a very realistic mindset. […] No matter what happens, I am very excited to be on the grid on Sunday, and I know there will be millions of Indian and Lotus fans around the world who will be supporting me and the whole team, so I will do my best to give them reasons to celebrate.

For his part, Jarno Trulli is pleased that the Malaysian team is keeping its commitments to the Indian driver and approaches this weekend in a spirit of collaboration. I am looking forward to working with Karun this weekend and doing everything I can to help him make the most of this opportunity in Germany. It’s great that the team is keeping its word by supporting the development of young talents, especially those coming from parts of the world where it is more difficult to break through at a high level, so I will be there to advise and assist him in and out of the car.

No worries, however, for the future of the friendly Italian driver whose contract Tony Fernandes promptly declared he wanted to extend. « I want to take this opportunity to thank Jarno for helping Karun seize this opportunity. He has been very accommodating, and our commitment to him remains unchanged. I am delighted to confirm that we are in the process of negotiating an extension of his contract with us, and we all hope to reveal the details very soon. He is a key member of our team, and I hope we can give him a car that allows him to fully use his immense talent as soon as possible. »