HRT renews its confidence in Ma Qing Hua for Singapore

As in Monza, Ma Qing Hua will drive the F112 during the first free practice session of the Singapore Grand Prix, taking Narain Karthikeyan’s place as in Italy. The Chinese driver is eager to get back behind the wheel of the Spanish single-seater: “I am delighted to drive the F112 for the second time in a row and I really appreciate the opportunity the HRT team is giving me. It will be very exciting to drive on the streets of Singapore.”

It will be a new challenge for him, considering the night driving and under artificial light, but the Chinese driver has prepared for these conditions: « I have prepared in the simulator as well as by doing specific exercises for night driving. »

Conditions that are generally difficult in Singapore due to humidity, high temperatures, and the fact that it’s a street circuit which demands constant concentration. It will be Pedro de la Rosa’s big debut in Singapore next weekend, but the Spanish driver already knows what to expect: « I have never raced in Singapore but I know the circuit through my work in the simulator as a test driver for the McLaren team. It’s a spectacular circuit and probably the most challenging of the season for the brakes; it’s also very physically demanding due to the heat and humidity. »

Narain Karthikeyan also expects to have a challenging race given the environment related to the Singapore Grand Prix: « Singapore has a spectacular atmosphere because the race takes place under artificial light. The Marina Bay city circuit is very bumpy and complicated. You can’t afford the slightest mistake because it’s a city circuit. It is also a very demanding circuit from a physical standpoint due to the high heat and humidity. »

The Indian driver is eagerly awaiting this new appointment given the performances achieved at Monza: « I’m arriving there very motivated and in good shape after a good weekend in Italy, and we’re also bringing new developments that should allow us to further improve our race pace. »

Pedro de la Rosa also expects to see his F112 perform well on the streets of Singapore, particularly thanks to the aerodynamic updates brought for this race: « We should be performing well there because there are a lot of slow corners and it’s quite similar to Monaco. We will also have aero updates which should help us close the gap with our rivals. I should make the most of the practice sessions to adapt to the circuit, but I am ready to take on this challenge. »