HRT will not run in last day of Barcelona test
2011 F1 testing
Vitantonio Liuzzi, HRT, Barcelona, 2011
HRT say they will not run their car in the final day of the F1 test at Barcelona.
A spokesperson told F1 Fanatic: “We have covered our program today, so we are not driving tomorrow.”
HRT have run three different drivers during the test: Narain Karthikeyan, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Giorgio Mondini.
The team planned to run their new F111 at the next test in Bahrain. But there are doubts over whether that test will go ahead.
2011 F1 testing
- Young Drivers Test Day 3 in pictures
- Vergne completes third day on top in Abu Dhabi
- Young Drivers Test Day 2 in pictures
- Vergne stays quickest on second day of test
- Italian F3 pair complete Ferrari test
- Jean-Eric Vergne leads first day of young drivers test
- 2011 F1 testing diary part four: Barcelona
- McLaren cover least test distance with new car
- Rosberg: Mercedes are “on the up”
- Second Barcelona test day 5 in pictures
Image © Motioncompany
Kate said on 20th February 2011, 16:15
Any way to save costs eh…..
Sangeen Khan said on 20th February 2011, 16:48
Or some extra time in the wind tunnel?
BasCB (@bascb) said on 20th February 2011, 18:31
Sure. After all, they have done some 6 days of testing with their old car now. Not much new to learn from running it, is there.
I think they might not even have joined in this test if not for the latest spec tyres and the opportunity to run Liuzzi and this Mondini guy (why Montermini is springing up in my mind?)
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 20th February 2011, 21:28
Yeah, at a certain point continued running of last year’s car becomes irrelevant. I’m sure they’d be testing if they had their new car.
Mike said on 20th February 2011, 21:44
Montermini! WOOOO!!!
anyway… I agree.
For once though I will criticise HRT, maybe not so many people would call your team rubbish if you actually TOLD THEM WHY you do things…
GeeMac (@geemac) said on 20th February 2011, 16:18
“We completed our programme today, and we didn’t expect to do that, so we haven’t got anything planned for tomorrow and therefor won’t run.”
Come on HRT, one minute you seem like serious F1 team, and the next you are back to your ramshackle ways, its just not good enough at this level!
GeeMac (@geemac) said on 20th February 2011, 16:18
I read between the lines a wee bit obviously… :)
snowman said on 20th February 2011, 16:22
Agree they are embarrassment to Formula 1. If all the teams were acting like HRT just imagine what kind of joke the whole thing would be.
sw6569 (@sw6569) said on 20th February 2011, 19:43
absolutely. They are no Minardi, they are instead simply an embarrassment.
RaulZ said on 21st February 2011, 10:57
Well, they came to Formula 1 because someone said that 40 millions were enough. They were cheated.
These are the new teams Ecclestone and Moxley wanted, just cars to fill. And that’s what they get. Teams without money.
Saying that they are embarrassment to Formula 1 is just unfair.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner) said on 20th February 2011, 20:13
Nailed it.
snowman said on 21st February 2011, 12:57
Can’t remember what promises were made over what they needed. Fair enough if they were told that, its just that the other new teams have their act together and we have HRT going grave digging for drivers and still haven’t got their lineup confirmed or 2011 car ready. But admit do like them about cause it’s good to have a comedy side of F1 and if they did make progress up the grid it would be inspiring!
Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders) said on 20th February 2011, 16:19
Hahaha. Couldn’t they have at least came up with a more inventive excuse?
BBT said on 20th February 2011, 16:21
Like?
“Drivers are needed in the factory to cobble together the new car”
Hairs (@hairs) said on 20th February 2011, 16:46
“We completed our program”
> The Power Mac G4 finished rendering the next 3 picture of our “new” car.
Icthyes (@icthyes) said on 20th February 2011, 19:48
Yamamoto has food poisoning, oh wait
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65) said on 20th February 2011, 19:51
“there’s a great restaurant at Madrid, so we’re not driving here tomorrow”
NickTheGeek said on 20th February 2011, 16:20
that says allot, every other team in the pit lane would do tyre work or something. I used to be sympathetic when people bash hrt but to be honest they are just a waste of a grid slot.
silencer said on 20th February 2011, 16:28
I believe Kolles must have found holy grail of speed somewhere in barcelona that can be fitted in their F111 car, so they just pack up and go home…
BasCB (@bascb) said on 20th February 2011, 18:32
They need to hide their real speed from us. Shame they did that all season.
Shimks said on 20th February 2011, 16:33
If you are in the F1 season, you should be obligated to run a certain number of test days.
It doesn’t look to me like they’re going to make it to the end of the season, cash-wise. What a shame.
Daniel said on 20th February 2011, 21:48
Ok, which car do you mean though? This year’s or last year’s? Because they only have the old car at the moment. Which you’ll recall was the slowest car last year. How much more do you think they can learn from running that?
Peter said on 21st February 2011, 15:04
I don’t think they’ll make it to the European leg… They’ll show up in Australia with the old car, and then go belly up. Sad ut true.
Fixy (@fixy) said on 20th February 2011, 16:38
What kind of an excuse is this?
Todfod (@todfod) said on 20th February 2011, 18:22
What kind of an excuse is this?Hahahaha.. I would love to tell my boss - "Ive finished my work for today, so looks like I'm not going to come in to work tomorrow."
Daniel said on 20th February 2011, 21:50
And if s/he could say, good I’ll save on paying you for tomorrow then, it might work out for both of you.
Master firelee (@master-firelee) said on 20th February 2011, 16:39
I wonder if we will actauly see the real version of the f111
sam3110 (@sam3110) said on 20th February 2011, 16:42
Hahahaha so you have ‘completed your program’ how about you decide to do more mileage to work out setups so you actually have a chance of being within the 107 rule?
BasCB (@bascb) said on 20th February 2011, 18:33
Not likely they will be running with the 2010 car in the 2011 season though.
Sangeen Khan said on 20th February 2011, 16:47
Hahaha..I love HRT..Enigmatic Maniacs..Seriously,we need them in Formula1..Wish them all the best..
slr said on 20th February 2011, 16:54
Why can’t Kolles just face the reality and admit that everything is not okay in the team. He tries to make HRT look as good as any other team, but instead he makes himself and the team look even worse.
Dev said on 20th February 2011, 17:04
they are saving the fuel & tires!! bravo!!!
lolz said on 20th February 2011, 17:09
No doubt HRT is the weakest team,but those who are laughing why don’t they buy their own team and outapace the redbulls and ferraris
Todfod (@todfod) said on 20th February 2011, 18:26
Its not about outpacing the Red Bulls and Ferrari’s. Minardi, Toro Rosso, Super Aguri, etc were never quicker than the RBs and Ferraris, but they took the sport seriously and worked hard. They were respectable.. and HRT is not. So I think we are all entitled to laugh at them.
Shimks said on 20th February 2011, 17:12
HRT, if they are really struggling for cash to the point where they will have to close down, they should make themselves the People’s Choice and somehow open themselves up to donation-based funding.
There a millions of F1 fans out there. Many of us support the under-dogs. Personally, I wouldn’t mind throwing a fiver their way.
I am sure their problems are not due to a lack of commitment. Everyone in that team will be working as hard as in the big teams. But F1 is a very expensive business.
I’m still glad they got their chance. It was a shame Bernie didn’t put a 13th team on the grid this year. I don’t mind the controversy of a fledgling company failing. At least they give it a go. That’s always something to learn from and look back on. Just so long as the small teams aren’t dangerous to everyone else on the track.
Shimks said on 20th February 2011, 19:14
I was really hoping people here would get excited about my The People’s Team idea.
No-one? :(
ivz said on 20th February 2011, 21:28
Great idea! Imagine the “F1 Fanatic HRT”? If we had enough members and all paid a yearly fee?
Luis said on 21st February 2011, 0:27
That would be brilliant!
What about something like ‘one million dollar HRT’ (inspired on http://www.milliondollarhomepage.com/) with a livery displaying all sponsors?
Peter said on 21st February 2011, 15:09
Yes, very! That would be cool! However, Williams is set on that path, being floated on the stock exchange and all, maybe we should all chip in and become partner to Sir Frank?
Victor. said on 20th February 2011, 17:23
This is hilarious :D