HRT retain Karthikeyan

[DazzlaF1]

Just seen it on the sky sports news ticker, Karthikeyan gets the final available drive

[F1boat]

Good luck to him!

[Dave B]

He'll need it. If they manage to cobble together a working car it will once again be fighting for last place on the grid.

[mix2000]

Don't you mean second last?? :)

[Dave B]

Oh no, I mean last. As opposed to being outside the 107% time.

[Nikki Katz]

He actually went a lot better than I was expecting in his last F1 stint, so although he's clearly a pay driver, I don't see this as being a particularly bad move.

But yes, when Hispania themselves say that they'll be further off the pace at the start of this season than they were at the end of last season, that's a team that's going to struggle.

[mix2000]

You mean they'll have to start from the pitlane, to get further up the grid.

[F1boat]

Oh no, I mean last. As opposed to being outside the 107% time.

You think that Marussia will have a better car? I am not convinced.

[DexDexter]

He actually went a lot better than I was expecting in his last F1 stint, so although he's clearly a pay driver, I don't see this as being a particularly bad move.

But yes, when Hispania themselves say that they'll be further off the pace at the start of this season than they were at the end of last season, that's a team that's going to struggle.

True. He outpaced Ricciardo at the Indian GP quite comfortably.

[Dr. Krogshöj]

You think that Marussia will have a better car? I am not convinced.

At least Marussia have had a technical partnership with McLaren for quite some time now and they have Pat Symonds at the helm. HRT doesn't even have a factory. On paper, Marussia should have a better car.

[steveaki13]

I am a bit suprised they have gone to Karthikeyan again, but he will bring money in and he done OK last year so it could be worse.

I hope HRT get their car nice and ready in time to be on the Grid for Round One.

Lets hope also they are fast enough to at least scrape into the Race. As we saw last year, they were off the pace at Round 1 and people were ready cut them out, but by Round 2 they had a relatively reasonable pace.

[IceWizard]

I'm looking forward to seeing whether De La Rosa or Karthikeyan is the slowest on the grid. Could be close.

[F1boat]

At least Marussia have had a technical partnership with McLaren for quite some time now and they have Pat Symonds at the helm. HRT doesn't even have a factory. On paper, Marussia should have a better car.
Maybe, but HRT outpaced them at the end of the previous season. Maybe the drivers will decide the outcome...

[Robinho]

At least Marussia have had a technical partnership with McLaren for quite some time now and they have Pat Symonds at the helm. HRT doesn't even have a factory. On paper, Marussia should have a better car.

the problem is though, that paper cars are notoriously rubbish

[jens]

Slightly surprising that Karthikeyan is coming back after he was ousted in favour of both Ricciardo and Liuzzi last year. It left an impression that TATA's money wasn't big enough to guarantee him a drive (and others could outbid him), so interesting that he is back now. But it also leaves a likely possibility that either him or DLR will vacate a seat during the season again.

[steveaki13]

Slightly surprising that Karthikeyan is coming back after he was ousted in favour of both Ricciardo and Liuzzi last year. It left an impression that TATA's money wasn't big enough to guarantee him a drive (and others could outbid him), so interesting that he is back now. But it also leaves a likely possibility that either him or DLR will vacate a seat during the season again.

I thought the same. They obviously liked his money, but he was first to be turfed out last year. So a bit suprising they want him in the car again this year. But I suppose he still has that inviting wade of notes.