I know this isn’t exactly a controversial opinion, nor is it one from left-field, but today’s confirmation from Karthikeyan that the latest HRT still hasn’t passed its crash test means it’s still a relevant one. HRT and Formula One should not mix.
Coupled with today’s admission, they’re also sticking by their two *ahem* golden oldies. If they were giving youngsters a good (well, let’s just leave it at a) starting base you could argue their case. Well, if your life depended on it you could. Possibly. At a push.
This is their third season. It’s also Team Lotus-cum-Caterham’s and Virgin Racing-cum-Murussia’s third. Caterham can boast Petrov, the same who finished last season with glimpses of the form he introduced himself with, and Heikki. Williams are no doubt fretting that if Maldonado frequents the wall as regularly as he did last season they’ll be chasing down the soon-to-be departing-Norfolk lot. Fernandes could finish fourth bottom in two seasons in the same year. A handy coup, if so.
Murussia too kept hold of Glock, he will be racing on his tod in between HRT and the rest of the pack until Pic is up to speed. They’ll need to improve their reliability, it’s been an achilles heel that has even provided them with the final two numbers on their cars
HRT on the other hand have two drivers in Karthikeyan and de la Rosa with a combined age of 75. 75. And, Pedro de la Rosa has been handed a two-year contract. At the youthful age of 40. They still don’t have a legal car. If it does pass its next crash test they will have only one official test in Barcelona to get some miles in the car.
But, at least they’ve given themselves some breathing space this time unlike last year, eh?
