HRT say they will continue to use their 2010 car for the first three tests of 2011 before introducing their new design.
The team published the following Q&A with team principal Colin Kolles
Q: As we are now nearing the first test of 2011, Can you give us some details about the car that the Team is using?
CK: The 2010 car will be utilised at the first tests, and as soon as the 2011 car is ready, we will implement it. The plan is to use the 2011 car at the Bahrain test. The 2011 car will be a completely new car, and will be called F111.
Q: The Spanish tests seem to be a very good opportunity for the Hispania Racing drivers to test the new tyres. What is your opinion?
CK: Last year we didn’t have the opportunity to do the tests, and this new season we are able to give our drivers the opportunity to do more mileage and to get used to the Pirelli tyres. So, yes, the Spanish tests are very important for us.
Q: What are your impressions of the F111 progress up until now? Who is working on it?
CK: The F111 is being made by Hispania Racing with several groups of engineers. At the moment, there are approximately 40 designers finalising the first specification, under the leadership of Geoff Willis as Technical Director and Paul White as Chief Designer.
Q: What can you say about Hispania Racing line up for 2011? Is the Team preparing any announcement for the next weeks?
CK: Let?é??s see. In the next few days there will be several announcements. The second driver has not been decided yet, because we have to make sure that we are making the best choice. We are making progress in all areas which is positive, working very hard, and the results will be shown and be announced very soon.
Use the F1 Fanatic Google Calendar to keep track of all the launch, test and race dates for 2011.
View the list of 2011 F1 drivers and teams.
ad3
25th January 2011, 15:45
make you proud dont they
BasCB (@bascb)
25th January 2011, 15:49
Pretty much yes. Think of how little money and ressources they had/have. They are getting there earlier (a week) then last year, after actually surviving the first season.
Having their first signed driver get a lot of testing miles will at least give them the advantage of the best possible knowledge of the tyres (they certainly do not have a simulator to do that job for them).
And the new car can only be a giant leap forward, with the Dallarra having so little downforce and the Williams rear end will greatly enhance its driveability.
BasCB (@bascb)
25th January 2011, 15:46
Seems Karikathkainen is in for a mayor amount of testing miles in those weeks. If HRT does not announce a second or test driver soon, or wants to test several of them, then he might have the car to himself for all 3 European tests.
Ben Needham (@ben-n)
25th January 2011, 15:58
I think you’ll find the second driver will be announced quite soon. I heard that the drive is between Valsecchi (sorry if that’s spelt wrong), Aleshin, Klien and Liuzzi!
I hope Aleshin gets it, he impressed me in Formula Renault 3.5
BasCB (@bascb)
25th January 2011, 16:02
So he should be announced right after FI announce their drivers tomorrow?
Ben Needham (@ben-n)
25th January 2011, 16:04
I presume you are talking about Liuzzi? I would imagine that he seems the most likely choice – although he’ll make Karthikeyan look awful…
BasCB (@bascb)
25th January 2011, 16:22
Well, if FI announces Liuzzi as their driver, he will certainly not be driving for HRT. If they feel certain enough about getting towards a settlement, not to announce him, I would say it’s a near certainty, that Tonio will get the drive.
I would love it if Narain would give him a run for his money, but that is very unlikely!
Ben
26th January 2011, 13:55
god, you know you’re in trouble when Liuzzi of all people makes you look bad.
bosyber
26th January 2011, 10:11
Well, Karikathkainen is in need of a bit of dusting of his F1 driving, he was never amazing, and it has been a while, so he might need the practice.
I think that if Luizzi could drive for HRT, and show that with a reliable car (they at least had that last year!) he can do pretty good things, without having to live up to hope of getting through to the final 10 in quali, it might work out well for him.
Burnout (@burnout)
26th January 2011, 18:24
I’m sorry, but how did you get Karikathkainen from Karthikeyan? :S
Journeyer (@journeyer)
25th January 2011, 15:51
They’re gonna have a new car!!! :O
They have the talent (Geoff Willis produced a lot of good cars. He had a hand in the Williams of the 90s, led the design of the BAR 006 from 2004, and the RBR5 from 2009.)
But they don’t have the cash.
Which leads me to think they’ll have a decent, steady, reliable car, but not a very fast one.
Fixy (@)
25th January 2011, 16:10
LOL!
Adrian J (@adrian-j)
25th January 2011, 17:14
I think Adrian Newey may have played a small part in the design of the early 90’s Williams’ and the RB5…
GeeMac (@geemac)
26th January 2011, 6:32
Maybe the hand he had in the design of those cars was patting Newey on the back and saying “Wow, that looks epic mate!”
The Last Pope
25th January 2011, 16:02
Wasn’t it only a couple of weeks ago that they said they would be racing a modified 2010 car this season? Now suddenely they have a brand new design and the car is almost finished? Would that be the quickest F1 car design and build ever? I really can’t believe this is an all new car.
BasCB (@bascb)
25th January 2011, 16:04
They did not say anything, it was the rest of us speculating about what options they have for getting a car ready.
Seems they are a bit faster than a lot of us expected, and actually manage to be a week early on their benchmark from last year.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
25th January 2011, 16:04
I don’t recall seeing a quote from them saying they were going to use the F110 again this year. There have been a lot of rumours around. But really, what’s to stop them using next year’s car in some modified form and calling it F111?
BasCB (@bascb)
25th January 2011, 16:17
as in … what’s to stop them using last year’s car …
I suppose the back-end will be Williams’s, so they just have to redo the bodywork on intakes and nose/front wing, letting the rest of the chassis unchanged.
Ben Needham (@ben-n)
25th January 2011, 16:18
I think they’d be found out by the serious lack in pace – ie. further back even than last year.
It will be interesting to see though! I think they would fall victim to the 107% rule if they didn’t improve it at all.
BasCB (@bascb)
25th January 2011, 16:25
But the Williams rear end will certainly help them to improve rear grip enough to get better downforce.
Then Wills can concentrate on the nose section/front wing and it will be a major improvement.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
25th January 2011, 21:04
The front wing is one of the areas that will have to be made new, since last year’s wings were moveable and this year’s are fixed. I think the moveable rear wing is optional if I remember right, so they could probably get away with running last year’s if they were really hard up. The other main changes are increased minimum weight, and obviously whatever modifications they need to make to accomodate the Williams rear end.
bosyber
26th January 2011, 10:15
I don’t think Dallara ever implemented that front wing moveable bit, and I am pretty sure HRT never used it if it even exists on the car.
East Londoner
25th January 2011, 16:29
I suppose ‘new car’ means the F110 with a new paint job and some Williams parts on it. I can see them struggling to beat 107% on a regular basis this year.
The Last Pope
25th January 2011, 16:48
I remember someone on here saying there were rumurs that Geoff Willis had got a lot of info from the 2010 Toyota design. It will be interesting to compare this new HRT to the Pirelli test Toyota.
The Last Pope
25th January 2011, 16:51
Ooops, Sorry I mean the red Stefan GP Toyota.
zecks
25th January 2011, 18:31
but they tested the pirellis on a 2009 toyota
The Last Pope (@the-last-pope)
26th January 2011, 2:04
Yes, I got my toyotas mixed up for a second and hit the reply button too soon to correct myself. As I said in my correction it is this Stefan GP Toyota that I would be interested to compare to HRT’s aledgedly new car.
https://www.racefans.net/2011/01/05/the-missing-f1-car-of-2010-stefan-gps-toyota-tf110/
The New Pope
25th January 2011, 17:07
With HRT, you never really know until the first race.
The Last Pope (@the-last-pope)
26th January 2011, 2:08
Hey friend, whats with the name? You’re gonna get people confused.
The New Pope
26th January 2011, 17:12
Well, since I love Venerable John Paul II, and you have already taken his name, I shall honor Benedict XVI then, since I love him too.
Oliver
25th January 2011, 18:16
These guys are running uphill against an avalanche, I just wish them luck and some reward for their efforts.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
26th January 2011, 2:35
I wonder why they are late & what good will they get only testing for 4 days with the new car? On getting data on tyres won’t win them anything.
bosyber
26th January 2011, 10:18
It is more than some of their drivers who managed to finish most of their races got last year, so I guess it will be: better than nothing, let’s try to get as much as we can.
Really, it is good news that they can say they are making progress on a new car, and even hope to have it done before the first race.
Todfod (@todfod)
26th January 2011, 7:40
I can hardly wait for HRT and Karthikeyan to set the world on fire!
The New Pope
26th January 2011, 17:13
With HRT, that could be quite dangerous!