Dani Clos will make his debut in an F1 practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend for HRT.
Clos will take over Narain Karthikeyan’s car in the first practice session on Friday and drive alongside Pedro de la Rosa.
The Spanish driver appeared for the team in the Young Driver Test last year.
Clos said: “I’m delighted to have this opportunity. It’s something I’ve fought for all my life; to make my debut in Formula 1 and, above all, to be able to do it at the Circuit de Catalunya which is something very special for me.
“Besides, I’m extremely lucky to be able to do it with a Spanish team, alongside another Spanish driver who I admire and at home. I can’t ask for more! It’s the ideal situation and I’m proud to be where I am with the people who have always been with me and still are.
“I hope to extract a lot of data from this practice session, contribute with positive things to the team and do my job in the best way I can. I feel 100% ready and I can’t wait for the moment I step into the car and hit the track.”
Clos joins Alexander Rossi who will also be making his first participation in an F1 race weekend on Friday.
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Image © HRT F1 Team
Lothario
8th May 2012, 16:28
Will he do the same in Valencia? And what does this mean for GP2? Has Kral got his sponsorship renewed?
d3v0 (@d3v0)
8th May 2012, 16:40
Interesting. I want to see Alonso in this car for FP1 – now THAT would be something.
Todfod (@todfod)
8th May 2012, 17:52
I think Fernando would end his career before he sat in an HRT
Todfod (@todfod)
8th May 2012, 17:53
As would almost all drivers on the grid actually
BasCB (@bascb)
9th May 2012, 20:46
I wouldn’t be too sure of that @todfod!
Adam Tate (@adam-tate)
8th May 2012, 17:52
Now that would be something indeed!!
TED BELL
8th May 2012, 16:46
And the point of this exercise is???
Adam Tate (@adam-tate)
8th May 2012, 17:55
To give a young Spanish driver an opportunity to drive in front of the Spanish fans and media. First and foremost it is a morale and P.R. boosting exercise, but it is also truly valuable to Clos as it gives him some real F1 experience. Sure it’s a little A1GP feeling, but I doubt if anyone would be disappointinted to see Rossi get another Friday practice drive when the teams come to Austin in 6 months time.
TED BELL
8th May 2012, 19:23
So its more of a PR move than anything else, maybe it might bring a sponsor to the team. All about money in the end and nothing to do with Clos himself…
LucaBadoerFan (@lucabadoerfan)
8th May 2012, 18:21
i know this will be clos’ first go in f1 machinery – and it is only fp1, which we cannot read into, but i am interested to see how he compares to pedro during the session.
James (@jamesf1)
8th May 2012, 22:12
I was thinking the same, although I’m not expecting much and expect Pedro de la Rosa to have a good second or so cushion on Clos. Furthermore, Clos’s GP2 performances have been less than desireable this year.
This is probably 90% PR/Money making excercise, 5% driver development at HRT and 5% car evaluation from a different pair of hands.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
9th May 2012, 7:29
I hope they can hang on to him (if he’s any good in an F1 car). It’s nice to think that HRT could have some continuity for the future.