The small Spanish Formula 1 team, HRT, may well have contested its third and final season in Formula 1 as it has not been sold in time to register for the 2013 World Championship.
In 2012, HRT ranked 12th, and last in the Constructors' Championship after it failed to score a single point.
Pedro de la Rosa
Best place in qualifications: 20th
Best race result: 17th (4 times)
Retired 4 times
Narain Karthikeyan
Best place in qualifications: 21st (once)
Best race result: 15th Monaco
Retired 7 times
In 2009, HRT F1 Team -- founded by former driver, Adrián Campos -- became the first Spanish team in history to obtain the license to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship for 2010. Unfortunately, the decision was taken when Spain had just entered a very serious economic crisis. No local company could affort to sponsor the new team.
It was sold to José Ramón Carabante before its debut in 2010, and then to investment group, Thesan Capital in July 2011.
Colin Kolles (ex-Force India) was team principal, however, the Romanian quit HRT last summer along with his mechanics and equipment, leaving the small team without a base.
Despite the fact that the F112 cars were powered by Cosworth engines, they were terribly slow and aerodynamically inefficient. Indian, Narain Karthikeyan, scored the team's best result this year at Monaco (after nine cars retired...), but the vastly experienced Pedro de la Rosa was far more consistent.
The history of HRT can be summarised as a complete disaster. Yes, the Formula 1 circus needs the smaller teams to put on a good show, but HRT never had the budget, the technical expertise nor the infrastructure to compete at this level.
In 2012, HRT ranked 12th, and last in the Constructors' Championship after it failed to score a single point.
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| Pedro De la Rosa. (Photo: HRT F1 Team) |
Pedro de la Rosa
Best place in qualifications: 20th
Best race result: 17th (4 times)
Retired 4 times
Narain Karthikeyan
Best place in qualifications: 21st (once)
Best race result: 15th Monaco
Retired 7 times
In 2009, HRT F1 Team -- founded by former driver, Adrián Campos -- became the first Spanish team in history to obtain the license to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship for 2010. Unfortunately, the decision was taken when Spain had just entered a very serious economic crisis. No local company could affort to sponsor the new team.
It was sold to José Ramón Carabante before its debut in 2010, and then to investment group, Thesan Capital in July 2011.
Colin Kolles (ex-Force India) was team principal, however, the Romanian quit HRT last summer along with his mechanics and equipment, leaving the small team without a base.
 |
| HRT F112. (Photo: HRT F1 Team) |
Despite the fact that the F112 cars were powered by Cosworth engines, they were terribly slow and aerodynamically inefficient. Indian, Narain Karthikeyan, scored the team's best result this year at Monaco (after nine cars retired...), but the vastly experienced Pedro de la Rosa was far more consistent.
The history of HRT can be summarised as a complete disaster. Yes, the Formula 1 circus needs the smaller teams to put on a good show, but HRT never had the budget, the technical expertise nor the infrastructure to compete at this level.