HRT makes step forward
Both HRT F1 cars passed their second ever qualifying successfully completing each ten laps in Q1, and improved from their morning time to 1.30.526 for Bruno Senna and 1.30.613 for Karun Chandhok. They posted laps in the mid 1m30s bracket - six seconds away from the fastest driver in Q1, which is another great step forward.
Unlike Bahrain they will start their HRT F1 from the grid for tomorrow’s “Qantas’s Australian Grand Prix”.
Bruno Senna: “It’s been a bit of a difficult day, stopping on the circuit this morning with an hydraulic problem after we solved yesterday’s fuel pressure problem and then we did a good job with the team. We continue to learn how the car reacts to set up changes. We left early in the session as we were afraid that it would just start to rain. To finish where we are on the grid is okay in the circumstances, and the goal is to make it through the race tomorrow.”
Karun Chandhok: “I was one of the early starters and joined track with a set of soft tyres. I wanted to make it through Q1 and I did. I am very pleased with this result for our second Grand Prix. We are not too far from the top runners.I haven’t made any significant errors. It’s a great way to start my F1 career!”
Dr. Colin Kolles, Team Principal: “To have both cars go through the Q1 session is a good result. After the hard work we have been doing, it is nice that we can focus on finer details now. Both drivers did a good job in this second qualifying and handled all the pressure extremely well. Congratulations to the whole team for a great job.”
