New F1 Team Hispania Racing F1 Names Chandhok to Drive

Recently stabilized by secure funding and management, the racing outlet now known as the HRT F1 Team (the team has now dropped the full Hispania Racing F1 name banner) scrambles to ready itself for the 2010 Formula 1 season. Holding the last vacancy of all the committed Formula 1 teams, HRT filled the gap with just 10 days remaining before the V8 F1 engines start at Bahrain. Joining the team's first named driver Bruno Senna, HRT has opted for another newcomer to F1 slating India's Karun Chandhok to command the team's other Cosworth-powered Dallara.

The second Indian driver to ever run in the Formula 1 tour (Narain Karthikeyan was the first in 2005, driving 19 races for Jordan Grand Prix), Karun Chandhok has shown himself a rising talent in the GP2 series. Formula 1 interest in the driver has spawned from 2007 when Chandhok served as a test driver with Red Bull Racing. Enthusiasm for Chandhok was renewed in 2009 when Force India was seeking a mid-season replacement to Giancarlo Fisichella.

In a distinguished career that included two GP2 wins, Kuran Chandhok's highlight is being crowned the first champion for the Asian Formula Renault series in 2006 winning an impressive 7 races and 9 poles.

Vitaly Petrov Joins Kubica in 2010 Renault F1 Team

Photo Credit: Renault F1 Team


As teams like Mercedes GP, Ferrari and McLaren F1 are taking the wraps off their competition machines, there are still a few organizations rushing through their final full-month of preparation for the 2010 Formula 1 season. The Renault F1 Team remained as one of the only returning Grand Prix teams yet to confirm drivers for both vehicles. Signing former BMW Sauber driver Robert Kubica before the end of the 2009 Formula 1 season, the Renault F1 Team waited until the 31st of January to add Kubica's teammate. Alongside the Polish driver, Renault has committed to F1 rookie Vitaly Petrov to pair with Kubica.

Making his first big mark in the Russian Lada Revolution Championship, Petrov won pole in every round in 2004 and the overall championship in 2005. His latest accomplishments have been some standout runs made in GP2 races for both the European and Asia series. The 26 year old Petrov's young career is highlighted last season by a runner-up spot in the major GP2 championship behind Nico Hülkenberg (Hulkenberg has been signed to drive for Williams F1 through 2010).



Photo Credit: Andrew Ferraro /LAT Photographic

Petrov's addition comes on the team's introduction of the Renault R30 race car in Valencia, Spain. A rookie set become the first Russian driver to compete on the full 2010 Formula 1 schedule, Vitaly Petrov name was no stranger to Grand Prix insiders. At the end of 2009, Petrov was highly rumoured to be behind the wheel of a race car belonging to Formula 1 newcomer Campos Meta.

Toro Rosso F1 Team Names Alguersuari to Complete 2010 Driver Line-up

With a month and a half remaining before the 2010 Formula 1 season, Scuderia Toro Rosso chose to retain the driver lineup they ended in the 2009 F1 tour. On Friday, Toro Rosso announced resigning the 2008 F3 Champion Jaime Alguersuari to the second Ferrari-powered entry for the Faenza, Italy-based F1 team. Joining Sebestian Buemi, Alguersuari driving duties for the Toro Rosso race team started at the Hungarian Grand Prix in July 2009 when multiple time Champ car champion Sebestian Bourdais stepped away from the organization. In 8 races, Jaime Alguersuari's best finish has been a 14th place at the Brazian Grand Prix in one of only 3 races he was able to complete in the Toro Rosso-Ferrari for the 2009 Formula 1 season.

The Scuderia Toro Rosso team ended last season poorly, scoring only 8 points in the entire 2009 Formula 1 placing the Red Bull-owned team in last position for the F1 constructor championship. In the previous year, Sebestian Vettal (promoted to the Red Bull Racing team in 2009) captured a surprise checkered flag at the Italian Grand Prix on the high-speed Monza curcuit leading to the Toro Rosso team's best F1 year since their debut in 2006. As the team takes the grid for 2010, ScuderiaToro Rosso will hope that either Alguersuari or Buemi will find the right stuff to allow the team to taste the champagne of victory again.