Narain Karthikeyan returns to Formula 1 via HRT

Narain Karthikeyan returns to Formula 1 via HRT

Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan is making a Formula 1 comeback, and his 2011 race seat will be courtesy of HRT. There’s no official statement from the Spanish-based team yet, but Karthikeyan has already told the Indian media and blasted it out via Twitter. His return coincides with India hosting an F1 race for the first time, in October.

“Back in F1 in 2011. Signed a deal to race for HRT. I’ve always maintained that my time in F1 was not over and now making good on that promise,” he tweeted.

“It’s been a while in the making, but I am delighted to be racing again in Formula 1 in 2011. I have always maintained that I have not given up on my desire to return to the top level of motorsport. I am confident that I have the pace, the fitness and the will to succeed in F1.

“I am extremely grateful to the Tata Group, without whose unwavering support this comeback would not have been possible. I’m looking forward to racing for HRT and to working again with Dr Colin Kolles. We have a long standing and excellent working relationship together,” he told The Times of India.

Karthikeyan’s last season in F1 was 2005 with the Jordan team. He then spent two seasons as test driver for Williams before representing India in the A1GP series. The 34-year old also tried out the Le Mans Series and competed last season in NASCAR’s Truck Series.

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • buloss on Jan 07, 2011 at 11:27 am

    india: they can race anywhere ,but cannot provide the circuit yet,, especially after commonwealth 2010 case..
    malaysia: 10 year back we can provide the circuit, then we sponser, last year we star provide the team, maybe 2022 we win…hope so…

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  • Firdaus Abdullah on Jan 07, 2011 at 11:51 am

    Good luck to Narain. Btw what is the latest on Fairuz? Is his days in F1 completely disappeared?

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    • bryan.jones on Jan 07, 2011 at 2:50 pm

      he go back to F2 so he can race regularly. just like Macheda going for a loan to small club for regular outfit.

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  • drMpower on Jan 07, 2011 at 1:12 pm

    I thought some teams have this pay-per-race seat offer
    yamamoto paid some money for few last races last season

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  • that chick in white is smoookin

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    • tycoon88 on Jan 07, 2011 at 2:56 pm

      u forgot to add the word “HOoooT”

      boy…she sure has d body 2 die 4 :)

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  • Wooow, i’m sure now narain has a lot of booster and motivation to win the race after rubbing shoulder against these womans……..

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  • I’m sure that Narain guy trying hard to widen his arms closer to those girls.

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  • narain use to be known as a hard core party goer, eddie jordans says this before.
    m not sure how he got the seat, obviously heavy funding from TATA.

    no offense, but i just feel, sometime you can really see the burning heart and burning desire to win in races, like an hungry wolves all the time. Fernando has this, Lewis has this.. Massa lost it mid last-season. Even, Buemi has it… a Fighter at all scenario.

    Narain ? no judgment but everyone should be given a 2nd chance, we’ll see how it goes come March in the Bahrain opening..

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  • oh yeah, Narain and Vijay M never got along…
    did anyone wonder, why he never drove for Force India?…simply, Vijay sees a winning driver and … you know….

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  • lifeisbeautiful on Jan 07, 2011 at 3:38 pm

    :p~~~~

    those chicks are hot…..especially with the white dress…she got bigggg….ops…heheheheheh

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    • osh_kosh on Jan 07, 2011 at 8:15 pm

      at most it’s just ‘B’ cup la macha.. the style she posed was to make u think it’s bigger than it truly is.. :)

      anyway, on a more serious note.. I think Narian is far worse a driver than Karun.. i rather see Karun race for next season than this guy.. *sigh*

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  • belladonna on Jan 07, 2011 at 3:49 pm

    ada report -narain had up to $8 million to spend on a seat…f1 zaman skrg
    u kena bwk personal sponsor byk2 baru u dpt a seat….lihat la Fairuz , lack of
    sponsor buat dia release fm Lotus….ada com Msia lebih suka taja org luar je…
    Msia ni harap ada litar lumba F1 je tp sedih no local driver….

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    • hangtuaha on Jan 07, 2011 at 11:16 pm

      local tak boleh.

      kena ada cable. kena bapak datuk.

      kalau you apa pun tak ada, tau bawak kereta saja, duduk tepi.

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  • belladonna on Jan 07, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    ada report -narain had up to $8 million to spend on q seat…f1 zaman skrg
    u kena bwk personal sponsor byk2 baru la u kan dpt a seat..lihat la fairuz sbb
    lack of sponsor dia release fm Lotus…

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    • Ferruccio on Jan 09, 2011 at 1:50 am

      Fairuz was being paid by the team to be their test driver. No other team would pay their test driver. Hope Fairuz appreciated that.

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  • racefans on Jan 07, 2011 at 4:08 pm

    best of luck to Narain, wonder will Alex Yoong make a comeback to F1 also :o

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  • belladonna on Jan 07, 2011 at 5:35 pm

    Alex wl not as he lack of sponsor …..nice to see he comeback to F1 but that
    the problem..

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    • osh_kosh on Jan 07, 2011 at 8:23 pm

      yup, true… but Alex also is too old…. plus too slow.. LOL

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      • he is not too SLOW…but his car makes he VERY SLOW……remember….he is driving minardi…not ferrari……chiillll…

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        • Playboy Beriman on Jan 08, 2011 at 6:09 am

          but Mark Webber drove that Minardi too……..

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        • i think during that time back in 2001, it is not that he was slow, it was the during the pit-stop, the petrol pumper would take off his head gear and ask alex..
          ” baru .. lama ?”, and this caused him the secs.. he needed.. sigh..

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        • ayuarjuna on Jan 08, 2011 at 9:24 am

          remember that his teammate also driving a Minardi… why most of the time only Alex struggled to qualified in the race? owh i forgot, his teammate was Alonso, everyone can be slower than him i guess.. chiill (also lah) hehe

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  • belladonna on Jan 08, 2011 at 10:51 am

    alex not too slow la…u c during that time Mark Webber is 1st driver n Alex ia 2nd
    dirver…u all thinking2 la…

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  • shah rukh khan on Jan 09, 2011 at 6:27 pm

    Tata + Tony F + Tune Air = Force Macha F1 Team

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