HRT to miss Mugello test!

**Fast_ian** · #1 04-25-2012, 01:30 PM

Hey,

I know not many give a damn, but these guys just seem unable to move forward at all - WTF are they doing concentrating on moving house rather than getting some track time!?

Will they last the season?........

From Autosport;

Quote:

The HRT team has announced that it will not attend next week's test at the Mugello circuit.

The Spanish squad is currently relocating to its new headquarters in Madrid and said that it wants to focus on the relocation and on the new upgrade package that will be introduced at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

"The start to the season was a little bit rushed for us and, since the cars were set up for the first time, we have been working on them at the Grands Prix," said team boss Luis Perez-Sala.

"The team and the material have just got back from Bahrain after leaving for Australia in early March. And they return, for the first time, to the team's new headquarters at the Caja Magica in Madrid.

Cheers,
Ian
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99142

**Far Out** · #2 04-25-2012, 02:15 PM

That really seems like a bad decision - do they need the track squad and the engineers so urgently for their move?!

**Ferraripilot** · #3 04-25-2012, 02:46 PM

This is just.......strange. Ok then.

DeSoto · #4 04-25-2012, 03:17 PM

Maybe they´re not the greatest of all time, but both in 2010 and 2011 they´ve managed to beat Virgin-Marussia-whatever with more limited resources, so hey, they´re somewhat punching over their weight.

And they outlasted the USF1 team...

mcarthurc · #5 04-25-2012, 04:12 PM

Isn't more or less every race a test? I'm not trolling, but lets be honest they aren't really competing on the same level.

TifosiUSA · #6 04-25-2012, 04:54 PM

What a joke...

Simon^2 · #7 04-25-2012, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcarthurc

Isn't more or less every race a test? I'm not trolling, but lets be honest they aren't really competing on the same level.

Yes. But they are essentially giving up one race weekend,... and will therefore fall 1 more weekend behind.

They are obviously not in F1 to win or compete. So why are they there? Just to be on the field? Pretty weak.

I hope they miss the 107% in Spain...

freshmeat · #8 04-25-2012, 07:46 PM

and I should care about a backmarker because...?

TifosiUSA · #9 04-25-2012, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon^2

Yes. But they are essentially giving up one race weekend,... and will therefore fall 1 more weekend behind.

They are obviously not in F1 to win or compete. So why are they there? Just to be on the field? Pretty weak.

I hope they miss the 107% in Spain...

Exactly. I get tired of the constant news about HRT floundering in one way or another. Time to **** or get off the pot.

**Sellnit** · #10 04-25-2012, 10:58 PM

I have to admit I respect them for showing up every weekend. They have committed the time and money to be in F1. As we know they will never be competitive. They are putting their $ where their mouth is. Better than Branson and many before have done. Personally I find their paint scheme more offensive than anything else.

**Fast_ian** · #11 04-25-2012, 11:03 PM

Ouch!....... As I said in the op, I know many don't care, and that's fine too.

What I don't get is the apparent 'hate' directed their way - They've built a team from scratch, and are running under 107. Their budget is tiny. They are sponsorless. They've made many mistakes (this being another IMO) but at least they're out there.

While I agree, they suck, I choose to wish 'em well rather than hate them. Sir Frank was a joke too back in the day.....

Cheers,
Ian

**Fast_ian** · #12 04-25-2012, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sellnit

I have to admit I respect them for showing up every weekend. They have committed the time and money to be in F1......

+1

Further, they've not based themselves in the great 'Silverstone triangle' where most of the others are based - Round there, someone will build anything you want, fast, if needed. I can't help thinking its not the same in Spain......(?) No offense intended to our Spanish viewers of course.

Cheers,
Ian

Remy Zero · #13 04-25-2012, 11:14 PM

I think this just shows how silly the FIA can be. Of course, there should be small teams. We all need the small teams. However, it goes beyond that when these small teams are just too slow, even slower than GP2 cars.

The main reason would obviously be the budget. I'm not sure how the FIA selects new teams, but i think they should conduct a thorough investigation into the financial background of each new teams, and see if they are really worthy of F1.

This is after all, F1, probably the most expensive sport out there. Everyone knows that. The FIA and HRT team bosses should know too, not making themselves look like a clown at the end of the day.

**Whisky** · #14 04-25-2012, 11:25 PM

I said the same thing a year ago when the small teams could not make it out of Q1.
If you don't make it to Q3 then you lose soooo much track time you never develop, you never catch up. These guys need all the track time they can get.

**bigodino** · #15 04-26-2012, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Remy Zero

Of course, there should be small teams.

Why? Because it looks prettier on the starting grid? I'd rather have 12 cars that have a realistic shot at a podium finish than 24 cars just because it looks nice at the start.

Fan512bbi · #16 04-26-2012, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast_ian

Ouch!....... As I said in the op, I know many don't care, and that's fine too.

What I don't get is the apparent 'hate' directed their way - They've built a team from scratch, and are running under 107. Their budget is tiny. They are sponsorless. They've made many mistakes (this being another IMO) but at least they're out there.

While I agree, they suck, I choose to wish 'em well rather than hate them. Sir Frank was a joke too back in the day.....

Cheers,
Ian

Agree 100% mate

DeSoto · #17 04-26-2012, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast_ian

+1

Further, they've not based themselves in the great 'Silverstone triangle' where most of the others are based - Round there, someone will build anything you want, fast, if needed. I can't help thinking its not the same in Spain......(?) No offense intended to our Spanish viewers of course.

Cheers,
Ian

Yes. But the same goes for Sauber, and even Ferrari, and they´re alive and kicking. Their car was actually made by Dallara.

In the end it´s not their fault: I don´t know who decided to accept the entries of Virgin, USF1 and HRT instead of Prodrive´s or ART´s.

**Dipsomaniac** · #18 04-26-2012, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whisky

I said the same thing a year ago when the small teams could not make it out of Q1.
If you don't make it to Q3 then you lose soooo much track time you never develop, you never catch up. These guys need all the track time they can get.

yeh it's a strange decision from HRT .. surely they should be pushing for as much on track testing as possible.

I reckon they should allow unlimited in-season testing for the bottom 5 teams from the previous year in order to bring the field closer together. Yes it will cost them more money, but with success comes sponsorship so there is a trade off. Obviously the FIA will need to police the end of season races to make sure teams don't intentionally under perform in order to make the testing cut.

**speedy_sam** · #19 04-26-2012, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast_ian

Ouch!....... As I said in the op, I know many don't care, and that's fine too.

What I don't get is the apparent 'hate' directed their way - They've built a team from scratch, and are running under 107. Their budget is tiny. They are sponsorless. They've made many mistakes (this being another IMO) but at least they're out there.

While I agree, they suck, I choose to wish 'em well rather than hate them. Sir Frank was a joke too back in the day.....

Cheers,
Ian

No hate but it seems pointless .. they are like little children running underfoot and tripping up the adults.

No class drivers + No decent designers + No budget + No testing = No hope.

**Fast_ian** · #20 04-26-2012, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whisky

I said the same thing a year ago when the small teams could not make it out of Q1.
If you don't make it to Q3 then you lose soooo much track time you never develop, you never catch up.

And I disagreed with this analysis a year back too. I'll reiterate; losing 25 minutes isn't going to make one iota of difference to them or anyone else.

- They've already had 4 hours of FP + 20 minutes of qualy - If they can't get it sorted by then, they're definitely not going to do any good, or even learn anything in Q2. Qualy is low fuel, balls out, single lap stuff, not trying to develop the car or play catch up.
- Then they've got ~2 hours in the race which can be used as a test session if they want to.
- The minimal loss of run time (which applies to over half the grid as we know) is absolutely not the reason the tail enders are the tail enders.

We could revisit the qualy format - I know many here pine for the days of empty tracks and then them all complaining about getting balked in the last 5 minutes - No thanks! I believe this format - Force 'em to run and get rid of the slowest is one of the best innovations we've seen in F1 for decades.

Quote:

These guys need all the track time they can get.

Indeed. They could run for 3 days in Mugello - Much more important than moving in to their new digs and the reason I made the OP.

Cheers,
Ian