Chandhok eyes return in crowded driver market

Nov 26, 2010 |

Reuters

London, Nov. 26: Indian Karun Chandhok will test with GP2 teams in Abu Dhabi this weekend while still hoping for a return to Formula One next year in time for his country’s first grand prix.

The 26-year-old, who made 10 starts for the struggling Hispania (HRT) F1 team this year, said he was hopeful of securing a place without mentioning any interested parties. “My goal for next year as I’ve said before is still firmly to be in Formula One and negotiations for a drive in the 2011 F1 World Championship are progressing in the right way,” he said in a statement on Friday.

“So hopefully we’ll have a final programme in place before the F1 world shuts for Christmas,” he said.

Chandhok tested a GP2 car in France last week but said the Abu Dhabi outing was a good chance to learn a new circuit and be race ready for 2011. Force India and Lotus, yet to confirm their line-ups, could be targets but competition for places is intense with teams increasingly looking for drivers to bring sponsorship.

Austrian Christian Klien, who also raced for HRT this year and is looking for a seat, suggested the sport’s increasing embrace of the emerging economies was being reflected in the driver market. “Some time ago your best chance to get a drive in Formula One was when you were British, French or Italian,” he said on his website www. christian-klien.com.

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