Australian GP: Can Narain Karthikeyan avoid embarrassment?

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Narain Karthikeyan is putting on a brave face.

As Hispania Racing Team’s lack of running at practice sessions threatening to reduce their drivers into spectators for the second time at the season-opening Australian GP, the Indian F1 driver is desperate to avoid embarrassment.

Last year, HRT cars didn’t make it to the grid in Melbourne as they failed to make cut into 107 per cent qualifying cut-off. Situation is not so rosy this time. HRT missed all the pre-season tests before reaching the Albert Park circuit and both the practice sessions on Friday were unproductive.

While Narain managed just 19 laps for a best timing of 1:42.627, which is 13.444s off the pace of session topper Michael Schumacher’s 1:29.183s, his teammate Pedro de la Rosa could only do a single lap. Narain had a fuel pressure issue in first practice and the second was cut short by a problem in hydraulics.

Narain didn’t mince his words about making the grid. “I have to qualify, there are no two ways about it. If we don’t qualify, it’s a shame,” he said.

Team principal Luis Perez Sala said “it will be difficult” to qualify for the race. “For us here in Melbourne, it’s a place where we can take some information on the cars and go forward to the next race. I am not thinking about the speed of the cars, we are trying to fit all the things to make do,” he said.

Karun fifth fastest

Elsewhere, Karun Chandhok has begun his new innings in endurance racing on a positive note as his JRM Racing team emerged fifth fastest in the final practice session of the World Endurance Championship season-opener in Sebring.

Sharing driving duties with Peter Dumbreck and David Brabham, Karun warmed up well for his first endurance race.

“There is so much for me to learn but the team is happy with what I have done so far and my team-mates have been very helpful. They have done a lot of endurance racing and this has been useful for me,” he added.