I don’t know any other way to read this news as, “HRT is having serious money flow problems.”
Japanese driver Sakon Yamamoto will replace Indian Karun Chandhok for the German Grand Prix next week, a flip of the scenario we saw at the British Grand Prix when Bruno Senna was the odd man out.
Not much spin yet from HRT. Here’s information from the team’s release:
After Sakon Yamamoto gave a very positive performance in Silverstone, the team has decided to give the Japanese driver another opportunity to drive the car alongside Bruno Senna. Karun Chandhok is still part of the Hispania Racing, HRT F1 Team family and is likely to be in the car at some later races this season.
Did I miss something? Did Yamamoto give a “very position performance?” I guess he finished — and the team is touting its effort to have another double finish at Hockenheim — but other than that… was there anything?
Chandhok seems to be quiet so far about the move.
I know there were some rumors that Senna got pulled from his seat because he made some disparaging remarks about Colin Kolles. This news would seem to suggest that wasn’t necessarily the case.
Can the real reason be anything but money problems? And it sure sounds like the team might be keeping Chandhok out of more races. Maybe his money has run out?
