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Ecclestone urged India to get behind Chandhok
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06 March 2010 @ 11:00 GMT - Max Loop The new Hispania Racing Team (HRT) has signed India driver Karun Chandhok to drive for them in 2010. F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has urged India to get behind him when he makes his F1 debut next Sunday at the Bahrain grand prix. The announcement came a week ahead of the first free practice session for the Bahrain GP and Chandhok is the second India driver to race in F1. The first was Narain Karthikeyan with Jordan in 2005. "I am very happy to see that Karun has finally secured his place on the Formula One grid," the 79-year-old Ecclestone wrote in a statement. "It's been a bit last minute but the main thing is that he is there and with a team that should provide him stability and a chance to learn," he said. "While I believe it's going to take Karun until mid-season to be able to show his potential, I wish him all the very best for this season and look forward to seeing the Indian media and public get behind him this year," he added. India will host its first F1 race in 2011 and Ecclestone said Chandhok's arrival was the logical next step for the country. "India is rapidly growing to be one of the most important and powerful players in the world of business, culture and sport and at FOM (Formula One Management) we look at India very seriously," he said. "We have an Indian F1 team on the grid, we will have an Indian Grand Prix thanks to the Jaypee Group in 2011 and so it seems only right that there should be an Indian driver in Formula One," he said. |
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