HRT: it’s over!

Invited to comment on the rumors by Radio Marca, the director of the Spanish team confirms the disappearance of the HRT team, at the decision of José Ramon Carabante, the owner of the team, as he no longer wants to invest a single euro at a loss.

Asked about the reasons for this withdrawal, even though his remarks were optimistic just a few days ago, Kolles states: « I wanted to believe in it, despite the difficulties we’re facing, but we can no longer waste our energy and money on Formula One when we’re not even sure if we can participate in the next Grand Prix. In Australia, we hoped the FIA would show leniency towards us, understand our situation, but clearly, they no longer want us! »

Some sources reported earlier in the day the defection of several team members. It seems today that the departure plans of some have hastened the fate of the small Spanish team.

« We were in contact with a sponsor who pulled out at the last minute. Some of our employees have been working without being able to be paid for weeks, and for some even months. I am proud of them, but today, we can no longer ask them to make such efforts, they have families to feed and passion is no longer enough for them » confides Kolles, before specifying: « Our technical director [editor’s note: Geoff Willis] announced his intention to leave the team, and unfortunately, I understand him. We no longer have the means to develop the car, we are severely lacking parts, and we are sometimes forced to use last year’s elements, like our front wing for example: how could we hope to qualify in Malaysia? »

But HRT does not intend to be the only one to bear the weight of its failure after just one year of existence: « We have undoubtedly made mistakes, but we have received very little support. […] Since our arrival, Mr. Ecclestone has continually made disparaging remarks about us, which has discouraged many potential partners […]. Let us not forget that the FIA failed to keep its promise regarding budgets: we cannot compete against the leading teams that have spent last season and the start of this season labeling us as mobile chicanes » regrets Colin Kolles.

Even worse, a few days ago, the Spanish team had not been spared by Carlos Gracia, president of the Spanish Automobile Sports Federation, on the airwaves of Radio Marca: “I want a serious Spanish team with a reasonable budget and not a team that makes a fool of itself. Hispania has not done its job. You cannot compete in F1 under such precarious conditions.”

« Mr. Gracia can be reassured, the honor of Spain is now safe. » Kolles joked.

However, despite the criticisms, Kolles remains philosophical: “We still need to find a solution for our employees […]. F1 was undoubtedly a too ambitious project for us, especially when the budget cap was abandoned, but our team has qualities and expertise that could allow it to shine elsewhere.”

The technical director is no longer keeping secrets about the plans of HRT and José Ramon Carabante: “We are going to explore the possibility of joining GP2, as early as this year, or at the latest, in 2012! This would allow us to save some jobs and the budgets are well within our reach. This could very well involve an economic and technical partnership with an existing structure or a completely new structure built on the foundations of the F1 team. We have things to prove and, who knows, we might be able to make our return to F1 in 2013!” concluded Kolin Kolles.

Update: Some of you may have guessed it: this is an April Fool’s joke developed in two articles! However, if it seemed credible to you for a moment, it’s because this article could indeed come to life one day, unfortunately for the small Spanish team!