Karun Chandhok thread .. in F1 for season 2010 with HRT F1

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Re: Karun Chandhok thread.. (Wins sprint race GP2 @ Spa)

Post by jaydeep »

Karun Chandhok shoots down any feud with Narain Karthikeyan in his interview ... He said that both having eyes on a Formula One drive ... Karun also discussed about next GP2 Asian series.

No feud with Karthikeyan: Chandhok
"I think today we've both matured and understand that this is the way things are. We respect each others ability and that helps to make sure that even though certain sections like to hype up a 'feud' between us, we manage to diffuse that."

"He (Narain) is a very talented driver with loads of experience. A few months ago I had said that he would be one of the favourites in A1 GP."

"I certainly expected him to win races and so it wasn't a surprise for me when he won in China. The reality is that he is a good driver with a good team around him, so why shouldn't he win?"
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Re: Karun Chandhok thread.. (Wins sprint race GP2 @ Spa)

Post by ajay »

Great start to 2008 for Karun with a podium finish in the second race of the GP2 Asia series at Dubai. Congratulations Karun!!
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Re: Karun Chandhok thread .. with ORT in GP2 Series for 2009

Post by jaydeep »

For season 2009 Karun signed with Ocean Racing Technology (ORT) for the GP2 Main Series ... ORT outfit directed by former Formula One driver Tiago Monteiro, who was at Jordan Formula 1 teaming Narain Karthikeyan.

ORT is a new team in the GP2 series for 2009 ...It is the first Portuguese race team to compete in GP2 and is based at the all new Algarve Circuit in Portugal

Karun Chandhok said - "I'm very happy to have concluded a deal with Ocean Racing Technology. I've known Tiago for a few years now since we briefly raced together in World Series and of course he was Narain [Karthikeyan]'s team-mate at Jordan. I really believe that having an ex-F1 driver running a team is a big plus as he understands what is needed from our perspective."

"Of course, going to a new team is always a bit of a gamble for a driver. Any new team will take some time to get fully up to speed and it's slightly unrealistic to think we are going to be Championship contenders, but certainly the objective is to win races this year. Isport was a very good team but we could not conclude a suitable financial agreement and have parted ways on good terms. My experience with them will certainly be of benefit as I work to develop ORT into a front running team."

"Tiago and his partner Jose Guedes made us a great offer in terms of a technical and financial package and we were able to agree terms quite easily. The engineers who have joined ORT, Nigel Clyde and Tom Davis are good people that I have known for a while and I am confident that together we can all work to be successful this year."


Chandhok signs with ORT for 2009
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Re: Karun Chandhok thread .. with ORT in GP2 Series for 2009

Post by david »

Karun says he will be racing in the GP 2 this weekend in Bahrain. It is a supporting race to the F1 World Championship. The last three races, it was good listening to his commentary on Star Sports at the F1 races.

Glad he is back, behind the steering wheel after a long gap.
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Re: Karun Chandhok thread .. with ORT in GP2 Series for 2009

Post by jaydeep »

At 2009 GP2 Series, Silverstone, Great Britain

In 2009 GP2 Series, Karun Chandhok is participating with new team Ocean Racing Technology ... Karun failed to complete in both races at Spain in first race ... But in second race at Monaco, Karun opened his team's account with 7th position in first race ... At Turkey he managed to finish both races but couldn't able to score point.

But Karun had different plan for 4th race at Silverstone ... In qualifying he finished on 12th position ... In first race with excellent driving he finished on 6th position ... But in second race he drove exceptional to grab podium finish (Ocean Racing's first podium) ... Which pushed Karun to 11th position in driver's standing with 9 points.

Here is interview with GP2 Series journalist after podium finish at Silverstone
GP2 Series: Karun, congratulations on your first podium for the year, and obviously Ocean Racing's first podium of the year...

Karun Chandhok: Their first podium ever! [laughs] It was a reasonable race: in the first part we had the same pace as the first two guys, and then I started to struggle for traction from the middle of the race. I was doing similar lap times to Zuber, even in the middle part, but then we saw it drop away towards the end, just struggling in the second and third sector: the first sector was still quicker all through the race, but we were just struggling in the traction zones. But we got the points in the end, and it wasn't the most exciting race: I think the most exciting part was me running around, trying to find the toilet at the start! I found toilet number four eventually was open! [laughs] That's been the most exciting part of the day! The main thing is this is a great result for the team: they've worked so hard this year and been bloody unlucky, as everybody knows, so it's nice that they've got a nice shiny pot to take back to Portugal with them this weekend.

GP2 Series: It was one of those races where everyone has the pace but the grid just stretches across the race...

Karun: Yeah, it's one of those nothing races! [laughs] I think Silverstone is a bit like that: the first half of the lap means that the guys following destroy their tyres while following, and therefore they can't overtake. That's just the way it is around here: I had the same problem here yesterday with Grosjean, I just destroyed the front tyres and that was it.

GP2 Series: As you say, a nice shiny pot for the team, and their first one: how much of a lift will this give them?

Karun: Yeah, it's great for them: I think they're all really motivated, especially after Monaco because they felt, and rightly so, that they all deserved something from there, so I'm glad that they finally got something. We're pushing like hell, and the main thing is we've earnt respect and credibility now as a new team: I think everybody up and down this pitlane thinks we're a genuine, front running team now. We're quick in practice, we should have been P3 and P4 in qualifying if not for the traffic, we're a genuine, front-running team, and hopefully now our fortunes have changed in terms of luck and we can keep pushing from here.
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Re: Karun Chandhok thread .. with ORT in GP2 Series for 2009

Post by david »

Congratulations to Karun! Good effort by the team!!
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Re: Karun Chandhok thread .. with ORT in GP2 Series for 2009

Post by suresh »

Welcome back David. Nice to see you posting again.

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Re: Karun Chandhok thread .. in F1 for season 2010 with HRT F1

Post by jaydeep »

Congratulation Karun for joining Formula1 with Hispania Racing F1 Team ... Wishing with ur performance u will fulfill ur dream of racing for top team in F1.
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Re: Karun Chandhok thread .. in F1 for season 2010 with HRT F1

Post by jaydeep »

Nice interview of Karun about his F1 participation and preparation.

Don't want to be a one-year wonder, says Karun Chandok
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Re: Karun Chandhok thread .. in F1 for season 2010 with HRT F1

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crashed in first f1 start
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Re: Karun Chandhok thread .. in F1 for season 2010 with HRT F1

Post by david »

Fantastic work Karun. Finishing the race for the second time is a great achievement for a fledgling team like HRT.
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