Senna says Yamamoto debut was ‘internal decision’

Bruno Senna has refused to shed any light on his mysterious one-race break from racing duties at Silverstone.

HRT’s reserve driver Sakon Yamamoto is in Brazilian rookie Senna’s car in Britain, amid paddock reports the Japanese and his sponsors offered 5 million euros to race the last ten grands prix of 2010.

The Spanish team has said only that it wanted to give Yamamoto an “opportunity” this weekend, but HRT had set up its Silverstone garage with ‘Bruno’ signage in the pits and even temporarily on the side of the F110 car.

After meetings involving Senna, boss Colin Kolles, HRT owner Jose Ramon Carabante and Senna’s managers Chris Goodwin and Bianca Senna, the team said the 26-year-old will be back in the car in Hockenheim and beyond.

Brazilian reports say Senna’s contract does not allow the team to change race drivers this year, but an agreement for Silverstone was reached in the meetings before the press statement was issued.

And Senna said only to Brazil’s TV Globo: “It was an internal decision.

“They wanted to give an opportunity to Sakon for a while.  There are four drivers in the team.

“Of course I would like to be in the car and racing here, it’s one of my favourite tracks.  But what matters most is that I will be back in Germany and the following races,” he added.

© RIF | GMM