Narain Karthikeyan has played down reports about Pirelli’s 2011 tyres, and also the driveability of the HRT car.<\/p>\n
The Indian, who has been signed by the struggling Spanish team for 2011, had not driven a F1 car since 2007 when he was a test driver with Williams.<\/p>\n
He drove Hispania’s 2010 car at Valencia recently, and this week he is back in action for some filming with Pirelli at Monza.<\/p>\n
“It was said that the HRT car was very difficult to drive,” he said in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport.<\/p>\n
“I wouldn’t say it’s easy, but it’s not a disaster either,” said the 34-year-old.<\/p>\n
Moreover, with Pirelli replacing F1’s departed long-time supplier Bridgestone this year, Karthikeyan did not echo the complaints about the handling and severe degradation of the 2011 tyre.<\/p>\n
“I can hardly compare them with the Bridgestones I was on four years ago,” he said.\u00a0 “I thought it wasn’t so bad.<\/p>\n
“The wear was consistent and the grip was good,” insisted Karthikeyan.<\/p>\n
“I’m starting all over again, so the issues of the others touches me less.\u00a0 I take what I have and try to make the best of it,” he said.<\/p>\n
Karthikeyan said he already knows HRT quite well, as many of the staff were with Colin Kolles’ Audi Le Mans team in 2009.<\/p>\n
“All the mechanics are familiar faces,” he said.\u00a0 “And I’ve known Colin since 1999 when I drove F3 in England.”<\/p>\n
Karthikeyan insisted he is not worried about becoming the next victim of HRT’s apparent policy of constantly rotating its driver lineup.<\/p>\n
“The plan is to contest all the grands prix.\u00a0 It’s a fixed contract,” he revealed.<\/p>\n
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