MAY 6, 2010

Klien signed as HRT Friday driver

HRT has signed 27-year-old Christian Klien to be test and reserve driver, having already taken on Japanese driver Sakon Yamamoto.

Klien has yet to have formal approval for a Superlicence but the team is hoping that this will be a formality and that Klien will be able to drive in Friday free practice in Spain, probably in place of Karun Chandhok. It is then likely that he will replace Chandhok and Bruno Senna in Friday sessions on a regular basis, as Paul di Resta does with Adrian Sutil and Tonio Liuzzi at Force India.

Team principal Colin Kolles feels that with rival new teams Lotus Racing and Virgin Racing all boasting experienced drivers in the form of Jarno Trulli, Heikki Kovalainen and Timo Glock, HRT is at a disadvantage in terms of feedback comparisons.

"I have also followed Klien from his early days in the junior formulae and he is quick," Kolles said.