• Bahrain Grand Prix

HRT fires up car for first time

Karun Chandhok and Bruno Senna will drive the HRT for the first time on Friday © Sutton Images

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• Drivers:
• Karun Chandhok
• |
• Bruno Senna

• Teams:
• HRT

HRT has fired-up one of its Cosworth engines for the first time, ahead of the car's debut run during practice on Friday.

The team kept its garage doors shut all day Wednesday, prompting rumours that it might not be ready in time for this weekend's race. Some of the team's equipment made it to the freight planes with just half an hour to spare last Saturday, but since the parts arrived in Bahrain the mechanics have been working flat out to put everything together. On Wednesday night the car was turned over for the first time and by Thursday afternoon the engine was installed in the second chassis with work still ongoing on both cars.

"It has been a great effort from everyone in the team to be here at this moment," Bruno Senna said. "But the important thing is that we made it and our cars are starting to get ready for a shakedown tomorrow [Friday.]"

When asked if he was worried about the rushed preparations, he replied: "We are fairly certain that the car will be ready to run tomorrow morning. It would be great if we were the first car out on the circuit. That would be quite nice. No, I am just playing [joking]."

There are concerns that HRT and fellow newcomers Lotus and Virgin may be a long way off the pace this weekend. However, Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug has called on the F1 paddock to give them more "respect".

"I think first of all we need to pay respect to these teams," Haug said in Bahrain. "It just shows it's not easy to come into Formula One. [They] need to make big steps but we should give them some time. I think it is a very good sign that new teams are coming amid difficult circumstances. It's not easy for them to find support and sponsorship money. I'm sure they worked very hard and my view is that I pay them a lot of respect. And of course they need to improve."

HRT has admitted tomorrow's practice sessions will be viewed as a shakedown after it missed all of pre-season testing securing a financial rescue deal.

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