• Spanish Grand Prix

HRT to run Clos in FP1 in Barcelona

Dani Clos has experience with HRT from the Abu Dhabi Young Driver Test © Sutton Images

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• Race:
• Spanish Grand Prix

• Drivers:
• Daniel Clos
• |
• Luis Perez-Sala

• Teams:
• HRT

HRT has announced that Dani Clos will take part in first free practice for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday.

Clos drove for the team at the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi last year and became an official test driver for HRT in February. He will replace Narain Karthikeyan, leaving the team running two Spaniards at its home grand prix, and Clos said it was the perfect scenario to make his debut at a race weekend.

"I'm delighted to have this opportunity," Clos said. "It's something I've fought for all my life; to make my debut in Formula 1 and, above all, to be able to do it at the Circuit de Catalunya which is something very special for me. Besides, I'm extremely lucky to be able to do it with a Spanish team, alongside another Spanish driver who I admire and at home. I can't ask for more!

"It's the ideal situation and I'm proud to be where I am with the people who have always been with me and still are. I hope to extract a lot of data from this practice session, contribute with positive things to the team and do my job in the best way I can. I feel 100% ready and I can't wait for the moment I step into the car and hit the track."

Team principal Luis Perez-Sala said that the team is putting its faith in Clos because it has a number of updates to test during the session.

"It's an important session given the short amount of time on track that we have and more so when you take into account the various aerodynamic upgrades which we have brought," Perez-Sala said. "Dani is a great driver and I have no doubt that he will do a good job. Besides, this debut also represents another step forward in our desire for HRT to serve as a platform for young drivers to make it into F1."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.