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Chandhok waiting for better drive than HRT

Karun Chandhok is happy to wait for a better offer than HRT © Sutton Images

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• Drivers:
• Karun Chandhok

• Teams:
• HRT

Karun Chandhok has revealed he turned down an offer to race for HRT, believing it would not help his cause having already served half a season at the team last year.

With his fellow Indian Narain Karthikeyan in one seat, there is still a vacancy with the Spanish team but 2010 rookie Chandhok told the Indo-Asian News Service that he has "turned it down".

"I had the offer from them but I turned it down because it would not have served my purpose in the long run," he said on Friday. "Racing for the team in the first year made sense, but now I am looking at a team that could fetch me points."

He said he is now focused on racing for one of "two teams" but doesn't want to say more until a deal is finalised "in a couple of weeks". He took part in 10 grands prix with HRT in the first half of last season before he was replaced by Sakon Yamamoto, who had a bigger budget.

He has long been linked to the Force India team because of his nationality but it looks as though Adrian Sutil, Paul di Resta and Tonio Liuzzi are fighting it out for the two race seats.

Kolles did not deny that Karthikeyan is bringing money to HRT in exchange for the race seat, but said that such a practice is widespread in F1.

"What is Sauber doing with Mr [Sergio] Perez? Williams with Mr [Pastor] Maldonado? Do you think we are running on air? The money has to come from somewhere."

Kolles confirmed that HRT's new car will not be ready for the first test at Valencia, but said it should complete mileage before the season opener.

"Maybe we will have the new one for the last two tests," he said.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.