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HRT looking for young second driver

Tonio Liuzzi's time with HRT appears to be coming to an end © Sutton Images

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• Drivers:
• Jaime Alguersuari
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• Daniel Clos
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• Tonio Liuzzi

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• HRT

HRT is looking for "a young driver with a lot of potential" to take its second seat, with a Spaniard ruled out of the running by technical director Jacky Eeckelaert.

Pedro de la Rosa has been named as one of the drivers for 2012 as the team looks to take on a more Spanish identity. After Jamie Alguersuari was replaced at Toro Rosso, speculation linked him with the second seat, but Eeckelaert told La Libre that he didn't think Alguersuari or Dani Clos would be the best fit for HRT.

"I don't think it's in the interests of the team to have a second Spanish driver," Eeckelaert said. "The same goes for the drivers approaching retirement."

Eeckelaert also appeared to end Tonio Liuzzi's hopes of remaining with the team, saying: "He hasn't really confirmed himself after several chances. We are looking more for a young driver with a lot of potential."

One of the steps taken by the new management has been to relocate the team to Spain, and Eeckelaert said that it would hurt HRT's progress as new staff will have to work on the car.

"We hope to continue our battle at the back of the pack with Virgin (Marussia). It is difficult to aim higher. The Dallara chassis we used in our first two seasons was clearly not good enough. So in our German workshop we have built our own HRT to be powered by the Cosworth V8. We started fresh in September, later than the others, and so we cannot have fantasies.

"The new owners decided to move the team with the result that 90 per cent of the staff in Germany will not follow us. This is unfortunate because even if the car did not work, the team was beginning to work well together. Now it's as though we are beginning again with a new team."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.