Hispania’s driver merry-go-round
Birthday boy Sakon Yamamoto gets the nod ahead of Bruno Senna this weekend as Hispania replace the Brazilian for the British Grand Prix.
Although the team have said that Senna will be back in the car for the German Grand Prix it must be worrying for him that he’s been dropped for this weekend.
The reasons for the decision remain unclear and the team haven’t been forthcoming into why they dropped the nephew of the three-time world champion. A team statement read:
“Hispania have decided to give an opportunity to one of its four drivers, Sakon Yamamoto, for this race, the British Grand Prix. Bruno Senna will continue to drive in the remaining races.”
This change in driver line up gives Yamamoto a first grand prix appearance since the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix for Spyker (now Force India).
It was a late call up for the Japanese driver who, up until now, had been one of the team’s test drivers along with Austrian Christian Klien. Nevertheless he was happy with the call.
“I was really surprised. Normally when you get news that you are driving, as a driver you are very happy. But it was too surprising that I was a bit shocked.I had to adapt quickly and concentrate for this weekend, and gather any information that I could. It wasn’t an easy day yesterday, but I worked with the mechanics, engineers and team members and slowly we could prepare everything for this morning. I was ready this morning.”
Relations between Senna and Yamamoto have soured a little since the news broke but Yamamoto was hoping to speak to the Brazilian about it.
“Actually we have said ‘hi’, but I understand how he feels as a racing driver and I want to talk him a bit later on when things have calmed down a bit. At this moment it is very hard to speak to each other, I believe.
“It is a bit of strange circumstances, but personally we have had good relations since I joined this team. He was always nice, and that’s why… I don’t know what he thinks, but I want to speak with him later on.”
Replacing Senna with the former Spyker and Super Aguri man is unlikely to move Hispania further up the grid, with the team due to continue its fight with Virgin Racing at the back of the grid.
With Yamamoto driving an F1 car in anger for the first time in nearly three years this weekend, Karun Chandhok is the man who is more likely to challenge Glock and Di Grassi as Senna looks on from the sidelines.
F1 News 24/7
Loading ...
Leave a Comment