HRT to be in Barcelona this week

HRT’s 2012 campaign looks set to finally get off the start-line, after the new single seater passed the mandatory crash tests.

Earlier, the reportedly step-nosed car failed two of the FIA’s 2012 impact safety tests, which according to new rules meant the struggling Spanish team could not run as scheduled last week in Barcelona.

But writing in AS newspaper, correspondent Manuel Franco said the Cosworth-powered chassis has finally passed all the crash tests, meaning it can now debut this week at the Circuit de Catalunya.

The final pre-season group test begins on Thursday, but Franco wrote that it is not clear precisely when the new HRT will make its debut, probably in Pedro de la Rosa’s hands.

"But is expected that he (de la Rosa) and his teammate Narain Karthikeyan will be in Catalonia," he added.