Jean Todt visits HRT Formula 1 Team’s new facilities

Today has been an important day for HRT Formula 1 Team who received the visit of Jean Todt, President of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, to its brand new facilities at the Caja Mágica in Madrid. Guided by the team’s CEO, Saúl Ruiz de Marcos, and Team Principal, Luis Pérez-Sala, the head figure of the FIA toured the team’s new facilities. From the management area to the workshop where the mechanics were working on the F112 for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, passing through the administration, operations and engineering areas.

Todt also counted with the help of other exceptional guides such as Pedro Martínez de la Rosa, Dani Clos and Ma Qing Hua, who accompanied him during the tour and, once they arrived at the workshop, explained the main upgrades for the race in Barcelona and the work carried out by the team in these brief but intense months.

The President of the FIA attended the Caja Mágica alongside the President of the Spanish Motorsport Federation and Vice-President of the FIA, Carlos Gracia, who already visited the facilities a few days ago and offers great support to the team, and was impressed with the operational facilities. Together with them were the Vice-President of the Spanish Motorsport Federation, Joaquín Verdegay, the President and Vice-President of the RACE, Carmelo Sanz and Andrés Celaya, and the President of the RACC, Sebastià Salvadó.

Also accompanying us was Rosario Alessi, President of the FIA Academy, who, along with Jean Todt, is in Madrid to hand the FIA Academy gold medal to His Majesty the King Juan Carlos I of Spain.

Jean Todt, FIA President: "I’m happy to be in Spain today because we are going to give a special award to the King Juan Carlos I. But also because today I’ve got a great opportunity to visit HRT Formula 1 Team’s beautiful and new facilities alongside my friends from the Spanish Motorsport Federation, the RACE and the RACC. The facilities are impressive, modern and functional. You can see that everything is brand new and it will be even better once they’ve spent a couple of months there working. I wish the best for the future of HRT”.

Carlos Gracia, President of the Spanish Motorsport Federation: "It’s the second time I visit the headquarters. I made a brief first visit and the second time round I’ve liked them even more and I’m sure that the third time round it will be even better because this team is doing a fantastic job and are taking giant strides. I think that the facilities are wonderful and that they send an image out of what HRT Formula 1 Team is going to be in the short, medium and long term. It’s important to have the headquarters in Spain and for the team to become more Spanish and hand out opportunities to young mechanics, drivers and engineers from this country. We’re aware that in a Formula 1 team you need to have the best people from the best countries but to have a Spanish base is important looking ahead to the future”.

Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: "We’re very thankful towards Jean Todt for having the courtesy of coming to visit us and we’re delighted to have received him and shown him the new facilities. It was important for him to come and see it personally because on the track all you can see are the cars. You can explain everything that’s behind the scenes but nothing compares to seeing it and experiencing it firsthand to understand the work that is being done. It also gives a chance to explain him the team’s current project and plans to grow in the future. That growth that we’re currently experiencing and will continue to do so is what, with time, will translate into an improvement on the track. I also want to thank the rest of the FIA members, Carlos Gracia and the Spanish Federation, the RACC and the RACE for joining us and I’m very proud that they are also a part of this”.