Ma gets Austin outing with HRT

15/11/2012

In a late move, HRT has revealed that Chinese racer Ma Qing Hua will replace Narain Karthikeyan in FP1 on Friday.

This will be the fifth time the Shanghai born driver, who has recently been linked with a full time drive with the underfire Spanish team, has taken part in a Friday morning session this season.

"It's fantastic to be able to step back into the car for a free practice session and to do so at a new circuit for every team and driver makes it even more special and fun," said Ma Qing Hua. "Being the first out on track to help the team is a great responsibility and I want to thank them again for the opportunity they're giving me. Little by little I'm racking up more miles and gaining the necessary experience to grow as a driver, and the continuity I'm getting is also important to help my confidence. Last week I was in Shanghai and received a lot of support from my country, which makes me work even harder to be prepared for any challenge."