Karthikeyan Doesn't Complain About F1 Tires, HRT Car

When he'll drive HRT's 2011 challenger at this year's Bahrain Grand Prix first practice on Friday, Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan will be making his official return to Formula 1 after a pause of 5 years. So he'll have few references for the new campaign, as his last time inside an F1 car was back in 2006, when he tested for Williams F1.

Where we're getting is this: while everyone complains about the durability of the new Pirelli tires and the way their new cars react as compared to their predecessors, Karthikeyan will not go down that road this year. As far as he's concerned, he is in F1 to start over and deal with whatever package is being put at his disposal.

“I'm starting all over again, so the issues of the others touches me less. I take what I have and try to make the best of it,” admitted the 34-year old driver in a recent interview with Auto Motor und Sport.

Referring to HRT's car for the 2011 season – a challenger that is not yet completed but is undergoing a promotional-purposed session for Pirelli this week, at Monza – Karthikeyan insisted it's not as bad as he had expected.

“It was said that the HRT car was very difficult to drive. I wouldn't say it's easy, but it's not a disaster either,” he said, while also addressing the much discussed issues regarding high tire degradation of the new Pirelli compounds.

“I can hardly compare them with the Bridgestones I was on four years ago,” he said. The Indian's first time driving on Pirelli tires was in Valencia, at the beginning of the month. “I thought it wasn't so bad. The wear was consistent and the grip was good.”