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Renault Chalks Out New Projects For The Indian Auto Space, Launches The 2012 Duster SUV

French automaker Renault launched the much awaited SUV of the year, the Renault Duster, on 4th July, 2012, in the Indian automobile space. The Duster, a sturdy and compact car with rugged exteriors, will be priced in the range of Rs7 to Rs12 lakhs.

The 2012 Duster was unveiled at the 2012 January New Delhi Auto Show, impressing the onlookers with its chrome finished front grille and striking headlamps, a bumper with integrated fog lamps and an airdam, placed strategically inside the skid plate. The prominent wheel arches featured in the Duster adds to the rugged and sporty appearance of the SUV.

Launched with a tagline, ‘Drive the change’, the robust and entertaining Duster is sold in some of the global markets under the name of Dacia Duster. In India, Renault plans to manufacture the SUV at its plant in Chennai
Renault Duster offers options of two petrol and four diesel variants. The diesel variants include a 1,461cc 1.5 liter dCi diesel engine with churns out a peak power of 85 bhp at 3750 rpm in the RxE and RxL variants. Maximum torque of 200 Nm is produced at 1900 rpm. The two variants are mated to a five speed manual transmission and offer a good fuel efficiency of 20.46 kmpl. The RxZ and RxL variants churn out a peak power of 110 bhp @3900 rpm along with a peak torque of 248 Nm at 2250 rpm. The two variants are mated to a six speed manual transmission and boast a fuel efficiency of 19.01 kmpl.

The petrol fired versions of the RxE and RxL variants feature a 1598cc 1.6 liter petrol engine which gives an output of 105 bhp at 5850 rpm and a maximum torque of 148 Nm at 3750 rpm. The engine is mated to a five speed manual transmission system and gives out a fuel efficiency of 13.24 kmpl.
Both the petrol and diesel variants will support 4×2 architecture initially, which is expected
to be tough competition to the upcoming Ford EcoSport SUV. Renault plans to launch a 4×4 variant subsequently.

Renault is currently underway with a feasibility study for the viability of small entry cars in India with an intention of introducing a small car with a price tag of about Rs 3 lakhs. Similar to the Logan which has been an entry level car in various global markets, the new car will be an economy class vehicle, aimed at the price conscious customers. The French carmaker expects to follow the same with other new launches on the Indian soil.

posted by somdatta.basu @ Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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January 5, 2012

2012 Delhi Auto Expo: The curtain opener

2012 Delhi Auto Expo
It is finally here! The much awaited event “The Auto Expo 2012” kicks off against the backdrop of one of the worst slowdowns to hit the industry in recent times. Though we are posting this blog almost half a day after the actual curtain raiser for the event happened, we belive in a policy of better late than never. Coming back to the Auto Expo blog, More than 50 new launches are expected from the big names in the business such as Maruti Suzuki, Ford, Renault, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes Benz. The rising interest rates and the economic slowdown have hurt demand and sales growth has slowed to 3-4% from the heady 30% clip in posted in 2010–11.

Auto Expo is the largest automotive show in India as well as in Asia which is accredited by OICA (Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles; English: International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers). The theme is “Mobility for All”.

The 11th Auto Expo is being organized by ACMA (Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India) which is the national body of the Indian auto component industry, CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) which works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the growth of industry in India, SIAM (Society of India Automobile Manufacturers) which is the apex national body representing the leading vehicles and vehicular engine manufacturers in India.

This year it is scheduled from 5th – 11th Jan. 2012 at the Pragati Maidan , New Delhi. The forthcoming edition will showcase latest technological products, components and vehicles. The special focus will be on Green technologies and environment. There will be 1500 exhibitors from over 24 countries.

The Auto Expo is India’s equivalent of the Detroit, Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Geneva motor shows. The Auto Expo at Delhi is gaining size and stature worldwide with the global demand for cars shifting from developed western markets to emerging economies in the BRIC ( Brazil, Russia, China and India) bloc. It seems that Delhi show is trying to mimic the Shanghai Auto show, which is now the hottest destination for global carmakers. In the last two years, India has seen a growth of 26% and 30% respectively in this segment which has made Delhi a “must present” destination as car companies are lining up for a piece of the fastest growing market in the world after China.

The big names in the business are familiar to the Delhi show. This year, Ford Motor’s chief executive Alan Mullaly, six board members from the from Europe’s biggest car company Volkswagen including Ulrich Hackenberg and Skoda Auto’s global chairman Winfried Vahland are already in the town.

The Expo is full of segment-busting debutantes as car makers’ position products in new niches for some incremental volumes. The big list includes the new multi-purpose vehicle Ertiga from Maruti Suzuki, Audi’s Q3 compact luxury SUV, Ford and Renault’s mini SUVs and the Mini Cooper from BMW.

The Ertiga depicts the entry of Maruti into the multi-purpose vehicle section. It is based on the rIII concept that made its debut at the 2010 Auto Expo. The car is expected to be priced somewhere around Rs. 7 – 8 lakhs. This car is being treated as a “big launch” as Maruti is always known for its strength, durability and understanding of the Indian car market in the sub Rs 10 lakhs segment. The Ertiga, competitor of Toyota innova and Mahindra Xylo, will be loaded with a 1.3 litre diesel engine (used in SX4)and an all new 1.4 litre petrol engine. Maruti is hoping to create a new segment with the product and expects to not only generate fresh demand but also poach sedan customers, Shashank Srivastava, Chief GM, Marketing and Sales, said.

The Audi Q3, the new vehicle from the German car company, will be a rival to BMW’s mini SUV, the X1, and is expected to priced at around Rs 22 lakhs. With the Q3, Audi is expected to move up to the second position in the luxury market, ahead of Mercedes Benz and behind BMW. “It will be a game-changer product for us and we are confident that Q3 will help us gain an edge in the luxury space” Michael Perschke, Audi India Head, said.

A number of SUVs pricing in the range of Rs 10 lakh will debut at the expo, including the EcoSport from Ford and Duster from Renault. These new products are expected to compete with the homegrown Mahindra Scorpio and Tata Safari. Mahindra will also be unveiling the Rexton and Korando SUVs from Ssangyong, the Korean company it acquired last year.

posted by carazooblog @ Thursday, January 5th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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April 25, 2011

Mahindra renames Logan as Verito, to drop Renault badge

mahindra-logan
Mahindra and Mahindra, after ending its joint venture with Renault almost a year ago has now planned to rename the Logan as Verito. This probably marks the end of Renault’s co-existence with Mahindra completely. The joint venture’s only product, the Logan, had created some ripples in the Indian market after it was first launched for its frugal driving sense, no –nonsense design and affordable price.

Soon, things started going wrong for the Logan as there was a rift in the Mahindra-Renault camp. Last April, M&M and Renault had agreed to part ways from their joint venture, Mahindra Renault Pvt Ltd, that was formed in 2005 to produce and sell the Logan in India as the car failed to meet expectations.

M&M had agreed to buy out Renault’s 49 per cent stake in the JV for an undisclosed sum. The French auto major, however, agreed to continue to support M&M and Logan through a license agreement and supply key components, including the engine and transmission.

As per their understanding, M&M could use the Logan brand for 18 months after which it was to drop all the Renault badge from the product as well as dealerships.

Mahindra will market the Vertio as an entry level sedan in India. “We are delighted to announce that the Logan will now be called the Verito. It will sport the Mahindra badge and emblem,” the company said in a statement. The statement however did not specify if there has been any changes in the price of the sedan.

Currently the Logan, which is available in both petrol and diesel variants, is priced between Rs 4.67 lakh and Rs 6.47 lakh (ex-showroom) as per the company’s website.

M&M’s statement today did not elaborate on whether the Renault brand has also been dropped from the Logan showrooms.

posted by carazooblog @ Monday, April 25th, 2011 Comments Off links to this post

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December 9, 2010

Lotus is Now Lotus Renault GP

2011 Lotus Renault GP F1 Car
Lotus has joined hands with Renault for the upcoming Formula One season. The strategic liaison between the two companies will provide Group Lotus with significant technological and commercial opportunities for its range of road cars.

The return of Lotus in 2010 season after an exile of 16 long years seemed like a half-hearted attempt. But the recent development in the Group Lotus, along with the full support of its parent company Proton, marks the compete return of the manufacturer to the motorsport. Group Lotus will become a major equity partner of Genii Capital in Lotus Renault GP, and the two parties have signed a title sponsorship agreement that stays till the end of the 2017 season.

Gerard Lopez, Chairman of Renault F1 Team, commented: “We are delighted that we can now go public with the news that we will be racing as Lotus Renault GP in 2011. It is extremely exciting to begin a new era for the team in partnership with Group Lotus, and we will continue to enjoy a strong relationship with Renault over the coming seasons. It is a tribute to the excellent work this year by the team in Enstone that we have been able to attract both major sponsorship and new investment for a very bright future.”

Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said: “I can think of no better platform for automotive brand communications than motorsport and F1 is the very pinnacle of open-wheel racing. We’re well aware that there has been a lot of controversy around the usage of our brand in Formula One and I’m delighted to be able to formally clarify our position once and for all: we are Lotus and we are back.”

Now, Renault has sold its remaining shares in the team to Genii Capital. Group Lotus will become a major equity partner in Lotus Renault GP, which will be co-owned by Genii Capital. Renault will show its support and dedication to team by supplying engines and technological and engineering expertise.

Lotus Renault GP will continue to compete with the Renault chassis name and Renault will enjoy pre-eminent brand exposure on the livery. And guess what, the Lotus Renault GP cars would feature the iconic black and gold colours that were used when Lotus and Renault had joined forces in the 1980s.This livery, which has been on the drawing board for more than two months, is sure to strike a connect with sport enthusiasts around the world.

The Renault F1 team scored a strong fifth-place finish in the 2010 constructors’ championship, including three podium finishes by Robert Kubica. In the upcoming season, Lotus Renault GP will aim leap ahead and compete with some of the most prestigious names in Formula One.

posted by carazooblog @ Thursday, December 9th, 2010 Comments Off links to this post

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December 3, 2010

Mahindra Revives the Logan with a New CNG Variant

mahindra-renault-logan
The Mahindra Renault Logan has always been known for being a no-nonsense and spacious car. But somewhere, it failed to make a connection with the Indian consumers. The Mahindra-Renault joint venture came to an end at a time when the Logan’s sales were at an all time low and the timing could not have been worse; nevertheless, it opened a fresh new chapter for the slogging sales of the car.

After gaining rights for selling the Logan in India, the Indian carmaker immediately shuffled its marketing strategies and the results, though not extraordinary but commendable, showed in the sales of the car. In the month of October 2010, Mahindra sold 1000 units of the Logan. And now the super practical Mahindra Logan gets another shot in the arm as Mahindra & Mahindra has launched a CNG kit for the Mahindra Logan 1.4.

“With issues such as climate change and carbon footprint taking centre stage globally, eco-friendly transportation has become the need of the hour and hence the launch of a company approved CNG kit. It also reduces the running cost effectively. The Logan has witnessed a spurt in sales in the recent months, reflecting customer satisfaction with the product, especially the space offered & fuel efficiency,” said Arun Malhotra, Senior Vice President, Sales & Customer Care, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

The CNG kit for the Mahindra Logan is designed by Italian gas injection kit maker Landi Renzo. The CNG kitted Logan will come at an additional premium of Rs 56,000. Now, we all know that CNG or LPG cause extra heat, which can actually be taken care of by hardened valve seats and a few more modifications to the engine. But Mahindra seems to have taken the short cut with the CNG kit, which might affect the longevity of the engine. But the 2 year, 50,000 km warranty that Mahindra offers with the Logan CNG might just be enough to silence the doubts you might have.

The new CNG fitted Logan is targeted at the cabbie market and chances are high that it will work out perfectly fine for the company. The CNG Mahindra Logan would give a mileage of 15-20 kms per kg of CNG and would cost the customer only Rs. 1.62-2.26 per km compared to Rs. 3.93 – 6.11/km on petrol.

Mahindra seems to have taken this step in preparation for the competition it might face from the Toyota Etios, which undoubtedly, would come with aftermarket LPG kits.

posted by carazooblog @ Friday, December 3rd, 2010 Comments Off links to this post

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November 9, 2010

Piaggio NT3 to take on Tata Nano in the near future

piaggio-nt3-photo
The small car market in India gets better and better like old wine. But here we give special emphasis on the micro car market which in India is currently spearheaded by the Tata Nano. The league of micro cars gets another entry with Italian scooter maker, Piaggio, planning to jump in the bandwagon.

Now this part of the news comes as a pleasant surprise as Italian scooter manufacturer Piaggio, just like India’s Bajaj Auto also wants to venture into the car making business. Piaggio unveiled its four-wheel, small car concept codenamed NT3, at the Milan Bike Show that has been “designed to meet mobility needs in its major markets like India, Vietnam and South East Asia”.

Piaggio has a Indian connection through its fully owned subsidiary, Piaggio India Ltd, which is also a market leader of three-wheel commercial vehicles in India, with its flagship Ape as the market leader in terms of sales.

The Piaggio NT3 is a 3-seater car and is based on the Ape platform. Going by what we hear from some Piaggio top executives, the NT3 should be production ready by 2013. The three-seat configuration is similar to the one seen on the McLaren T.25 City car, driver in the center with passengers sitting on either side. The car was conceived in India, primarily to take on the Tata Nano.

The car which is 2.4m long might be powered by a 200 cc engine offering 60 km/h or a 300 cc engine that could provide a max speed of up to 80km/h. The car is expected to carry a price tag of Rs 1.5 lakh. The yet to be launched car is conceived to overcome traffic congestion in Asian and European cities is expected to be a low-consumption, low-polluting vehicle capable of travelling over 30km/litre of fuel.

The micro car market seems to be the next best thing as other global car makers like Hyundai Motors, Suzuki, Volkswagen, General Motors are in the fray to launch their small cars while French car maker Renaut is jointly developing a low-cost car, ULC, jointly with Indian two wheeler major Bajaj Auto.

posted by carazooblog @ Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 Comments Off links to this post

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July 10, 2010

British Grand Prix 2010 – It’s Practice Time

Didn’t we say yesterday that it will be close call between the Red Bulls and the McLarens? Well, at least this has been the case during the practice sessions in British GP of 2010 Formula One Championship. Friday morning practice at the Silverstone circuit pushed Sebastian Vettel, from the Red Bull team, to the fore. Vettel lapped his RB6 in 1m 32.280seconds, outpacing Lewis Hamilton by 0.334 seconds, who took his revised McLaren round in 1m 32.614 seconds.

Robert Kubica looked perky too, as he completed third fastest time of 1m 32.725 seconds for Renault. Trailing close was none other but Mark Webber in the other Red Bull who clocked the lap in 1m 32.747 seconds. Adrian Sutil, from the Force India team, with 1m 32.968 seconds, was the final ace.

Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher kept the spirits high in the Mercedescamp. While the former had a satisfactory run on 1m 33.318 seconds, Schumacher, at on 1m 35.955 seconds had to console himself behind Nico Hulkenberg on 1m 33.377 seconds in the updated Williams and Jenson Button in the second McLaren on 1m 33.519 seconds.

Rubens Barrichello was ahead in the next group at the 10th place after recording 1m 34.016 seconds for Williams. Sebastien Buemi on 1m 34.132 seconds for Toro Rosso and Vitaly Petrov in the second Renault on 1m 34.365 seconds followed close behind. Ferraristarted off bad with Fernando Alonso in 13th place with 1m 34.490 seconds and Felipe Massa 17th on 1m 35.037 seconds.

Paul di Resta came in the other Force India on 1m 34.580 seconds, and Kamui Kobayashi and Pedro de la Rosa in the BMW Saubers, on 1m 34.710 seconds and 1m 34.901 seconds respectively. Jaime Alguersuari lapped his Toro Rosso in 1m 35.318 seconds.

The new teams were led by Heikki Kovalainen’s Lotus on 1m 36.747s. Glock, with his upgraded Virgin, completed the round in 1m 37.330 seconds for 20th. Karun Chandhok, driving for the HRT team, came on 1m 38.735 seconds.

The second practice session was dominated by Red Bull again. Although, this time it was Mark Webber who took the lead. Ferrari was rather overjoyed with second and fourth places to Red Bull’s first and third. Mercedes drivers came fifth and sixth. Hail the Mclarens who came eighth and 13th, the gap being covered by Force India, Williams and Renault.

posted by carazooblog @ Saturday, July 10th, 2010 Comments Off links to this post

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July 9, 2010

Silverstone Grand Prix Preview – Red Bull Against McLaren

The Silverstone circuit has been revised, and we can hope to see some phenomenal performances. That brings us to the two strongest contenders for the title at the British Grand Prix, Red Bull and the McLaren. While the Red Bull team looks mightier than ever before, the Brit crowd would be cheering their hearts out for the McLaren drivers –Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, who are currently at the first and second in the drivers’ table.

Apart from the famed F-duct, the MP4-25 has undergone a number of other changes including a blown diffuser which is similar to Red Bull’s, the same that was introduced in Valencia by Ferrari and Renault. The victory of McLaren would no doubt bring some happiness among the Brit crowd which is mourning the recent disappointments from England’s World Cup team and Andy Murray’s loss at Wimbledon.

But is the McLaren duo under any kind of pressure? Button says, “I don’t feel under pressure going into my home race – I feel very relaxed, and Lewis is the same”. “It’ll be a lovely atmosphere. We’ve both been here and had a rubbish result, yet you still get the support. For us it’s a case of going there and looking forward to it, more than feeling under pressure. Winning at home, you celebrate with your home crowd. I‘ve never even been on the podium here, and I’m going to change that this year.”

After a few disappointing shows on a Saturday afternoon, Button, however, needs to improve his qualifying form. “The last few races have been frustrating in qualifying; in Canada I wasn’t quick enough, basically, and in Valencia I made a mistake in the last corner. I was very happy with our race pace, but I’ve got to perform better in qualifying if I want to fight for the championship.”

Hamilton has the benefit of having claimed a victory here already, and would definitely try his best to repeat it, especially after finishing only 16th last year. “Every year we come here it’s a mega experience with the support you have,” he says. “I really just hope it will be an incredible experience again, that the upgrades we will have on the car work, and we’re able to demolish the field.”

Coming to the Red Bull again, the team has been very quick this year. Sebastian Vettel, who won here last year, seems to be the unanimous favourite of the bookies. Webber has bounced back from his back flip in Valencia, and has Vettel’s old chassis in place of the one he damaged in Spain.

Thanks to the blown diffuser, which the team introduced prior to the Valencia race, Ferrari seems to be in a better position too.

“It is a crucial moment in the season, with three races coming up in the space of four weeks,” Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso said. “We are ready, both on the technical front and physically. In Valencia, we introduced significant updates on the F10 and there will be more in Silverstone and the races after that. I remain optimistic.”

Robert Kubica, in the revised Renault, would give a tough fight too. And though Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher, from Mercedes, have been struggling with tyre temperature generation problems, we can expect them to put up a good show too.

The changes to the Silverstone track have been widely appreciated. It is likely that the teams will have to use more down-force. At 5.891 kilometres, the track is now the third longest in the 2010 Formula One championship. The track is expected to be among the fastest ones.

P.S. Hispania Racing Team has dropped Bruno Senna for Sunday’s British GP. Replacing him would be the Japanese test driver of the team, Sakon Yamamoto. The team has not provided any explanation for the decision yet.

posted by carazooblog @ Friday, July 9th, 2010 Comments Off links to this post

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July 9, 2010

Car Prices Shoot up for the Fourth Time This Year

price-rise
Fuel prices increased the other day and now we have automobiles themselves costing more. We hear that Toyota, GM and Ford are on the brink of raising car prices for the fourth time this year. What excuse are they offering this time? Let’s find out. Well, they say as they capitalise on cheap funding-fuelled demand and improve profitability that has been under pressure due to rising commodity prices.

Cars from these makers are believed to see surges ranging between 0.5 and 3 percent. That would mean, in Delhi, these cars are going to cost Rs 1,500 to Rs 20,000 more than the current prices. “There are cost pressures from various commodities as well as the currency fluctuations with a stronger Yen and Dollar that makes component sourced from abroad as well as imported cars costlier, forcing us to charge more,” said Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director, marketing, at Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

While we are all eagerly waiting for the Corolla Altis Diesel to make an entry, we hear that the current variant of the Altis sedan is going to see a 1.5 per cent price increase. It would thus cost Rs 15,000 more. Effective next week, the Toyota Innova too will see a Rs 10,000 hike. In spite of the financial downturn, auto makers witnessed strong growth in the past year that has given them confidence that any increase will not deter demand. They are now trying to pass on the rising costs to customers.

Banks seem to be lending a helpful hand. There is abundant bank funding at affordable rates and this has further catalyzed car sales in the country. Cars like the popular Maruti Suzuki Swift demand long waiting periods for delivery. Car prices had increased in January and again in February after a 2 per cent increase in excise duty. There was another one in April due to new fuel emission norms. But, demand for cars remained stable. Customers still queue up before dealerships.

Car sales grew 33 per cent during the June quarter and during the first half of 2010, sales rose 25 per cent to 19.5 Lakh units, the fastest in six years. The growth rate has been so tremendous that car makers like Volkswagen and Renault are planning new launches. Even France’s PSA Peugeot Citroen that left the nation a decade ago plans to return.

“The huge demand and surging sales has helped Indian auto industry to absorb high commodities burden till now but now we will have to pass on some burden to the customers in a short span of time.” said Pawan Goenka, president at SIAM and head of M&M’s automotive sector. However, he did not disclose the exact price hike that the company’s vehicles like the Scorpio are going to bear.

Meanwhile, GM has raised prices this week by up to 3 percent. The Cruze price has gone up by Rs 14,500. Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland increased prices as much as 2 per cent. Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, India’s largest car makers are yet to decide about the price hike.

Natural rubber nearly doubled to Rs 180 a kilogram in the last 12 months. So, parts suppliers too are waiting to get their share of the amount from car manufacturers. For some, rubber costs have become as much as 40 per cent of the total cost of production. With global demand picking up and iron ore prices increasing, steel prices too have increased by 15 per cent to around Rs 38,000 a tonne since January.

posted by carazooblog @ Friday, July 9th, 2010 Comments Off links to this post

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July 8, 2010

Money Matters May Jeopardise K. Chandhok’s F1 Career

KC_New (3)
The beginning of this year brought quite a few hopes for the Indian F1 lovers when Karun Chandhok was selected by the HRT team for the 2010 Formula One Championship. But dark clouds are hovering over the future of the ace Indian driver.

The F1 dreams of Chandhok came true with some last minute financing, and next thing we heard was he was driving alongside Bruno Senna, the not-so-famous nephew of the very famous Ayrton Senna. Comparisons between the two were drawn, and it was believed that Chandhok would not stand a chance next to Bruno Senna. But he showed his mettle, and has outpaced Senna in almost all the races of the season so far.

Sometime back there were rumours that K. Chandhok may move to the Force India team, owned by liquor baron Vijay Mallya. And even though Chandhok has openly shown his willingness to be a part of the Force India team, Mr. Mallya does not really seem inclined to nod his head in agreement.

And now Chandhok finds himself in a situation where most F1 novices end up paying for their racing seats. Though the HRT team wants to retain Chandhok till 2012, some inevitable conditions have come to the front and might jeopardise the fate of not only the team’s drivers but the team itself. For one, the owner of the Hispania Racing Team, Jose Ramon Carabante’s assets have been frozen by a Spanish court over a financial dispute with a former HRT owner.

While the name of the Hispania Racing Team does not appear in the frozen assets, it may push Mr Carabante to wash his hands off a sport that has the notoriety of being a money guzzler. So, as of now the future of both Chandhok and his team seems to be in a vile soup. And even if Chandhok managed to gather enough funds to buy himself a seat in the 2011 Formula One championship and HRT goes under, he will again be in a situation, a bad one where he will have to compete with newcomer drivers fighting for newcomer team seats.

And as if things were already not in a bad shape, there are a bunch of new drivers as well as experienced ones, including Christijan Albers, Narain Karthikeyan, Pastor Maldonado and HRT’s third driver Sakon Yamamoto, around who can spill more dough for the HRT team than our Chandhok possibly can. As it is, the HRT tem is in desperate need of funds, and more so because of the financial crises that the team owner is in now.

2010-04-17 - Hispania F1 Racing Team - Karun Chandhok 05

The F1 future of Chandhok looks mighty bleak as of now. But we can hope Mr Mallya to rescue the otherwise not so happening career of the Indian F1 driver. We have earlier speculated that Kimi Raikkonen may decide to come back to the racing circuits in 2011 and, Renault would grab the opportunity to bring him in the team. The other driver seat in the Renault team could be taken up by Adrian Sutil, who currently drives for the Indian F1 team, Force India. Karun has shown a good performance with his current under-powered car, and can definitely do better with one of the Force India F1 cars.