Feb.20 (GMM) HRT's 2012 car is still not ready to test, team driver Narain Karthikeyan has clarified.

While the struggling Spanish team ran with its 2011 car at the recent Jerez test, the new single seater failed to pass two of the mandatory FIA crash tests.

It means the machine cannot run this week at Barcelona test, prompting HRT to pull out of the second group test altogether.

Karthikeyan and his teammate Pedro de la Rosa now hope the car is ready to run for the second week of Barcelona running -- the last test before Melbourne.

Spain's AS sports daily reported at the weekend that the car's problems have indeed been rectified, and the crash tests will not be an issue next time around.

But Karthikeyan admitted on Twitter that the car "still" has to "pass the crash tests".

"Everyone knows the final Barca test is important," he added.

De la Rosa, meanwhile, told AS that the 2012 car has a "step on the nose like nearly everyone, but it's less ugly" than the others.

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version

F1 News  F1 Schedule  F1 Line-up  Constructors' Championship  Drivers' Championship  F1 Tickets  Live F1 Coverage

Full Version: Formula 1 News  Formula 1 Schedule  Formula 1 Line-up  Constructors' Championship  Drivers' Championship  Live F1 Coverage  10 'n' Pole  F1 Regulations  The Forums  Motorsport Shop  F1 Merchandise  F1 Tickets  F1 Diecast  F1 Videos  F1 Games