Oct.19 (GMM) Just over a week before the F1 circus is scheduled to congregate in India, Karun Chandhok is still waiting to hear if he will be lining up on the grid.
The Indian is Team Lotus’ reserve driver but boss Tony Fernandes has warned that he will not necessarily decide to replace one of the team’s regulars Jarno Trulli or Heikki Kovalainen so that Chandhok, 27, can contest his country’s inaugural F1 race.
“This is the most asked question to me right now,” Chandhok told the Times of India.
“Honesty speaking I don’t know what the team’s plans are. They haven’t made a decision yet and there are several factors that will govern the team’s decision which I can’t comment on.”
It is believed the hold-up is due to contractual negotiations, with Trulli, who sat out the Nurburgring for Chandhok in July, and Kovalainen signed up to contest every race on the 2011 calendar.
Sponsorship may be another issue.
Chandhok, who admitted the current waiting period is “agonising”, has practiced on Friday mornings ahead of the recent Japan/Korea double-header.
“As far as I am concerned, I have done the duties which the team has entrusted me with so far in the best possible way and have proven my abilities,” he said.
