• Bahrain Grand Prix Qualifying

Chandhok happy to make the grid

Karun Chandok made his F1 debut in qualifying © Sutton Images

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HRT's Karun Chandhok said he was delighted just to be on the grid in Bahrain, after missing all three practice sessions.

HRT came to the circuit this weekend with no miles on its car, having missed all of pre-season testing. When Chandhok failed to turn a single lap during the Friday and Saturday practice sessions there was concern that he would not be allowed to start the race. However, the rulebook was overlooked and Chandhok completed seven laps in Q1 with a best time of 2:04.904.

"I still can't believe that we will be on the grid tomorrow," admitted Chandhok. "It was not looking good in the morning and I was not sure if we would make it to the qualifying session as well. I didn't expect to be driving the car for the first time in qualifying but as I have always said these are the circumstances and we made the best of it."

He said his team had to approach the session as a shakedown rather than a competitive exercise.

"For me it was just a string of installation laps and to finish just a second slower than Bruno [Senna] is definitely a huge achievement. I think I might be the only driver in the history of F1 to go straight into a qualifying session of a race without even having done a shakedown of the car! Once again I think the team has done a brilliant job so am very grateful to them."

He will start from 24th on the grid in tomorrow's race.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

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