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Ma Qing Hua signs with HRT for 2013 (allegedly)

Started by noikeee , Nov 06 2012 10:39

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22 replies to this topic

#1 noikeee

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 10:39

Repeating my silly season thread post, as it's big enough news for a thread:

Saward: Ma Qing Hua signs for HRT - http://joesaward.wor...-signs-for-hrt/

God help us. According to his driverdb profile he's never won a single openwheel race at any level: http://www.driverdb....-hua-ma/career/ . Is this the new golden era of paydrivers? Jean-Denis Deletraz called, he wants to know how much is a seat.

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#2 Buttoneer

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 10:44

F1 is a commercial enterprise as much as it is a sport, if not more. China is an important market.

It was inevitable.

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#3 Francesc

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 10:46

Great move by HRT. Not only they will get big sums of money from the guy, but will save a lot of money in race fuel as he will never get inside 107%.

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#4 Wander

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 10:49

Actually, he might be a perfect fit. Experience of being a back-marker is far more useful in an HRT than experience of winning.

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#5 prty

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 10:57

Actually, HRT said during the year that he impressed them.

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#6 noikeee

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 11:07

F1 is a commercial enterprise as much as it is a sport, if not more. China is an important market.

It was inevitable.

I understand that, it's still sad that a completely incompetent driver gets the place ahead of probably 100 better drivers who would be interested.

I also question what's the point of having a Superlicense if a driver who's never won an openwheel race can get one.

Actually, HRT said during the year that he impressed them.

By being 1.5-2 seconds away from the pace of their regular 41 year old in every practice session?

I know he has no F1 experience and could improve a lot from there, but come on that's clearly PR bollocks. The teams are always "impressed".

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#7 krapmeister

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 11:08

Actually, HRT said during the year that he impressed them.

Well, if he's bringing a lot of $$$ with him then I am sure they would be impressed...

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#8 F1ultimate

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 11:12

I am failing the see the purpose of HRT if they solely exist to serve as a platform for below average racing drivers to buy their way into F1.

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#9 GotYoubyTheBalls

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 11:16

If hes that bad then he wont last long anyway. He will be gone by the first flyaway races are done. He wont qualify.

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#10 kosmos

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 11:20

One of the main guys from HRT said some days ago that Ma was not ready for F1 yet, I guess they got a big pile of cash. But I prefer him than Narain, nothing against Narain, but he is going nowhere in F1, with Ma, you never know, he could be a promising driver when he gets experience.

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#11 byrkus

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 11:52

F1 is a commercial enterprise as much as it is a sport, if not more. China is an important market.

It was inevitable.

Wasn't here a Chinese driver in DTM some years ago? What about him?

At least he was noted for being fast on some occasions - unlike Ma.

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#12 KingB

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 11:55

yes it was CongFu Cheng...but didn't hear anything about him since

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#13 Risil

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 12:01

Do they not have Superlicences anymore? This guy's record outside of F1 makes Yuji Ide look like Jan Magnussen.

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#14 TheUltimateWorrier

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 12:02

(Borrowed from meme thread)

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#15 Showty

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 12:06

http://www.chinadail...m.cn/sports/201 ... 882973.htm

China finally has its first Formula One driver.

Ma Qinghua, a 24 year-old man from Shanghai, will represent the Spanish team HRT for F1's 2013 racing season, the team announced at a press conference in Shanghai on Tuesday afternoon, Tencent's sports channel reported.

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#16 KingB

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 12:09

"represent" could mean everything :smoking:

maybe he represents the team as their new mascot...or as chef in the kitchen

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#17 encircled

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 12:11

HRT denies Ma will be racing for 2013

HRT has told GPUpdate.net that Ma Qing Hua has not been confirmed as a race driver for the 2013 Formula 1 season, countering reports emerging in the Chinese press.

"This is not true,” an HRT spokesperson told GPUpdate.net. “The press conference wasn't such thing, but a tribute paid by the Chinese authorities to Ma for what he's achieved this season (as reserve driver). That was it.”

Edited by encircled, 06 November 2012 - 12:12.

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#18 wj_gibson

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 12:47

He wouldn't qualify for a superlicence anyway.

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#19 Collective

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 13:38

Great move by HRT. Not only they will get big sums of money from the guy, but will save a lot of money in race fuel as he will never get inside 107%.

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#20 BackmarkerUK

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 14:02

He wouldn't qualify for a superlicence anyway.

I think he might have done the requisite number of miles this season. Not that I think he will be driving next season.

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#21 KirilVarbanov

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 14:09

Is this guy really prepared for F1? Anyway, the team denied the speculation - it was just mis-interception by the Chinese media who translated the words in a wrong way.

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#22 Petroltorque

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 14:10

Great move by HRT. Not only they will get big sums of money from the guy, but will save a lot of money in race fuel as he will never get inside 107%.

The Chinese are no fools. For HRT to get the money they'll need to ensure that he qualifies.

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#23 Myrvold

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Posted 06 November 2012 - 14:29

He wouldn't qualify for a superlicence anyway.

Oh, he already has one I think, after clocking in 300km's at the young driver test at Silverstone (then HRT packed up. They only drove enough for him to get a SL)