Force India to give Chandhok a chance to be a Formula One driver

LONDON - Force India has said that they will give GP2 driver Karun Chandhok a chance to prove he can make the grade as a Formula One driver.

The emerging team, which has a technical partnership with McLaren, will put Chandhok in the world champions’ sophisticated F1 simulator to see if he can make the grade.

If he is successful, he could become Force India’s reserve driver for 2010, reports The Sun.

Force India’s owner Vijay Mallya warned that the team’s run of top-four finishes in the last two F1 races had made competition for seats tougher.

He indicated that German Adrian Sutil and Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi would be retained as race drivers.

Mallya said: “I am very clear in my mind. I’m not a big team. I’m a very small team, probably with the tiniest budget.

I need to have people who can help deliver my objectives. I can’t afford any luxuries. Karun is like a son to me. I have known him from when he was a little boy in shorts. If I can give him a chance, I’d be delighted.”

“But he has to prove he is also capable. So I’ve told him I’ll put him in the McLaren driver simulator and I’ll see what he can do. And based on that we’ll talk further,” Mallya added.
Chandhok, 25, has been competent but not outstanding in GP2, while Jani was A1GP champion for Team Switzerland in the 2007-08 series.(ANI)