Auto-breaker confirms HRT purchase

A Spanish auto-breaker has confirmed that he has purchased many of the assets of the now-defunct HRT F1 team.

Reports in the media had suggested that the firesale had taken place despite previous speculation that an American-Canadian consortium was planning to put together a bid to purchase what was left of the team to try and secure a place on the grid for 2014.

On that back of those reports, Teo Martin has now confirmed to Reuters that he has indeed secured much of what was left of HRT - having put a picture of one of the 2012 cars on view via his Twitter page.

Martin, who intends to sell on what he has acquired to any interested parties, is now the owner of three 2012 cars - minus engines and gearbox - as well as two 2011 cars, a scale model of the 2012 car and most of the garage equipment.

However, Martin also revealed that one HRT car had gone to a different buyer, with tyre supplier Pirelli having acquired one of the 2011 machines.

Unlike the old Toyota and Renault models that have been used for testing purposes, Pirelli will use the HRT as a show car at promotional events, with a spokeswoman confirming that it will be repainted in the black and yellow colours for which the tyre supplier is best known.