“First of all, I want to thank every single team member for their outstanding professionalism and attitude during this Grand Prix,” says Team Principal Luis Pérez-Sala, who also had to suppress rumors that the squad was running potentially dangerous old parts on its cars.

“It hasn’t been easy but everyone has done a fantastic job and I am very proud of this team and its members. After a few races with one or the other car not being able to finish, it has been really good to see both Pedro and Narain getting to the end.

“Moreover, this two-car finish result has been particularly important for everyone’s morale and to face the last race of the season with confidence and high spirits.”

HRT entered F1 in 2010, then named as Hispania Racing and owned by Jose Ramon Carabante. Its current owner is Thesan Capital, which is behind Spain’s Banco Popular.