Shah Rukh Khan visits Karun Chandhok

With Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan in the HRT F1 team garage, Hispania Racing F1 Team (HRT F1) completed their third qualifying session of its short F1 history.

A chaotic wet session ensured that the team's two drivers will start from 22nd and 23rd on the grid, just behind Alonso, Hamilton and Massa.

The skies broke 5 mins before the qualifying session commenced meaning that it would be a wet session. Both HRT F1 drivers had their first experience of qualifying in the wet with very encouraging signs. Chandhok posted a time of 1.56.299 to qualify in not only the team's best qualifying position, but his best ever position as well, in 22nd.

With the top teams taking to the track too late this means that both HRT F1 drivers will start just behind former World Champions, Alonso and Hamilton.

Karun Chandhok said, "The qualifying was good for us. I pushed early in qualifying as I could see the dark clouds and the rain becoming worse. I am very happy with the result as it is the best HRT F1 team result in our short history. I will start tomorrow's race just behind Trulli, Alonso, Hamilton and Massa. The weather was not looking good in the morning before qualifying and I was not sure if it would hold until the qualifying session as well. It didn't and that gave us our first wet experience driving the car for the first time in heavy rain. I am glad I managed to make the best of it."

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was a surprise guest and watched qualifying from HRT F1 Team F1 Team, Hispania Racing garage. Shah Rukh Khan and Chandhok are both associated with leading watch maker, Tag Heuer.

On meeting SRK at the racetrack Chandhok said, "This is definitely a surprise for me and a great one as well. I did not expect the Bollywood badshah to be here supporting me at such an early stage of my career. It was truly an honour for us to have him in our garage for qualifying. Tag Heuer have previously brought us together and it is great to meet him again. I have told him that it will be our priviledge to host him at other races as well so he has said he will bring his son with him next time. He is a great guy and definitely had the whole paddock buzzing over here."