Christian Klien on the move to India?

By Phil Huff
November 10 2007

Honda Racing F1’s Christian Klien is looking for a full time race drive in Formula One for 2008, and first on the list appears to be Force India, with the former Red Bull protégé due to test for the Silverstone based squad next week as Formula One prepares for the 2008 season in Barcelona.

Using two of the Ferrari-powered former Spyker F8-VII chassis in their new colour scheme and fitted with the mandatory-for-2008 FIA electronic package, Force India will use contracted test drivers Roldan Rodriguez and Giedo van der Garde to open the test while team driver Adrian Sutil will be joined by Vitantonio Liuzzi and Christian Klien on the other two days.

Klien has made no secret of his desire to return to competitive racing. “The race seats are occupied [at Honda] so to spend another year as test driver brings me nothing,” he explained to news agency APA. “One year is enough testing, I want to race again, but first we have to wait and see what Fernando Alonso does. It does not look too bad, but we are still two or three weeks away.”

Fernando Alonso’s move from McLaren is expected to cause a minor shuffle in the rest of the field, as any new team may have to reorganise an already contracted duo of drivers. Klien is hoping that a reasonable seat becomes free in that shuffle, while it’s known that Honda Racing F1 are also looking to see who becomes available as a driver, possibly replacing Rubens Barrichello.