Chandhok will not race in India

Team Lotus have decided against giving Karun Chandhok the chance to drive in the first ever Indian Grand Prix.

The Indian driver was expected to be given the chance to race in front of his home fans at the expense of either Jarno Trulli or Heikki Kovalainen this weekend.

In fact Team Lotus boss Tony Fernandes hinted in September that he would like to see Chandhok race in India and it had been expected that the decision would be announced this week with Jarno Trulli stepping aside for one race, in a similar move that will see Narain Karthikeyan replace former team-mate Vitantonio Liuzzi at HRT.

But unfortunately for Chandhok, Lotus have appeared to have had a change of heart and instead of giving the popular Indian driver the opportunity of a life-time, they instead will stick with Trulli.

'I'm obviously disappointed that I won't be on the grid for the first Indian Grand Prix, Everyone knows the most important and emotional race for any driver is their home race and particularly so in my case.

'I've been involved with the project since the track was an empty piece of land.' Chandhok told Autosport Magazine.

He concluded: 'For all the fans, including the hundreds from my home town in Chennai who have bought tickets in the hope of seeing me race and are travelling thousands of kilometres to Delhi, I hope that they all still have a wonderful time at the BIC [Buddh International Circuit].'

Indian fans will still get to see Karun Chandhok in Friday practice, but over Saturday and Sunday, their only representative will be Narain Karthikeyan at HRT.