Indonesian F1 driver Haryanto races to find funding

Indonesian F1 driver Haryanto races to find funding

JAKARTA - Indonesia's first Formula One driver Rio Haryanto may be forced to make an early exit from this year's F1 season if he fails to quickly raise millions of dollars, an official said Tuesday.

Indonesian driver Rio Haryanto signed a one-year deal with Manor in February

His team Manor Racing recently sent a letter to the Indonesian government -- which has helped support Haryanto -- asking for a payment of seven million euros ($7.7 million) to allow him to continue racing, said the country's sports ministry.

The money, which is the outstanding payment from a deal agreed with Manor, must be handed over otherwise the 23-year-old faces being replaced with another driver, according to the ministry.

His major sponsor, state-owned energy company Pertamina, and the government had managed to secure enough for him to race in the first half of the season but officials are now struggling to raise more money.

"We understand Manor's concern but we hope Rio will not be replaced by another driver just because of funding issues," sports ministry spokesman Gatot Dewa Broto told AFP.

Broto said the government had done everything it could to secure funding for Haryanto including talking to a number of potential sponsors, but he was pessimistic more money would be found.

"We don't really see that happening," he said, adding that "we can't promise anything".

There was no immediate comment from British racing team Manor.

The next race in the Formula One season is the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of August.

Haryanto signed a one-year deal with Manor in February after his backers managed to secure enough financial support after a long struggle.

However his F1 career has not got off to a stellar start and he is currently joint bottom in the drivers' standings with zero points. Manor is currently in 10th place in the constructor standings with one point.

Nevertheless his fans at home were disappointed at the possibility he might crash out of the Formula One season.

"We were hoping the government would help but the fact is the parliament and the sports minister cannot find any solution," said Catur Sunaryo, who leads Haryanto's fan club.

Sunaryo said his group was still hopeful Pertamina would help out.

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