Kolles confident of two-second gain

In Australia, Brazilian Bruno Senna qualified around 1.5 seconds off the pace of Lotus's Heikki Kovalainen, who was the quickest of the drivers in new teams.

Unlike its rivals, the Hispania team had no pre-season testing and its car first turned a wheel at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Kolles reckons if the team keeps its progress, it will soon be at least two seconds quicker.

"We have no major issues. We are getting closer to the field and if it goes on like this we will be catching up very soon," Kolles told AUTOSPORT.

"I think there are still two seconds in the package. At least two seconds."

He said his drivers also need to get used to Formula 1 machinery and to driving on circuits they don't know.

"This is one of the things, and obviously to get acquainted to a Formula 1 car," said Kolles of the new circuits. "They haven't had experience in Formula 1. Formula 1 is different to any other car. I think the whole package is at least two seconds quicker."

Kolles also revealed Geoff Willis and his team are working hard on developments to improve the car's reliability.

"The objective is to improve the car in all areas. To get the reliability," Kolles said.

"There is already development on the reliability side, because the first thing now is to make the car reliable. There is already a steady change of components to sort different issues."