  We examine whether F-term supersymmetric hybrid inflation can be embedded
within the minimal SO(10) model, in a natural way. We show that none of the
singlets of the Standard Model symmetries in the minimal set of SO(10)
representations can satisfy the conditions which are necessary for a scalar
field to play the role of the inflaton. As a consequence, one has to introduce
an extra scalar field, which however may spoil the naturalness of inflation
within the context of SO(10). Nevertheless, if we add an extra scalar field, we
are then able to construct a model that can accommodate flat directions while
it preserves the stability of the inflationary valley.
