Season Review - Force India 2016

Motorsport not so popular in India yet, but Force India compelling rapidly in India and world wide. Thanks to Vijay Mallya. Force India is one of the popular team and its raised eyebrows many times. 2016 is the best season for Force India in terms of many, here is the list, 

1. 4th In constructor 
2. 2 podiums in a single season 
3. Highest point scored in a single season 
4. Highest double points finish in a single season 
5. Sergio Perez, first Force India driver to score 100 points

With the new rules are coming in 2017 other teams are expected to move forward, no doubt Force India will come with the special recpie. We still don't know the capability of new signed OCON yet, hope he'll bring more points and celebrations to the team. Congrats and All the best to Vijay Mallya and Entrie Force India family.

Cheers.. 

Magi

Abu Dhabi GP - Race - Force India Quotes

Hulkenberg was involved in a first lap collision with Verstappen and was lucky to continue with no significant damage. He traded places with his team mate in the early stages, before pulling away to claim seventh. Perez had a quiet race behind to score more valuable points for the team, clinching them fourth in the constructors' championship.

Nico Hülkenberg, 7th
“It was quite a simple and lonely race actually, mainly racing with my teammate because the top six cars were just out of reach. Turn one was quite interesting because I got hit by Max [Verstappen], which damaged the floor of my car and made things a bit more difficult. Fortunately we had the pace to hold position and bring home the result. It’s great to end my time at Force India with a strong result and help the team finish fourth in the championship. Everybody deserves congratulations and big credit for the amazing job this year. I leave this team with lots of happy memories and Force India will always be a part of my life. I’ve learned a huge amount here and they have made me a better racing driver. We’ve grown up together and I’m proud of what we have achieved.”

Sergio Perez, 8th
“I am pleased with my race. I finished where I started and it was a quiet race for most of it, but it got a bit tense in the final laps when I had to fend off Felipe [Massa]. I pushed really hard at the beginning of my stints, trying to close the gap to Nico, but in the end I finished just behind him. It was great to finish the season with some points and to end an incredible year with a good result. Now that the season is over, I will go back to Mexico and enjoy some rest. It’s been a long and intense year and I am looking forward to some downtime with friends and family. They’re going to be happy holidays, thinking about what we have achieved this year. I’ll chill out a bit and then it’s back to work for 2017!”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“To end the season with two cars solidly inside the points and with fourth place in the constructors’ championship feels fantastic. It has been a tremendous year for us and it’s important to pay tribute to each and every member of the team for all their hard work and hours of dedication back at base and at the track. All the effort has paid off and we can now celebrate the best ever year in our history. Both drivers did a super job today, as they have done all year long. It’s great that Nico could end his time with us on a high note and we thank him for everything he has done for us during his five years as a Force India driver. He’s been a big part of our journey up the grid and it has been a pleasure working with him. Credit to Sergio, as well, who becomes the first Force India driver to cross the 100 points in a season milestone. He’s been exceptional this year and fully deserves to finish seventh in the drivers’ championship.”

Formula1.com 

Abu Dhabi GP - Qualifying - Force India Quotes

Force India have been battling with Williams for fourth in the constructors' championship for most of the season, and with a healthy points advantage over their rivals they just need to avoid any slip-ups in this final weekend. By qualifying seventh and eighth they did just that, with Renault-bound Hulkenberg shading his team mate Perez by 0.018s.

Nico Hulkenberg, 7th, 1:40.501
“I’m very happy and I think seventh place was probably the maximum result for us today. I’m pleased with my laps, especially considering the lack of running I have had this weekend, sitting out FP1 and missing half of final practice. Going into qualifying I thought it was going to be quite difficult, but we made good progress with the car during the session and I had the confidence to really push on all of my laps. Hopefully we can deliver more of the same tomorrow to end the season and my time with Force India in style. The cars ahead in the top six may be just out of reach, but we will give it a go and see where we end up.”

Sergio Perez, 8th, 1:40.519
“I am pleased with the result for the team, locking down the fourth row of the grid, but I am not very happy with my performance because I know I could have done better. I had a bit of understeer on my last lap so I tried to change my lines to counter it, but it didn’t really work. I could have been in P7 with a perfect lap, but with Nico just ahead it’s still a great result for the team. I am looking forward to our last race as teammates and beating the cars around us to finish the season on a high note. I want to outscore our rivals because finishing fourth in the championship is a really important objective for us.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Chief Operating Officer
“To end the final qualifying session of the year with both cars inside the top eight is an excellent effort by the entire team. The car has been competitive in all the sessions, but it’s been a challenging day with Nico losing quite a lot of track time in final practice. Despite this, he was able to secure seventh place on the grid. Sergio was matching him lap for lap and ended the session just one hundredth shy to lock out the fourth row of the grid. Looking ahead to the race, we’re well placed to bring home a strong result to sign off what has been the most successful season in the team’s history.”

Formula1.com

Abu Dhabi GP - Friday - Force India Quotes

Force India got through a big programme and both regular drivers were happy with where they ended up, though each complained of power loss on the straights in FP2. Celis did a decent job to take 11th in FP1.

Sergio Perez - FP1: 1:44.155, P6; FP2: 1:42.041, P8
“It was a positive day for us. We managed to complete a big programme and we have plenty of information to analyse tonight. Looking at the times, I don’t see any big surprises: we are where we expected to be before the weekend started and we’ve done some good race preparation. The track evolved a lot between the sessions, especially with the temperature drop between FP1 and FP2, but I think we’re nearly there in terms of set-up. I think we have done a good job and I am really looking forward to tomorrow.”

Alfonso Celis - FP1: 1:45.476, P11
“This is where I made my Formula One debut one year ago, so it was the chance to show how much I have learned over the last twelve months. Every time I get in the car, it gets easier, and knowing the team well means that once the helmet is on I can just focus on my driving. I am pleased with my performance today – working through the job list and giving the team plenty of information to study this evening.”

Nico Hulkenberg - FP2: 1:42.264, P9
“I was in the car for the evening session only, but it wasn’t a big disadvantage because that’s when the track conditions are representative of what we’ll experience in qualifying and the race. I felt quite good with the car straight away and I was able to find a good rhythm quickly. There’s still some work to do with the balance, because it’s not where I want it to be yet, but we should be able to find some extra grip overnight.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Chief Operating Officer
“It was a good first day of work, with lots of data gathered and no major concerns with the car. Alfonso did a good job in FP1 and Nico was straight on the pace when he returned for FP2. Track evolution was something to take into account, even during the hot FP1 session, but once the sun had set the track settled down to what we expected – and these are the conditions that will be representative for qualifying and the race. We made some adjustments to the car in the opening session to help the drivers and they responded positively to the changes. There is still quite a lot of work to do before qualifying, but we are confident of extracting some more performance overnight.”

Formula1.com

Force India can be third in 2017 - Perez

Sergio Perez believes Force India could break into the top three in Formula 1's constructors' championship next year. 

The Silverstone-Based team is almost certain to seal fourth in the 2016 championship in this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as it has a 27-point lead over Williams.

Despite Force India lacking the resources of F1's leading teams, Perez sees the major aerodynamic regulation changes in 2017 as a big chance.

"To move forward with the rule changes is our biggest opportunity, to try to get into the top three at the end of the year," said Perez.

"Every year, we have been moving so I see good potential, good people.

"The budget is quite good for next year with what we can do in terms of upgrades.

"We are not in the position of the big teams, but I see good potential.

"If we get it right next year, we can definitely be in the top-three fight."

Perez, who will be joined by Esteban Ocon next year, stressed that the key is for Force India to focus on the right technical path.

Limited resources means it cannot explore as many development angles as the big teams but if the car concept and upgrade plan are right, the 26-year-old believes Force India will be able to compete - particularly if it can start the season more strongly than it did in 2016.

"We are a small team, so we have to make sure we get it right," said Perez.

"We have shown this year we did, but there was still potential from the beginning.

"That's important, to have the potential there in the car and to make sure through the year you exploit the best out of the car."

With Williams needing to score more points than it has managed in any single race this year to have any chance of overhauling Force India, Perez described this season as "incredible" for his team.

"It is not done and anything can happen on Sunday, but it has been an incredible year for us," he said of the possibility of finishing fourth.

"We have shown again that it's not how you start the year, it is how you end the year.

"We started the year lacking quite a lot of pace but we worked hard and developed the car.

"We have done an incredible job."

Autosport.com 
 

Abu Dhabi GP - Force India Preview

Sergio Perez
“It’s the final race of the year and you really want to close the season with a good result. It’s an exciting time and you need to keep focused on the job even though everyone is already talking about the following season. You want to finish the year well to go on holiday with a sweet taste in your mouth, especially this year when there is so much at stake. Nobody wants to have a bad final race; it’s a pretty nasty feeling!
“Abu Dhabi is a cool place and the fans we meet come from all over the world. The facilities at the track are impressive and I’ve always liked racing there. It’s a very fast track, with big braking zones and quick changes of direction. You need a car that is very stable at the rear to make the most of the braking zones. Also, having good traction out of the corners can gain you a lot of time. There are some overtaking opportunities and the possibility to go for different strategies usually produces interesting races.
“Last year’s race was pretty exciting - fighting for the podium against the Ferraris. Even though we fell short, it was a very good race and hopefully we can have another strong weekend after Brazil.
“You always get a bit nostalgic at the end of the season. You know it’s the last time you’re going to drive your VJM09 and you don’t know what the next season will bring. I want to go into the winter with special memories from the final race.”
Nico Hulkenberg
“The final race of the season is always special, but this year even more so. It will be my final race with the team, so it will be emotional to work with the crew and the other team members for one last time. People move around teams a lot in Formula One, so I know it’s a goodbye and not a farewell. I want to enjoy this last race together and make sure it turns into a celebration: I want us to confirm fourth place in the championship, then we will see a lot of big smiles on everyone’s faces and be proud of what we achieved together.
“Abu Dhabi is a very cool place. Yas Marina is very modern and the circuit has probably the best facilities of the whole calendar. The track is not bad either and it’s fun to drive. You race into the sunset and it looks really cool when all the lights come on. It’s a unique experience.
“The pit lane exit is very tricky and one of the most memorable parts of the circuit: you release the pit limiter, accelerate for a second and then you have to brake for the very sharp left hander underneath the track. The wall feels very close and you always hold your breath every time you drive through that narrow exit! It’s a little uncomfortable because as soon as you push harder, you start to slide and it’s very easy to get it wrong.
“Looking at the track characteristics, Abu Dhabi should suit us really well. We had a few strong results in the last few years and I am confident we can get a good one this time around too. I would love nothing more than to sign off from the team in style.”

Vijay Mallya, team principal
“After scoring well in Brazil, we head to Abu Dhabi on the verge of achieving our best ever finish in the constructors’ championship. There is one final step to take and everyone is determined to get the job done and end the season on a high with a strong result.
“The final race is a great opportunity to look back at the work we have done this year. I have always been confident in our team, even when circumstances played against us in the early races and we didn’t get the results our pace deserved. We kept to our plan, trusted our direction and since May we have been on the way up. Monaco was a big turning point and the team has been going from strength to strength since then.
“Abu Dhabi is the culmination of all our efforts, but there is no room for complacency. Both our drivers have an extra bit of motivation to do well - Checo to cross the 100-point threshold, which would be the first time ever for a Force India driver; Nico to close his Force India adventure on a high. This is a track that brought us some good results in the past and it would be special to end the season in style.”

Formula1.com
 

Brazilian GP - Race - Force India Quotes

Hulkenberg was unlucky - running fourth, he picked up some debris from Raikkonen's crash in his front wing, before having to pit under the safety car with a puncture, also sustained from running over debris. That was enough to drop him down to 15th before he fought back to finish in the points. Perez survived a 360-degree spin under the safety car and looked set for a podium until Verstappen's late charge up the field. The double points finish strengthened Force India's grip on fourth in the constructors' championship. 

Sergio Perez, 4th
“What a fun but tense race today! It’s a shame to lose a podium place in the last two laps, but Max [Verstappen] just had a different pace: he was the fastest on track and there was nothing I could do to keep him behind. Even though I am a bit disappointed, we can still celebrate a great race and an incredible result, especially considering the conditions we had out there today. Just getting to the finish line on a day like this feels like a victory, and to bring home fourth is a very important result. It was so easy to make mistakes; you risked aquaplaning at any moment – every time I crossed the finish line I had a breath of relief. It’s a big result, not only for me, but also for the team as it brings us important points for the battle for fourth place. A lot can still happen in Abu Dhabi, but we can be happy about this result.”

Nico Hülkenberg, 7th
“That was an intense race and I don’t know whether to laugh or cry because I think a possible podium slipped away today. I had great confidence in the car, felt comfortable and I had the pace to push and overtake. There were some scary moments in the race, especially when Kimi crashed in front of me. Some of his debris hit my car and caused a lot of damage. At least I survived that, but then I picked up a puncture from the debris, which was so frustrating because it dropped me down to the back of the field. Without the puncture, who knows where I might have finished? I’m happy and proud of myself and the team. We did a great job, but we were just missing a bit of luck.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“What an exciting race! To come away with 18 points from such a challenging race is a fantastic reward for an excellent job by the entire team. Both drivers didn’t put a wheel wrong and the decisions from the pit wall were spot on. Sergio came within a whisker of another podium and thoroughly deserved fourth place. For Nico to recover from the puncture to finish seventh showed his class once again and made us all wonder what might have been because he was running in fourth when the puncture struck. With such difficult track conditions, just getting both cars to the finish is a victory and to have both in the points takes us a good step closer to achieving fourth place in the constructors’ championship.”

Formula1.com