Di Resta describes British GP as 'biggest event'

Paul di Resta believes the British Grand Prix is "the biggest event" on the Formula One calendar and admitted last year he got "shivers" from the crowd.

2011 was di Resta's first home grand prix having been a test and reserve driver for Force India in 2010 and raced in DTM previous to that. Following his first taste of the race last year, di Resta said that it was a special event and explained that he found it an "electric experience" to race at Silverstone.

"Silverstone, for me, is the biggest event we go to," di Resta said. "The British support is something different. Even when you arrive there on a Tuesday or Wednesday, you see everybody camping and the atmosphere is electric. After taking part in my first British Grand Prix last year, it was probably the best thing I've ever seen.

"Each year we go back we get record breaking attendances and this year the attendance level has been increased by 10 percent. It's an electric experience. The drivers' parade last year was sending shivers through me. Every part of grass you could see was people deep."

Looking ahead to this year's race, di Resta said he hoped it would be more settled following last year's wet-dry grand prix.

"Silverstone itself has the nature of a great high-speed track. It really helps show how a Formula One car can work to the best of its potential. The track has changed for the best, to create opportunities to overtake, especially with the introduction of the new rules with DRS. What we saw last year was limited because of the weather conditions, but hopefully this year we'll see more of a straightforward race."

Source: En.espnf1.com

Exclusive Vijay Mallya Q&A: Force India on target for podium

Whilst some left Sunday’s Valencia race wondering what might have been, others - including Force India team principal Vijay Mallya - departed satisfied and full of optimism. With both Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta finishing in the top ten, the team added 16 points to their tally to draw within a point of race-winning rivals Williams. The focus, however, has already shifted to the next round and Mallya is hopeful the team’s planned Silverstone upgrades could see them finish on the podium…

Q: Vijay, both Force India drivers finished in the points in Valencia. Why did the team prove so successful last weekend?
Vijay Mallya: Well, the car was performing great all weekend long. In fact I was hoping for a better qualifying result, but in Q3 maybe both overdrove the car, locked up the wheels etc. So we started eighth and tenth while I was actually hoping to start in the top five. We knew that this season’s unpredictability has been mainly down to the tyres, so tyre management is critical. Therefore we spent all our energy on Friday and Saturday analysing potential tyre performance in various track temperatures. That helped us decide to put one car on a one-stop strategy. It looked almost impossible, but we said that if we don’t try it we are never going to know where the boundaries of the tyres are in hot conditions. Nico Hulkenberg was on a traditional two-stop strategy and had the opportunity to pit under the safety car. So guts and luck came together. We are really proud of the result, even though it was a bitter pill when Nico Rosberg overtook Paul (di Resta) on the last lap. But his tyres were old - and Rosberg had fresh tyres. But there is nothing to complain about. It was a good result and we’ve bagged 16 important points. We are only one point shy of Williams right now and 16 points away from Sauber, who have had podium finishes. So we are getting there. We are definitely on target. I want to finish fifth in the constructors’ championship this year and - fingers crossed - it looks like we’re getting there.

Q: Was it a surprise?
VM: Speaking frankly, we should have had the same or a similar result in Canada. But there we completely miscalculated the tyre behaviour. We ran the tyres too hot and subsequent analysis confirmed that this was a mistake on our part. We all agreed that it was a mistake and without it we would have left Montreal with a better result, possibly even a double points finish. But that is Formula One. There is always an element of unpredictability. We now have our sights set on Silverstone and we go there with a great deal of confidence, knowing that our car is competitive.

Q: You have two drivers in their second year of Formula One racing. Was it a brave decision to choose youth over experience?
VM: I have never regretted my decision about the drivers. On the contrary, I think we have two potential world champions in this team. They are both exceptionally talented. I am very delighted to have them.

Q: The rumour is that Force India will bring a substantial upgrade to Silverstone. Is there any truth in that? Is that your way of saying you want to move even further up the grid?
VM: Absolutely. We regard Silverstone as one of our home races. Our headquarters is just a stone’s throw from the track. It is our home race in Europe and of course the Indian Grand Prix is our real home race in India. We will do whatever it takes to bring as many upgrades as possible to be even more competitive. That goes without saying.

Q: In Valencia, there was a heated race but there was also a heated meeting of team principals regarding the Resource Restriction Agreement (RRA). What is your stance on that?
VM: I think that the RRA is something that everybody agrees to, in principal. Even when FOTA was together - and active - all the teams agreed with the concept of resource restriction. In fact I would go one step further and say that the RRA was one of the reasons why FOTA was created. And then one by one, teams went in their own directions so we never had the chance to agree. The concept of the RRA is a must-have if Formula One is to survive in the long term. It also must provide a level playing field. Look at the amount of excitement this season. We have had seven winners and only one repeat victor, which is fantastic. The big four teams are dropping down and the midfield teams are getting on the podium. For fans across the world this is fantastic compared to a predictable season where one team or one driver is always winning. A level playing field will ensure this tendency stays. So resource restriction is important and the FIA has now taken it upon itself to create regulations aimed at restricting resources. At the last World Council meeting it was agreed that we will have a fax vote at the end of June. We at Force India are completely committed to the concept.

Q: Lately we have heard rumours that Thailand is also hoping to host a Formula One race. Is the Asia-Pacific region becoming increasingly important for Formula One racing as Europe faces up to its economic troubles?
VM: It has long been acknowledged that the emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region are a real opportunity for moving forward. The more races we have in this region the better for the sport. Of course for us - in our own selfish way - the more races there are in Asia-Pacific the better for our sponsors and shareholders. But equally it is fantastic that we will race again in the United States in Austin, Texas, and I hear there are negotiations for a race in New Jersey. Two races in the United States sounds fantastic. Formula One is present where it should be present. I also believe there is a race planned in Russia. All that is great news for Formula One.

Q: The team’s result in Valencia was your best for some time. India must be really getting behind the team now…
VM: I hope so. I haven’t named the team Sahara Force India for nothing! It was intended to fulfil the aspirations of the hundreds of millions of young people in India. 

Q: What would be your dream result in Silverstone?
VM: We want to be on the podium. I think we’re close to it now.


Source: Formula1.com

Valencia GP - Force India driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg (5th)
“A great result for everyone in the team today and for me personally. Fifth place is a great achievement after a very long and difficult race. The two-stop strategy worked well, but the last stint was very long and it was hard to hold off the cars behind me on fresher tyres in the last few laps. So the race was a bit messy at times, but very entertaining and it feels great to come through and score such a good result for the team. We got a bit lucky with some cars dropping out, but we were in the right place to capitalise on things so I’m very happy about today.”

Paul di Resta (7th)
“We went very aggressive by only stopping once and in fact we were the only car to pull off this strategy. Of course, when you’re stopping once you really don’t want a safety car period and it certainly hurt my race and cost me some track position. But with the way the race unfolded we can’t be too disappointed to finish seventh and it’s great to have another two-car points finish. On the whole our relative pace through the race was strong, but it was hard to keep the tyre performance towards the end and I was really fighting the car in the closing laps. There was some attrition ahead of us, but we were there to pick up the points when it mattered.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
“A thoroughly enjoyable race today and I’m delighted to see our cars come home in fifth and seventh places, our strongest result of the season and Nico’s best finish in Formula One. It was a rollercoaster race with many twists and turns, but I feel we have come away with the points we deserved given our performance level this weekend. Both drivers pushed hard, kept out of trouble and made their different strategies work. Paul recovered the ground he lost under the safety car and Nico had to drive most of the race without KERS, so it was an excellent performance by him. The result today sets us up perfectly for Silverstone in two weeks’ time where we will be determined to build on this momentum in our local race.”


Source: Formula1.com

Exclusive Q&A - Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg

Nico Hulkenberg was viewed as something of a potential star after his rookie season with Williams. Now, after a year away testing, he has returned with Force India to a grid suddenly brimming with potential stars. It’s perhaps not surprising then that Hulkenberg is not exactly satisfied with how his 2012 campaign has panned out relative to some of his young rivals. Force India’s VJM05 has been consistent, but has yet to produce top results. But with the gap between the midfield teams so marginal right now, the German is sure that chances are there for the taking…

Q: One third of the season is already gone - how satisfied are you with your situation?
Nico Hulkenberg: Not overly happy. In regards of results and the standings I had hoped that the outcome would be better. But I know that here and there more would have been possible, like in Bahrain where Paul (di Resta) made his most points and I am pretty sure that I would have ended in the points as well had I not had a glitch at the start that ruined my race, as we had a good car and a good strategy there. Of course at the first four races I was in something of a warm-up mode to get back into racing and later I was not blessed with luck at times, as there were situations that were beyond my control. The tendency is clearly running north, but unfortunately that doesn’t translate into results right now. Of course that has to change - immediately! (laughs)

Q: You started the second phase of your F1 race career with high hopes. Where are those hopes now?
NH: Well, in this sport you have to stay realistic. We don’t have a bad car, but it is also not one that is a mandatory race winner every second weekend. What I can say is that I feel good in the car and as for the team, it is a huge pleasure to race every fortnight and fight for them and hopefully good results will come my way soon. My tally is in definite need of more points. I hope they hear that!

Q: When looking at the internal Force India battle, the advantage is clearly with your team mate Paul di Resta. Where do you see the reasons for this?
NH: Well, I started really strongly in Australia, outperforming him. At some of the following races it got tight between the two of us and then I have to confess I made some unnecessary mistakes. And there you have it: in a season so marginal, a small mistake can cost you several places. So overall the balance between Paul and myself is pretty even - even if the results do not show that.

Q: This season is all about tyres. Are driver skills falling by the wayside?
NH: Look at the majority of winners this season - tyres or not, you still have the big names and the usual suspects as race winners. So I would still say that whatever the tyres do or don’t do for you on a weekend it is still the driver who has to execute it. It is the guy in the cockpit who in the end delivers the result. Drivers still matter. Don’t let anybody tell you different! (laughs) 

Q: We have seen some very unexpected results this year - what about Force India’s chances of winning or getting a podium in this very unpredictable 2012 season?
NH: Ah, the chance is there. If you have a good day and are in control of your car and your tyres you are never too far off a podium finish - but so are others. Knowing how tight everything is this season, you more than ever have to give it your all, as the chance that you could suddenly be confronted with a top placing is very real. You have to be on alert every single moment. Probably we would not automatically have considered Nico Rosberg or Pastor Maldonado as possible race winners, but then the Williams is a really good car that really worked perfectly in Barcelona, overshadowing all the usual suspects. Probably it would have looked a bit different without the penalty for Lewis Hamilton, but that does not take away the fact that the Williams was doing extremely well that day. 

Q: What are the key points that have to be sorted for you to get more good results? Car? Strategy? Car-tyre interaction? Or just better luck?
NH: I think we could raise our game in all these aspects - that would clearly close the gap to the frontrunners. This season is really demanding in getting all components together for these two odd hours every second Sunday afternoon. To get it right with the tyres every weekend is really difficult - for all the teams. That is why we do not have a clear favourite yet. If you look at it you would come to the conclusion that Force India is the most consistent team so far. Sure, we have not had any glory, but we also haven’t had any real reason for tears. We are in the midfield and consistent. 

Q: At the last race in Canada neither you nor Paul really fulfilled your potential. Why was that?
NH: I am pretty sure that in qualifying I would have made it into Q3. I was on a great lap and the car felt super, but had to abort it due do a yellow flag and that meant game over. In the race itself we had some problems with the tyre management, with the temperatures. Canada was a weekend with very mixed conditions. All Friday was cool and then with higher temperatures we didn’t get it right anymore. We know what the cause was, so the problem is gone. If we had the chance to go back and do it all over again you would be surprised what we would deliver. 

Q: The speed is there, so will that help this weekend?
NH: Indeed. As I said before, we do have a good car, but we also have to keep on developing as standing still would mean a loss of position. If you can add small new bits and pieces to your car that will make it faster, that is what matters more than ever. Looking at this weekend I am pretty confident that we will make it into the points.

Q: Looking at the Valencia track, it is another unusual circuit: narrow in places, hard to overtake, and very high temperatures. Will - like in Monaco - qualifying be crucial?
NH: Yes, I would say it matters more. Take the last few years - overtaking was a rarely seen event, so if you start from a good position and run a good strategy, that should almost be enough to make your weekend. Last year we saw two DRS zones, this year only one longer one. Maybe that will change the race a bit.

Q: The next race is Silverstone and many predict that there 2012’s real pecking order will emerge, so that would seem to be the place to introduce some major upgrades. What is up your sleeves at Force India?
NH: Yes, Silverstone will see some major upgrades: a new floor, if I am right, and a number of other new parts. But I think every team is gearing up then, so it will be important to make your updates work.


Source: Formula1.com (Official F1 website) 

Di Resta: Force India pace genuine

Paul di Resta believes that Force India's pace in practice for the European Grand Prix was genuine after a strong start to the weekend for the team.

The British driver was sixth quickest in the afternoon session, with his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg second fastest behind pacesetter Sebastian Vettel.

Di Resta said the team had done nothing different to previous practice sessions, and claimed that Force India had simply been very strong from the outset.

"We are not doing anything different to a normal Friday, we are not running 10 kilos [of fuel]," said di Resta. "Since we have hit the track we've been competitive and right near the top.

"Straight from the first run this morning to the last run we have been where we had to be, and probably could have been the quickest car at the beginning of the session and went straight out on the medium compound. Hopefully it carries on until tomorrow."

He added: "I think you can see it has been a reasonable day. We are happy. We purpled the middle sector on both laps, but on both laps I found myself coming across Jenson [Button] in the last sector and never improved in the last sector so if you put a couple of tenths on we look very competitive.

"Had we put it all together, it was looking fairly positive, but it could all change tomorrow. I think that given where we have been all day we should be pretty happy."

Di Resta's comments were backed up by McLaren's drivers Button and Lewis Hamilton, who think the Force India VJM05 is surprisingly fast around the Valencia street circuit.

"Force India is extremely quick, and really we haven't seen that all year, so it seems like somebody else is having their opportunity this weekend," said Button.

"They're a little bit of a surprise. They've been the team that's been almost competitive but not quite there, and here they seem to be very competitive."

Hamilton added: "The Force India is unbelievably quick today. I don't know where they found their time."

Di Resta said his team had learned important lessons from the previous race in Canada, where the team had a difficult time.

"I think Canada has taught us a lot. Our approach here, whether it will compromise us more than other people we don't know. We have not been quite selfish, but gone down exactly where we think we will be for the whole weekend, not just today. This is a direction we are going to go. We haven't changed our thought process."

Source: Autosport.com

Europe preview quotes - Force India

Paul di Resta, Force India
2011 Qualifying - 12th, 2011 Race - 14th
“It’s a mix between a street circuit and a normal track and it’s got a lot of corners to go with it - maybe the most corners of any circuit on the calendar. The track is very smooth but it’s tricky to get on top of the set-up and if you don’t find the sweet spot it can make quite a big difference to your lap time across such a long lap. The main challenge is to be strong in the low-speed chicanes and also through the high-speed end of the lap. There are some big braking zones too followed by big traction zones, so the degradation rate is quite high, which is why it’s hard to manage the rear tyres through the race. It’s a fun place to visit. The city has nice architecture, some great restaurants and we stay next to the beach so I sometimes go for a jog in the morning. City races usually provide a good atmosphere on race day and there are always lots of British fans who come along and show their support.”

Nico Hulkenberg, Force India
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
“My race there in 2010 was not a particularly happy one. There was some bodywork burning away and I eventually had to retire. I’m looking forward to going back to Valencia because I like the track, even though we’ve seen how difficult it is to overtake there. The track has are a few special corners in the final sector of the lap and it’s enjoyable to drive. It’s also quite a long lap with 25 corners so it can be quite difficult to get a perfect lap together.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“The teams that we have been comparable with in the past few years like Sauber and Williams have been on the podium, and I’m sure our time will come, as long as we get things right. It’s something we need to do sooner rather than later because we are quickly approaching the midway point of the season. I hope we can recapture our form in Valencia, return to the points and demonstrate our potential.”


Source: Formula1.com

'We still need to lift our game' - Mallya

Force India boss Vijay Mallya has called on his team to up its game this season and take the fight to the likes of Sauber and Williams for podiums.

Force India has scored 28 points in seven races, but lies eighth in the constructors' championship behind rivals Sauber and Williams, which have both finished in the top three at races this year. Force India targeted fifth in the constructors' championship at the start of the year, and after both cars failed to finish in the points at the last race in Canada, team principal Mallya has highlighted the importance of scoring a big points haul soon.

"I think Canada showed once again that Formula One is hard to predict at the moment," he said. "It's seriously competitive with seven different winners in seven races, all of which is great for the sport - I would certainly go along with that. But while it's hard to predict, we still need to lift our game, especially if we want to target fifth or sixth in the constructors' championship. Yes, we've had one of our best starts to a season ever in terms of points scored, but the teams around us have also performed exceptionally well."

Mallya said Force India, which has only finished on the podium once before at the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix, must get another top three result soon.

"The teams that we have been comparable with in the past few years like Sauber and Williams have been on the podium, and I'm sure our time will come, as long as we get things right. It's something we need to do sooner rather than later because we are quickly approaching the midway point of the season. I hope we can recapture our form in Valencia [this weekend], return to the points and demonstrate our potential."

Source: En.espnf1.com

Di Resta: Canada to reveal potential

Paul di Resta believes that the Canadian Grand Prix will offer the best indication yet of Force India's potential.

Despite two double points finishes (Malaysia and Monaco), Force India is currently languishing eighth in the constructors standings, 13 points behind Sauber and 16 behind Williams.

However, di Resta remains upbeat about the potential of the Force India, and expects this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix to prove the VJM05's potential.

"It wasn't a secret that we struggled at the beginning of the year compared to what we first thought, but we rapidly moved on," he said.

"We brought a good update to Barcelona and we brought that forward. [In] Monaco [it] was difficult to understand that much more, but here will give us a better indication of what to expect for the forthcoming races.

"We feel we are a bit behind Sauber and Williams at the moment and to overcome them we need to do the maximum job in the races, and that is what we need to do this weekend."

Di Resta is also confident that Force India can continue developing its car well into the season, just as it did in 2011.

"We need to understand the car a bit more in terms of upgrades, that is what we are trying to achieve. I have every confidence team will achieve that - last year our development rate went very high from mid-season and I hope we can do that again.

"I don't think we are getting the maximum out of the car yet."

Source: Autosport.com

Force India Canada preview quotes

Paul di Resta, Force India
2011 Qualifying - 11th, 2011 Race - 18th
“It’s quite an unusual track with some long straights and you need good top speed to be competitive. We run a special low-downforce package, similar to the one we use for Monza, so the car feels quite different and a bit loose without all the downforce. It always takes a few laps to get used to things again.”

Nico Hulkenberg, Force India
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
“It’s one of my favourites and I love Montreal as a city. There’s a good atmosphere because the whole place gets behind the race and the city is always full of fans. It’s quite an unusual circuit being a mix between a permanent track and a street circuit, so there are lots of corners where the walls are very close. It’s easy to make a mistake because you have to use the kerbs and get close to the walls to get a good lap. It’s two years since I raced there, but I was able to do Friday practice last year.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“As for Canada this weekend, we’ve had good and bad times in Montreal in recent years. We were competitive there in 2010, but last year I believe we threw away some certain points. Hopefully we’ll redeem ourselves this year.”


Source: Formula1.com

Force India sure it can surprise too

Force India is adamant that there is no reason why it cannot emulate the likes of Lotus, Sauber and Williams by challenging at the front in Formula 1 this year - even though it only has one top-six finish to show from 2012 so far.

The wildly unpredictable 2012 F1 season has seen a host of surprise names at the front of the field, with Pastor Maldonado giving Williams victory in Spain, Sauber coming close to a Sepang triumph with Sergio Perez, and Lotus in contention for wins at Sakhir and Catalunya.

Force India has been unable to emulate its regular upper-midfield peers' underdog shocks to date, but team boss Vijay Mallya believes the squad's package is no worse than its usual rivals' and is sure that Force India can be at the front too when it hits on the Pirelli tyres' 'sweet spot' as others have.

"I believe this unpredictability has crept in largely because of the tyres and it's making for some entertaining races. That's why we're working especially hard to understand the tyres better to make sure we get the best out of them," said Mallya.

"If we can find the sweet spot I hope we can enjoy our own special results in the races to come."

Although Force India is currently only eighth in the standings, Mallya says its current score and its tally of seven points finishes in the opening six rounds between drivers Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg is respectable.

"Six races into the season and we have 28 points - a very strong start to the year," said Mallya. "Both drivers are delivering what we expect of them and we're gaining some momentum, just as we did last year. Our car is clearly competitive and so are the drivers.

"I'm very pleased with the way things went in Monaco with both cars in the points. It was our second double points finish of the season and the result brings us much closer to our nearest competitors, Sauber and Williams.

"We have our eyes focused on closing the gap further and I believe we have the pace to get on terms with them in the points race soon."

Di Resta agreed that while Force India might not have achieved the same highs as other midfield teams so far, that did not mean its general performance level was lower.

"The teams around us are all strong, but we've shown that we are consistent and can take on teams like Lotus, Williams and Sauber, who are all looking competitive," said the Scot.

"In terms of points scored we are well ahead of where we were this time last year we take a lot of positives from that. I believe we can keep picking up points and be even stronger in the second half of the year."

Source: Autosport.com

Force India can keep improving - di Resta

Paul di Resta believes that Force India can use its consistency to be "even stronger in the second half of the year".

Seventh place in Monaco was di Resta's fourth points finish in six races this season, giving him 21 points and leaving the team just 14 behind Williams in sixth place in the constructors' championship. At this stage last year Force India had scored ten points - of which di Resta contributed two - and having seen the team improve markedly throughout the season di Resta said it is starting from a much stronger base this time around.

"I think we've demonstrated that we can carry on where we left off last year and fight for points everywhere," di Resta said. "The teams around us are all strong, but we've shown that we are consistent and can take on teams like Lotus, Williams and Sauber, who are all looking competitive. In terms of points scored we are well ahead of where we were this time last year so we take a lot of positives from that. I believe we can keep picking up points and be even stronger in the second half of the year."

Team principal Vijay Mallya agreed that the target was now to improve the car in order to reel in Sauber and Williams.

"Six races into the season and we have 28 points - a very strong start to the year," Mallya said. "Both drivers are delivering what we expect of them and we're gaining some momentum, just as we did last year. Our car is clearly competitive and so are the drivers.

"I'm very pleased with the way things went in Monaco with both cars in the points. It was our second double points finish of the season and the result brings us much closer to our nearest competitors, Sauber and Williams. We have our eyes focused on closing the gap further and I believe we have the pace to get on terms with them in the points race soon."

Source: En.espnf1.com