Vijay Mallya Q&A: Force India throwing everything at 2014

Force India have pulled off something of a coup in the last few weeks by landing two of the most highly-regarded young drivers in Formula One racing - Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez. But their arrivals also signalled the departure of Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil from the Silverstone-based squad. Team principal Vijay Mallya discusses, amongst other things, the reasons behind the line-up change…

Q: Is this one of the best line-ups you’ve had at Force India?
Vijay Mallya: Absolutely, I’m very excited. My thought process was very simple. When Sergio drove for Sauber he certainly caught my eye. He was very quick and I guess that was noticed by McLaren. He was signed up by McLaren and I wasn’t very surprised - they are a world-class team, a very big team, and if they signed up Sergio Perez, they obviously saw something in him. I had also seen this, but well before I could even approach him he had gone to McLaren. Which driver in Formula One wouldn’t want to go to McLaren?

I’ve always had my eye on Nico Hulkenberg. I told him as early as Malaysia, ‘Nico, if you decide to change from Sauber you better come back home.’ He said, ‘Alright, I promise you. If I decide to change, my first option will be with you’. He stuck to his word - he told me he wanted to move and I said fine. Yes, I’m sure Nico talked to other teams, but at the end of the day, true to his word, I signed him up. I recently read in Autosport magazine that all of the team principals in F1 voted Nico the seventh best driver in the sport - that’s a huge compliment. I feel happy because he’s driving for me. I could have retained either one of our existing drivers, but at the end of the day we’ve had long relationships with both, including Adrian Sutil who had a one-year break but came back to us. I consulted my other team members and they all said that we’ve got a new car and a new set of regulations, so let’s get a new set of drivers who have got fire in their bellies and are really hungry. Sergio and Nico fit that bill.

Q: To have signed two of the sport’s finest talents, what does it say about Force India’s aspirations?
VM: I think that the track record of performance of Sahara Force India speaks for itself. I’m very proud that amidst my sceptics and critics, when I set the road map going forward I think we’ve achieved everything we said we would. In fact I think we’ve over achieved. We have consistently punched above our weight - that is the mantra, the philosophy of this team. There’s a huge amount of passion and a lot of talent in Silverstone, but more importantly there is a commitment and a hunger to succeed. I think the fact that we’ve signed two of the finest young drivers in Formula One is a reflection of our own attitude. All the designers, engineers and everyone else at Force India feels the same way as our drivers: we are hungry, we’re out to prove a point. I have to say that I was a very, very happy man up until Silverstone when we were running fifth in the championship. We couldn’t get on top of the tyre changes when they came about, but until then to be running in front of a world-class team like McLaren was quite an achievement. We’re throwing everything we possibly can at the design of the2014 car and we were one of the earliest teams to sign a full powertrain package (with Mercedes), so all these things are helping and hopefully will work to our advantage.

Q: It looks like Paul di Resta might drop out of F1 racing, at least for 2014. Do you think he still deserves a place on the grid?
VM: He’s a great guy and he’s a good driver. I have nothing against Paul, or Adrian for that matter - they both remain very good friends. The bottom line is I wish him all the best and I wish he stays in the Formula One paddock, but don’t forget I brought him into Formula One from DTM. I gave him that opportunity and I was happy to give him that opportunity - I don’t regret it one bit. So I hope he stays (in the sport) and who knows? Maybe sometime in the future there’ll be another opportunity.

Q: Commercially, you’ve spoken of the potential of bringing in Mexican sponsors…
VM: Mexican, Latin America - that part of the world was totally closed for us: we don’t do business in that part of the world, we had no connection to that part of the world. It’s a long way from India! (laughs) So now at least through Checo, I’m sure there are people who will back him, or he can provide us with introductions and so on and so forth. That goes with the job, doesn’t it? But I don’t believe in the pay driver concept. I’ve had many opportunities in the past where I was offered pay drivers - I was offered a lot of money - and I said absolutely not. That’s not the philosophy of Sahara Force India.

Q: Is it fair to say that he brings a commercial package with him?
VM: There’s no ‘package’ with him. There might be opportunities going forward.

Q: But those opportunities were irrelevant to why you picked him?
VM: Yes, absolutely.

Q: That seems quite unusual in F1 racing at the moment, because currently the dynamic is one where drivers contribute…
VM: For some teams, not all. I certainly don’t believe in it. I will not compromise the quality of drivers for money. I will not let down all of my people in Silverstone who are so passionate about designing and building a competitive race car and then compromise the car on the track by taking a driver who is not the very best, simply because he brings money to the table. That’s something I just will not do - it’s against my basic philosophy.

Q: This week it was announced that the sport is going to try to work towards a budget cap in the future…
VM: Brilliant news - I hope it’s implemented. It should have happened a few years ago actually, but better late than never.

Q: Of course, the hardest bit is not the idea of a budget cap, but the enforcement…
VM: At the end of the day, when this was first proposed by FOTA three years ago, there was a mechanism put in place to police it. But if people want to cheat and be dishonest they can, but I wouldn’t necessarily say that any team principal who signs off on a declaration would necessarily push the envelope. Self-governance is better than imposed governance. Once you agree and you’re all together I think it’s almost incumbent on a team principal to make sure the rules are followed.

Q: So in your eyes it would be ideal if it was taken on by the teams rather than policed by the FIA?
VM: It can be both. It can be one, it can be the other, it can be the two - I think that’s the least of the problems.

Source : F1.com

Perez joins Hulkenberg at Force India for 2014 F1 season

Sergio Perez will race for Force India during the 2014 Formula 1 season, with the team unveiling the Mexican in London on Thursday.

Perez switched to McLaren after two years with Sauber for this year's F1 campaign, but was left without a drive when the Working-based team opted to take Formula Renault 3.5 champion Kevin Magnussen. 

Despite the late nature of that call, Perez was confident he would be on the grid next year and has been regularly linked to the vacant second Force India seat. 

Perez will therefore line up alongside Nico Hulkenberg, whose return to the team was confirmed last week. 

AUTOSPORT understands Perez brings a commercial package believed to be worth around 15 million euro.

"It's great to announce my new team as Force India," said Perez. "Coming here was always my first choice and I'm really happy everything has now been confirmed. 

"I want to say thank you to Vijay and the whole team for giving me the opportunity.

"This is a young team with a lot of determination and they've produced competitive cars for the last few years.

"It's all change for next season with the new regulations, but I already have a good feeling about 2014. My plan now is to visit the factory and get to know everyone in the team."

2013 Force India drivers Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta will therefore both need to move on if they are to stay in F1.

Sutil remains in the running for a Sauber seat, but AUTOSPORT understands that di Resta's chance of staying in grand prix racing are slender.

Source : Autosport.com

Hulkenberg rejoins Force India

Nico Hulkenberg will race with the Force India team during the 2014 Formula 1 season after signing a multi-year deal, the outfit announced on Tuesday.

Hulkenberg returns to the Silverstone-based squad after just one season with Sauber, having driven for Force India in 2011 as a tester and as a race driver in 2012.

The German was the main candidate to land the second Lotus seat before the team announced Pastor Maldonado as Kimi Raikkonen's replacement.

"I am happy to come back to Force India," Hulkenberg said.

"The team is aiming high for next year and I believe that the experience I have gained over the years will help us achieve those goals.

"I genuinely believe we can have a competitive package in 2014.

"I've heard a lot of positive things about the Mercedes engine as well, so I think there is a lot to be excited about for next year.

"I know this team and I can see their determination; it's a great bunch of people and we all share the same hunger for success."

Force India said it would announce its second driver in due course.
Team boss Vijay Mallya added: "I'm delighted to see Nico back with Force India.

"When he drove for us in 2012, it became clear Nico was an exceptional talent and he has continued to impress everyone in the paddock with his strong performances this season.

"Having Nico in our line-up is a real statement of intent and a huge boost for everyone associated with the team.

"We have high hopes and expectations for 2014 and by signing Nico we have put ourselves in the best position to achieve those objectives and enjoy what could be our most competitive season yet."

Source : Autosport.com

Hulkenberg and Perez for Force India in 2014?

Nico Hulkenberg physically signed on the dotted line of a 2014 Force India contract in Brazil on Sunday.

That is the claim of Germany's reliable Sport Bild, as it emerged that the German had until midnight to take up an option granted recently by the Silverstone based team, for whom Hulkenberg raced last year.

The 26-year-old had joined Sauber for 2013 after Force India became late in its payments, but it was the Swiss team that found itself in the deeper financial trouble this year.

So, in a sure sign that Lotus' 'Quantum' investment deal will ultimately collapse, Hulkenberg opts for Force India, who according to Sport Bild have included a bank guarantee of EUR 1.9 million to cover the unpaid wages of 2012.

It is believed Hulkenberg's teammate next year will not be countryman Adrian Sutil, despite that German hinting repeatedly in recent weeks that his is a done deal.

In fact, it is understood the experienced Sutil is taking his Medion sponsorship to Sauber.

Force India's other 2013 driver, Paul di Resta, is almost certainly leaving F1.

"People are saying it's not budget related," the Scot told BBC's radio Five Liv, 

"but there are things which are. I go into the winter with my head held high."
It seems Force India will head into 2014 with an all-new driver lineup, completed by the McLaren refugee Sergio Perez, who is bringing a reported EUR 15 million in sponsorship, having patched up his relationship with Telmex.
McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh, having dropped Mexican Perez at the eleventh hour, has hinted he helped to broker the deal.

"I am very happy," Whitmarsh is quoted by the Guardian. "Lots of stuff has been written but he's a young man who has been incredibly dignified.

"He is very much liked in the team, is a thoroughly likeable guy and I said to him: 'Prove us wrong'.

"We've done what we can to help him out and he certainly deserves to be in formula one, so I'm delighted for him that we'll see his smiling face in the paddock."

Whitmarsh admitted it is bittersweet that, in helping Perez, fellow Briton di Resta is apparently being pushed out of F1.

"It's a complicated sport these days and there are drivers with less talent than Paul who will be in the sport, and that's sad," he said.
The obvious conclusion of all the latest 'silly season' goings-on is that Pastor Maldonado, the most powerfully sponsored driver on the market, is taking his PDVSA millions to Lotus to fill the Quantum hole.

F1 correspondent Heikki Kulta, of Finland's Turun Sanomat newspaper, expects the news to be announced early this week.

Alongside Sutil, the likely occupant of the other Sauber is less clear, as team boss Monisha Kaltenborn on Sunday refused to "speculate" about the future of Mexican Esteban Gutierrez.

It appears she was waiting for midnight, and the expiry of Hulkenberg's Force India option. Also waiting in the wings is the Russian teenager Sergey Sirotkin.

"My sources tell me that Sauber is still waiting for Hulkenberg," former long-time Sauber driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who was also managed by Hulkenberg's agent Werner Heinz, told German television Sky.

Source : Grandprix.com

Force India pleased to be “best non-manufacturer team”

Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley says securing sixth place in the constructors’ championship proves Force India are the “best non-manufacturer team” in F1.

The team secured sixth in the championship despite coming under pressure from Sauber in the closing stages of the season.

“Although we missed out on points today, we achieved the objective that we set ourselves coming into the weekend to defend our sixth place in the championship,” said Fernley after yesterday’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

“In the end we did that quite comfortably, which is a real credit to everybody at Sahara Force India. It means we’ve finished in the top six twice in the last three seasons, consolidating our reputation as being the best non-manufacturer team.”

Force India ended the year with 77 points which was 32 less than they scored last year when they finished seventh in the championship.

“Looking back on the season as a whole I think we can be proud of our performance,” said Fernley. “The start of the year was exceptional and we recaptured our form in the final few races.”

Force India were one of the teams that were hardest hit by the mid-season change in tire construction. Having amassed 59 points in the opening eight races they only added 18 more over the last 11 rounds.

Source: http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com 

Brazilan Race - Force India driver quotes

Paul di Resta, 11th
“The light rain made for quite a tricky race, but it was also enjoyable with lots of overtaking. Losing six places off the line with too much wheelspin was a key moment and really put us on the backfoot, but the performance of the car in the race was consistent and we achieved the two-stop race. We chose to extend each stint but I struggled for performance on the hard tyre at the end and I wasn’t able to challenge Ricciardo for the final point. However, I think we can go away from here quite satisfied with what we achieved today and with the year as a whole. Although I missed out on a top ten position in the championship, it’s been a successful season, an incredible journey and I want to say a massive thanks to the team for the job they’ve done this year.”

Adrian Sutil, 13th
“It was quite a challenging final race and I was really hoping for some points, but it just wasn’t possible today. It was drizzling with rain for most of the race, but I felt quite sure the track was going to stay mostly dry. The main issue for me was the tyre wear because we had to stop three times and that made it hard to race for points. In the final laps I was catching the train of cars ahead of me, but I didn’t get close enough to change my position. It’s been an up and down season, but I will remember the positives and the fact the team is once again in sixth place in the championship, which is a great effort by everybody.”

Robert Fernley, Force India team deputy team principal
“Although we missed out on points today, we achieved the objective that we set ourselves coming into the weekend to defend our sixth place in the championship. In the end we did that quite comfortably, which is a real credit to everybody at Sahara Force India. It means we’ve finished in the top six twice in the last three seasons, consolidating our reputation as being the best non-manufacturer team. I thought Paul and Adrian both drove well today, although the ground Paul lost at the start proved quite costly. His race pace was good on the two-stop strategy, but the final point was out of reach. Adrian suffered more with tyre wear and had to stop three times. Looking back on the season as a whole I think we can be proud of our performance. The start of the year was exceptional and we recaptured our form in the final few races. We look forward to the challenge of 2014 and will come back 
determined to pick up where we left off.”

Source : Formula1.com

Brazilan Qualifying - Force India driver quotes

Paul di Resta (12th, Q2 - 1m 27.798s)
“The wet conditions have made for a very difficult weekend so far and I was only able to complete very limited running in the build-up to qualifying. So we’ve pretty much stuck with the set-up we decided on before coming here, which will hopefully help us tomorrow if the conditions improve and we get a dry track. If it is dry there will be a lot of unknowns, especially with the tyres on a green track, and there’s the possibility that we can take advantage of that. If it’s wet then we are in a good position to race for points because our performance in the wet this weekend has been a step forward compared with earlier in the year. We will keep pushing and hopefully tomorrow we will be smiling after the race.”

Adrian Sutil (16th, Q2 - 1m 28.586s)
“A very tricky session and the best conditions were right at the start of Q1. After that the conditions gradually became worse and worse for everyone. So in Q2 there was only one real opportunity to set your time, which was at the start of the session. I stayed out to see if the rain eased off, but when Perez had his accident the yellow flags came out so I pitted. The main issue was the lack of grip and I didn’t have the confidence to really push. It looks like I will start P16 tomorrow, but we know it’s a long race and it’s uncertain what the weather will do. The races here in Brazil can be very unusual and unpredictable so we never give up and will keep pushing until the last lap.”

Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“The wet weather continued today with conditions getting gradually worse as the qualifying hour unfolded. We judged Q1 pretty well with Paul and Adrian completing solid laps on the intermediates before the rain became heavier. It was a similar situation in Q2 with the rain continuing to fall. We sent both cars out as soon as the lights went green and Paul ended up just three tenths away from making Q3. Adrian was struggling slightly more and didn’t have the confidence as the track got wetter. There’s still a big question mark about the weather tomorrow and I think we can expect another unpredictable race whatever happens. The priority is to make sure we keep out of trouble and do what we need to secure our position in the Constructors’ championship.”

Source : Formula1.com

Friday practice - Force India driver quotes

Paul di Resta, P2 - 1:29.174, 13th
“After missing the morning session I did my best to get up to speed quickly with the wet track. The balance on the intermediates is not too bad and I think we know the areas we need to improve tonight. So it looks like we are in reasonable shape and the car appears to be working better in the wet conditions compared with earlier in the season. I didn’t get the opportunity to complete the ideal lap this afternoon so I think there is more time to come from the car tomorrow.”

Adrian Sutil, P1 - 1:27.115, 15th; P2 - 1:29.783, 15th
“We tried a lot this morning and I was one of the cars to do the most laps. We ran through some different options with the set up to try and improve our performance in the wet. I spent most of the morning on the intermediate tyres and stayed on the same set for the afternoon to make sure I have some new sets available for qualifying and the race. After such a busy morning we didn’t run so much this afternoon and my performance was compromised by using the old tyres. So I think it’s fair to say that my lap time in FP2 is not that representative. The most important thing was to understand how the tyres work in the wet.”

James Calado, P1 - 1:27.436, 18th
“It was my first experience of driving a Formula One car in the rain and the conditions were quite difficult. It was important not to take any risks so I held back a little bit, but I was reasonably happy with my pace and ended up just three tenths away from Adrian. I only managed nine laps, but that was enough to give the team some data and give me experience of the damp track conditions. It was also my first time at Interlagos and my initial impressions are positive. It’s quite high speed with some fast and flowing sections, and it’s also quite a technical lap.”

Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“A damp day at Interlagos saw us run a reduced programme with both cars on the wet and intermediate tyres. With no dry track time it means we missed the opportunity to sample the 2014 development tyres, which is a shame. With the wet weather likely to continue over the weekend, the drivers simply focused on trying to understand the tyres and improving the drivability of the car in the wet conditions. Adrian’s morning programme was quite extensive and he ran through a lot of different options, which will help us with our decision making overnight.”

Source : Formula1.com

Sutil hints 2014 Force India deal done

 

Adrian Sutil looks set to remain at Force India next year after revealing on Thursday that he had signed a deal for the 2014 Formula 1 season.

 

Although the German drew short of confirming exactly where he will be driving, he made it clear ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix that his plans were sorted. 

"Yes I know where I will be," he said. "There is a signature somewhere - but it is a team policy that I don't talk about it. 

"But I am quite happy. It was always my decision where I signed or didn't sign - and that is why I feel good." 

Although he was careful not to confirm his Force India plans, he did explain that he had only kept a watching brief on options elsewhere rather than actively pursue anything. 

"I always look of course," he said. "It depends on the situation, sometimes you have contracts and it doesn't mean a lot. 

"There is so much going on at the moment as well, so I looked at it from the outside. But for me it is maybe a different situation to other drivers. Life goes on and I am a happy man." 

Sutil also said he was happy to be remaining with Mercedes power next year, amid speculation that the German car manufacturer will have the best engine in 2014. 

"I believe in German technology and English engineering," he said. "It works quite well together. 

"But we have no proof that the engine will be the best. This is just from experience that Mercedes are able to build very strong engines. 

"But Ferrari is also a very good manufacturer. Renault has a lot of history in this turbo charger engine, so they could be also very strong."

 

Source : asia.eurosport.com

Force India won't rush decision

 

Force India hopefuls will have to wait to learn their fate as Vijay Mallya won't make a decision until after the team's Christmas party.

 

Several drivers are vying for a seat at Force India for next year's Championship including 2013 race drivers Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil.

But according to the latest rumours, the team could undergo a complete overhaul with Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez tipped to replace the current pairing.

For now, though, all four - and everyone else - will have to wait as Mallya is in no rush to decide.

"Everybody knows I make the decision at the last minute - well not the last minute - I make the decision after the Force India Christmas party which means in December," the team owner told ESPNF1.

"I see no reason to change it. Yes, I have received approaches from other drivers but they all know that decision time will be in December.

"I would like to think and believe that the Force India race seat is a very desirable seat, it's not just a seat for the sake of having a seat. So I am not surprised that people have come to me."

Source : planetf1.com
 

Brazil GP - Force India Preview quotes

Paul di Resta, Force India
2012 Qualifying - 11th, 2012 Race - 19th
“(The Brazilian Grand Prix) is one of the most atmospheric weekends of the year. The fans are the loudest and very passionate about Formula One. There are drums playing in the grandstands and a party mood all the time. It’s great to see and it definitely gives you a buzz. Because it’s such a small track every hundredth and thousandth of a second becomes even more critical in qualifying. The lap has a very nice flow with a real variation of corners. There are fast sections, slow corners, elevation changes and off-camber parts of the lap. It may be small, but it has everything you need from a track. In terms of points scored this has been my best season in Formula One, but it would be great to round off the year with a special result. The weather forecast looks uncertain and it’s a track which always generates an interesting Grand Prix. It’s the final race for the V8 engines so I really hope we can end the era on a positive note.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“Sao Paulo is the complete opposite of somewhere like Abu Dhabi, but the atmosphere in Brazil is always amazing. It’s one of the historic races and the track only has a few corners, but every year it produces an interesting race. One of the reasons is because the main straight is so long. It’s quite easy to follow a car onto the straight and there’s a big chance for slipstreaming. It’s also a difficult circuit to drive despite its short length. It’s bumpy and quite low grip, which makes it hard to get the perfect lap. I want to finish the season well and help the team retain its position in the championship. I had an unlucky weekend in the United States and there is no better way to forget it than with a strong result. I believe the track will suit our car and, should this be a wet race, we could be in a good position for a high-points finish.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“It was important that we secured such strong results in India and Abu Dhabi. As I said before Austin, it gave us some breathing space and we are still 24 points ahead of our nearest competitor. I think the odds are in our favour, but there's no room for complacency: we need to make sure we get the job done in Interlagos. The weather forecast is for some rain (this weekend) and that would introduce an element of unpredictability. That was the case last year when Nico [Hulkenberg] was leading the race, so we have good memories of Interlagos. It's a lovely track too and I'm looking forward to it. It's the last race of a long season and the end of an era before the new rules come into force next season.”

Source : Formula1.com

Sutil: Maldonado on different planet

Adrian Sutil described Pastor Maldonado's driving as dangerous after a United States Grand Prix collision that the German branded "shocking".

The Force India and Williams came together on Austin's back straight on the first lap, sending Sutil into the barriers.

Asked by AUTOSPORT to explain the incident, Sutil replied: "On a very big straight, with a lot of space left and right, for some reason I got a hit on the left tyre in the middle of the straight and lost the car.

"It was very shocking. You'd never believe something like that, but it happened.

"There was no reason to be so close. I was on my line and I didn't do anything different.

"I was staying straight with my steering wheel and to the left and right there was a lot of space. I don't understand why someone then hits you.

"There's like an emergency area around him, you have to give room for two cars, not just one."

Sutil felt it was only luck that prevented the crash from being much worse.
"What happened today could have ended differently. It was around 300km/h, touching on the rear tyre," he said.

"I could've rolled. There were still five or six behind. We want to get out of these cars alive. You need to think a little bit sometimes."
Maldonado played down the incident, but put it down to Sutil's movement on the straight.

"It was quite strange," said the Venezuelan.

"I didn't expect that contact from Sutil. We were side by side and I was losing a little bit on the straight because he was moving past.

"He either didn't see me or was thinking he was already fully ahead. My front wing was there and we touched.

"I have nothing against him and it is very difficult to see when the cars are side by side. Sometimes it's happened to me in the past as well, it's nothing really important."

But Sutil said Maldonado was always a difficult driver to race against.
"Whenever you get close to him, he brakes 50 metres later than everyone else and he's sometimes over the limit," said the German.

"It's more dangerous to drive against certain drivers. Of course many drivers have had incidents with him.

"I think for him to back off sometimes a little bit would be quite good. It gets to a stage where it could be dangerous."
Sutil did not believe talking to Maldonado would be worthwhile.

"I don't see a big point in talking," he said.

"I've tried it several times, but he's on a different planet.

"In the incident at Spa, he went straight into Paul [di Resta] and said it was our fault... 

"For me, it's done and over."

Source : Autosport.com

American GP - Race - Force India Drivers quote

Paul di Resta, 15th
“I made a good start and was in reasonable shape for the first stint. But it soon became clear that we were struggling for pace and not really in the zone with the tyres. We were pushing to do a one stop race, but the tyre wear was a bit higher than expected and I ran out of tyre performance with nine laps to go. It was hard to defend my position so I had to make a second pit stop. It’s a shame because we were quite optimistic before the race and we thought the warmer weather might play into our hands. So it’s a bit disappointing, but we will pick ourselves up and look to end the season with a better result in Brazil next weekend.”

Adrian Sutil, DNF
“It feels like I ran out of luck this weekend. Up until Saturday morning I was looking competitive and was happy with the car, but all of that promise disappeared with the problems we had in qualifying. In the race I made a good start, gained a few positions and was racing ahead of Maldonado on the back straight. For some reason he hit my left rear wheel and I immediately lost control of the car and crashed into the barriers. I don’t really understand why he was so close to me because the track is so wide there. I stayed on my line and there was a lot of space to the right and the left. So it was an early finish and a very disappointing day.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
“Despite the promise we have shown at various points during the weekend, we leave the United States without the results we thought were possible. Our chances took a big hit on lap one with the accident for Adrian, which was a result of the contact with Maldonado. That put all our hopes onto Paul and we were looking to repeat the strategy we pulled off in Abu Dhabi by stopping only once. For a while we thought it was possible, but we couldn’t achieve the tyre management we needed and had to pull him in for a late second stop. It was always going to be tough to score points today, but I’m optimistic that Interlagos next week will work more in our favor.”

Source : Formula1.com

American GP - Qualifying - Force India driver quotes

Force India
Paul di Resta (12th, Q2 - 1m 38.139s)
“I’m reasonably happy with today’s result because this is a track that does not particularly suit my driving style. The wind picked up quite a bit before qualifying, which made the conditions tricky and I think we made the most of that. We out-qualified some quick cars today and in the end I was just a tenth away from making Q3. I was planning to go for a final quick lap in Q2, but I came across Lewis [Hamilton] on my out lap, who was cooling his tyres. It meant my out lap was compromised so we aborted the run. We can make a free choice on tyres tomorrow and we’ve shown recently that our performance on race day has been our strength. If we can make a good start and optimise the strategy, then points will be within reach.”

Adrian Sutil (17th, Q1 - 1m 39.250s)
“It’s a disappointing result today. The car has been quick through all the sessions, but things didn’t go to plan today. I had to overtake a lot of traffic on my quick lap in Q1, including a Marussia going into the final corner, and that cost me the chance of making Q2. I then started another lap and suffered a brake disc failure on the front right, which ended the session for me. So I’m starting in P17 and I just hope we can do something with the strategy to try and get up into the points tomorrow.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
“It was a mixed qualifying result for Sahara Force India. Paul had a good session and made a big improvement between final practice and qualifying. He’s put himself in a strong position to race for points tomorrow. Adrian was unlucky with traffic compromising his best opportunity in Q1. His final chance of a quick lap ended with a brake disc failure on the front right corner, which resulted in a puncture. It’s unfortunate because he was not able to show the true speed of the car. The task for us now is to try use the strategy to bring him into contention for points.”

Source : Formula1.com

Friday practice - Force India driver quotes

Adrian Sutil, P1 - 1:39.699, 14th; P2 - 1:38.719, 11th
“It’s my first visit to Austin and I have to say I really like the track. There are some nice corners and some tricky ones where it’s easy to make small mistakes. It’s not that easy to learn the track either because it’s a challenging lap, especially the high-speed sections. We worked hard to improve the car set-up today, but the balance is still not where I want it to be. Hopefully we can make some positive changes overnight. As for the tyres, there is not a big difference between the hard and the medium, but we managed long runs on each compound so should be well prepared for the weekend.”

Paul di Resta, P1 - 1:39.836, 15th; P2 - 1:39.410, 15th
“It’s been a difficult day to understand exactly where we are and I don’t think my position in FP2 is a true reflection of our competitiveness. I came across some traffic on my best lap so Adrian’s position is probably more representative. The long runs looked more promising and if we get everything together we can hopefully match the performance level we’ve shown for the last few races. The focus tonight will be on tyres: understanding them more and how to manage them over the weekend.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Team principal and Managing Director
“It’s great to be back in Austin. The circuit still looks spectacular and the welcome from the American fans is always fantastic. Despite the disrupted morning session we made good progress today and both cars covered plenty of laps. It was a new experience for Adrian, who is driving here for the first time, but by the end of the morning session he was fully up-to-speed. Both drivers have yet to find the optimum balance and the track conditions meant it was hard to be consistent and difficult to make comparisons. The engineers have lots of data to analyse tonight to make sure we get the most from the tyres in qualifying and the race.”

Source : Formula1.com

America GP- Force India Preview quotes

Paul di Resta, Force India
2012 Qualifying - 13th, 2012 Race - 15th
“It’s great to have a race there, especially at such an impressive facility. I still remember the huge crowd that came to the race last year and the amazing atmosphere. The place was absolutely packed and the whole city was very enthusiastic about Formula One. We go there with high hopes and will try and build on the performance of Abu Dhabi.
“Sector one stands out for me. It’s very similar to the Maggots and Becketts sequence at Silverstone and the fast chicanes work the car and tyres really hard. It’s a very enjoyable part of the lap and those corners really show you the potential of a Formula One car. The rest of the lap is quite open with a great flow. A lot of the corners are off-camber, too, which adds another challenge.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“I’ve spent time in America before. I’ve been to a few of the big cities: New York, Los Angeles and Miami, but never to Texas. I hear it’s a beautiful place with a lot happening so it sounds like a great location. I've heard lots of good things about the Circuit of The Americas, too.
“It’s a very unusual lap with a big variation of corners. The first sector is interesting with so many turns one after the other and it looks like there are some nice high-speed corners. The feedback I’ve heard is very positive and everyone says it’s smooth and enjoyable to drive. From what I’ve seen it appears to be one of the better new generation tracks so I’m looking forward to getting there and trying it for myself.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“We’ve scored 15 points in two races and we now have some breathing space behind us. But we won’t change our approach heading to Austin. We will go there focussed on closing the gap to fifth place, which is just 18 points. I think everybody was impressed by our first visit to Austin last year. The race was a real success and it’s great to see the interest from such an important market. We were in the points last year and we go there determined to get some more this year.”

Source : Formula1.com 

Di Resta feels sixth proves worth to Force India

 

Paul di Resta believes his sixth place in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix proves Force India should retain him for 2014. 

Di Resta's future is uncertain after three seasons with the team, with Force India likely to make a decision on its driver line-up after the end of the season. However, having held off Lewis Hamilton to secured a top six finish at Yas Marina, di Resta said he had shown what he is capable enough when given a quick car.

"I've always said I would like to stay with the team; I would like to stay in Formula One more importantly," di Resta said. "But if they give me the tools I can deliver and I think that proves what I can do. I expect the decision very soon from the senior management as they said, but I will keep focusing on the races and let the management team do the business in the background."
Di Resta said he was especially pleased to hold off a Mercedes in the closing laps.

"It's a great feeling to finish sixth and make the one-stop strategy work. I said yesterday that we had opted to set the car up more for the race and it really paid off today. There were times when we had to be very quick and times when we had to manage the pace and look after the tyres. Towards the end of the race I was battling with Fernando and Lewis, but it was impossible to hold Fernando back because he was on much fresher soft tyres.

"Lewis was on the mediums so I just focussed on getting clean exits from the hairpin and the chicane leading onto the long straights, and was able to stay ahead. The eight points are just what we needed and everybody in the team deserves credit for the big effort that has gone in this week. That's two strong weekends in a row and we will move to Austin determined to keep up the momentum." 

Source : En.espnf1.com

Abu Dhabi GP- Race- Force India driver quotes

Paul di Resta, 6th
“It’s a great feeling to finish sixth and make the one-stop strategy work. I said yesterday that we had opted to set the car up more for the race and it really paid off today. There were times when we had to be very quick and times when we had to manage the pace and look after the tyres. Towards the end of the race I was battling with Fernando and Lewis, but it was impossible to hold Fernando back because he was on much fresher soft tyres. Lewis was on the mediums so I just focussed on getting clean exits from the hairpin and the chicane leading onto the long straights, and was able to stay ahead. The eight points are just what we needed and everybody in the team deserves credit for the big effort that has gone in this week. That’s two strong weekends in a row and we will move to Austin determined to keep up the momentum.”

Adrian Sutil, 10th
“Considering that I started in P17 I have to be quite satisfied about scoring a point and I’m happy about the team result today. It’s not been an easy weekend with the problems I had during practice and qualifying, but the strategy today was the right one and we came away with a point. I was running in ninth until the last lap ahead of Perez, but by that time I had done 27 laps on the soft tyres and it was very hard to defend because I had no traction out of the slow speed corners. The points scored in the last two races have been very important for the championship position.”

Bob Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“The whole team can feel very proud of today’s result, which sets us up nicely for the final couple of races. With nine points in the bag the sixth place in the championship is looking much more realistic and we are only 18 points away from fifth place. Despite the limited practice mileage on Friday we felt confident of pulling off the one-stop strategy, just as we did in India last weekend. Paul and Adrian drove faultless races, looked after their tyres when they needed to and showed very strong pace throughout. It’s rewarding to see the progress we have made in the last couple of races, which is a result of all the hard work behind the scenes. We’ve kept our heads down, worked hard and it is starting to show. We now look forward to Austin with optimism and hope to build on the performance of the last two races.”

Source : Formula1.com

Abu Dhabi GP- Qualifying - Force India driver quotes

Paul di Resta (12th, Q2 - 1:41.133)
“I am pretty satisfied with P12, which puts us in a reasonable position for tomorrow. I’m feeling good in the car, which has worked well all weekend. For tomorrow I’m optimistic that we can be up there with a good chance of picking up some points. The car is responding well and I also think we are more suited to the race than qualifying. There’s a long race ahead of us, but we will work hard to put together a good strategy tonight and try to push our way forward in the race.”

Adrian Sutil (18th, Q1 - 1:42.051)
“I’ve not been feeling comfortable with the car this weekend. The practice sessions have not been easy and I just can’t find a balance that is working for me. It started in second practice yesterday when we had the issue with the brakes and since then I’ve been struggling. We made some changes before qualifying, which were an improvement, but it was not enough to progress to Q2. So we are disappointed with P18, but it’s the result of things not coming together for us. It’s a long and tough race here, but I still look forward to it and will try my best to improve our performance.”

Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“It’s encouraging to see Paul up in P12 and only a tenth away from the top ten. He’s been happy with the car performance from the start of practice and has progressed with each run. We have a good race car, with consistent pace over long runs, which will hopefully allow us to join the fight for points. On the other side of the garage it has been quite a challenging weekend for Adrian. He’s not been comfortable with the car and, despite our best efforts, we’ve not found the right direction to give him a balance that gives him confidence. It will be an interesting race tomorrow and hopefully our strategy decisions tonight will allow us to move forward with both cars.”

Source : Formula1.com

Friday practice - Force India driver quotes

Force India
Paul di Resta, P1 - 1:45.040, 7th; P2 - 1:42.806, 13th
“It’s been quite a positive day. The general balance is not too bad, although there’s still work to do to improve the car through the high-speed part of the lap. The main issue of the afternoon was the brake failure on the front left, which caused me to run wide at turn eight. The team chose to change the brake material, which cost us about 15 minutes of track time, but we were able to do a long run on the soft tyre at the end of the session.”

Adrian Sutil, P2 - 1:42.998, 15th
“It’s hard to say too much about today because we had to change the brake material in the middle of the second session. That had quite a big impact on the car and it was difficult to make a comparison with the set-up changes. There is quite a big difference between the two tyre compounds and at the moment I’m struggling more with the medium tyres. The general balance of the car felt okay so I’m still positive we can be in good shape tomorrow.”

James Calado, P1 - 1:45.924, 14th
“Yas Marina Circuit is a track I know really well so it was easy to get up to speed today and within one or two laps I was feeling quite comfortable. The rest of the session went pretty well and I was able to complete the comparison work with the set-up. The balance felt good, but I was suffering with high tyre wear on the medium, especially through the final sector.”

Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“It’s been a positive day overall. The only real issue was the brake failure on Paul’s car, which fortunately did not cost us too much track time. He was able to return to the pits and we fitted new brake material to both cars as a precautionary measure. I feel optimistic that we can build on the performance level we showed in India last weekend. The long run pace looks competitive, especially on the soft tyre, and both drivers felt happy with the general balance.”

Source : Formula1.com

Exclusive interview - Force India’s Vijay Mallya

After a strong start to the season, Force India have had a pretty torrid time of it of late, struggling to adapt their VJM06 to the revised Pirelli tyres. That all changed on Sunday with a double-points finish at their ‘home’ Grand Prix in India. But was that purely down to adventurous race strategy, or have the team really turned a corner? We spoke to the man in charge, Dr Vijay Mallya, to find out…

Q: Vijay, you ran a brave strategy with both cars on Sunday. Was that because you wanted to give the Indian fans a good showing from their ‘local’ team?
Vijay Mallya: Absolutely. We wanted to do well at our home Grand Prix. We scored points at the first two races here and we wanted to score points again - if possible with both cars. We knew that the car had a good race pace, even though we didn’t qualify brilliantly, and the only way to assure ourselves of points was to have a very aggressive strategy. So we took both the extremes: Paul came in on the first lap and Adrian stayed out as long as he could and pushed the soft tyres also quite well until the end. Yes, it was risky in some respects, but it turned out well for us. One thing is clear: in Formula One, quite apart from the mechanical design of the car and driver competence, strategy also plays a very important part in determining the result. We are not the only team who has done this over the past season, but what I was telling my guys was we have to think outside the box. We cannot simply say that the tyres changed after Silverstone so we have to take constraints in tyre performance given the mechanical design of our car. That’s not us. It is true that it is too late to change the mechanical design of the car because we are already committed to designing the 2014 car - so that would be an easy excuse. But we are here for performance - and performance means points. I had to tell my team that we don’t have any choice anymore - we have to think outside the box. And that’s what we did: both cars again in the points.
Q: Force India have been in a mid-season slump. Presumably that was indeed due to the tyre changes since Silverstone?
VM: Yes, it was. How can there be any other reason for such a strong performance literally falling off the cliff? This doesn’t happen normally. So yes, it was the tyres. At the FIA press conference on Friday, Monisha Kaltenborn of Sauber and Eric Boullier of Lotus both confirmed that the tyre changes after Silverstone helped them. They actually acknowledged that the change in tyre benefitted them. In our case it did the reverse. It worked to our disadvantage. But I do see all that as part of Formula One. (laughs)
Q: So was Sunday’s double-points finish just down to the brave strategy, or have you come to terms with the different tyres?
VM: We are making baby steps at a time in trying to get the set-up right within the mechanical design constraints to optimize our performance. So yes, this input is taking place - race by race. Over and above those inputs, we also try to imagine out-of-the-box strategies.
Q: Three Grands Prix left: will these baby steps also work in the races still to come? And will Sauber stay behind?
VM: I don’t want to talk about Sauber. We gained six points on them at the weekend - they were obviously hoping to gain six points or more on us, but fortunately it worked in our favour. I don’t know what happened to Nico (Hulkenberg) and why he retired, but he was going well until that point. But be that as it may, yes, we will continue to think out of the box, we will continue to score points and we will continue to make baby steps. This will be our strategy for the remaining three races.
Q: Force India are one of the few teams to have confirmed no drivers for 2014…
VM: Force India are known to keep quiet on their driver line-up until December and I don’t intend to change that. I feel no compulsion to change that.
Q: But what are you looking for in a driver? Requirements can change from season to season…
VM: That is not our track record, actually. If you see our track record, we’ve kept our drivers. We have had only one driver who expressed the desire to leave us after one year, which was Nico Hulkenberg, but other than that all the other drivers have always been very happy to stay. I believe in continuity, but of course I also need to be cognizant of the fact that 2014 is going to be a new year with new challenges. Not to ever say that our current drivers cannot cope with it, but I need to consider all angles before I finally confirm our 2014 driver line-up.
Q: Some teams believe pairing an experienced driver with a youngster is a good approach - to have the adept feedback and the young spirit. Could that also be the road for Force India?
VM: If you talk about youngsters, we took Paul di Resta and gave him his first drive in Formula One, so we are used to this. But we will only take a talented youngster, who doesn’t bring money but who can bring points. That’s what we look at.
Q: What is state of affairs with Force India’s 2014 car?
VM: We are well advanced in designing the 2014 car. We actually started at the beginning of May this year, so we have given ourselves enough time - and the development is going reasonably well.
Q: Force India will again use Mercedes engines next year. How is the cooperation with them? How is the information flow?
VM: Mercedes have been excellent partners. We are using Mercedes engines today and the only thing that will change is that in addition to the engine we are going to use the gearbox as well - actually Mercedes is giving us the entire powertrain, not just the power plant. We were amongst the first to sign up with an engine partner (for 2014) and we are very happy with Mercedes. Mercedes shares their data with their own Formula One team and I would never expect Mercedes to disadvantage us in any way.
Q: So for the 2014 season, what would be your dream goal - and for what would you be satisfied with?
VM: Ha, the dream goal would be to finish fifth in the constructors’ championship - and the compromised goal would be to finish sixth in the constructors’ championship. 

Source : Formula1.com ( Official F1 website ) 

Abu Dhabi preview quotes - Force India

Paul di Resta, Force India
2012 Qualifying - 13th, 2012 Race - 9th
“We will certainly go to Abu Dhabi to try and repeat the performance (from India). The direction we’ve taken with the car recently is more of a back-to-basics approach, which has helped. It’s given me more confidence and I can be more committed with the car. That’s really important for a driver and it will help us for both qualifying and the race.
“I enjoy driving in Abu Dhabi because it’s a twilight race and one of the more spectacular events of the year - a bit like Singapore. As a track you don’t have to rely too much on aero performance because it’s mostly low-speed and that should suit our car quite well.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“Yas Marina is one of the most perfect tracks on the calendar because there’s not a stone out of place! It almost feels like a futuristic venue and with the harbour location it’s like a second Monaco. The track layout is not my favourite because it’s mostly low-speed, but as an event it’s certainly a highlight of the year.”

Source : Formula1.com

Indian GP - Race - Force India drivers quotes

Paul di Resta, 8th
“It’s great to score points here in India – the team’s home Grand Prix and a really important race for us. We took an aggressive strategy by pitting at the end of the first lap to change from softs to medium tyres – which was always the plan. After that we effectively split the race in two and I pitted again for my second set of medium tyres on lap 30. The other positive is that we’ve steadily improved the car over the last few weeks and I’m feeling more comfortable, so I think we can be optimistic of performing at a similar level in Abu Dhabi next week.”

Adrian Sutil, 9th
“The target was to score points so eighth and ninth places are a great result for us today. My one-stop strategy was the riskier approach and it was only during the race that we decided to go ahead with it. The medium tyres, which I started on, were performing really well and I realised that doing a one-stop race was possible. We thought that the soft tyres would only last around five laps, so I made sure I really looked after them, and in the end I managed just under twenty laps. After some difficult races recently, we showed everybody what we can achieve with some great teamwork today.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
“Like everybody in the team I am delighted to see both Sahara Force Indias score points in our home race. That’s the goal we set ourselves ahead of the weekend and the six points scored are very important for strengthening our position in the Constructors’ Championship. The second half of the season has been challenging for us, but we showed today that we never give up and that all the recent hard work has paid off. I want to congratulate the engineers for making the right calls with the strategy, the drivers for their strong performances, and the mechanics for consistently quick pit stops. With just three races remaining this season, there is plenty to play for and we will go to Abu Dhabi determined to keep up this momentum.”

Source : Autosport.com 
 

Indian GP - Qualifying Force India driver quotes

Paul di Resta (12th, Q2 - 1m 25.711s)
“I think we can be satisfied with the job we’ve done today. My lap in Q2 was very good, although I made a small mistake in the second to last corner, so I was maybe a couple of tenths away from the perfect lap. It definitely feels like we’ve made some progress recently and my confidence is growing with the way the car is working at the moment. Going into our home race we are only a couple of places away from points, so we’re in the mix and if we can deliver the right strategy we should be able to come away with something.”

Adrian Sutil (13th, Q2 - 1m 25.740s)
“P13 is more or less the position I expected today. The balance was not perfect for my last run and I was suffering with some understeer, so maybe I could have been a couple of tenths quicker. As a team we are P12 and P13 so I think we’re still in with a good chance of scoring points. The strategy options are quite limited because the medium tyre is a very good race tyre, more so than the soft. It’s our home race and I really enjoy this track so I hope we can put on a good show tomorrow in front of the Indian fans.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
“The indications from yesterday’s practice sessions suggested that we were looking slightly more competitive than in previous races, and I think our performance today confirms that. The times in final practice showed the progress made overnight and it’s encouraging to hear that the drivers are feeling more confident with the car, which is what we’ve been missing recently. Both drivers felt that there was a little bit more performance in the car, but I don’t think it would have changed our overall grid positions. We will approach tomorrow’s race with points being the clear goal. It’s something we have achieved for the past couple of years and I’m optimistic that we will have the race pace to take the fight to the cars around us and deliver some points in our home race.”

Source : Formula1.com

Indian GP Friday practice - Force India driver quotes

Adrian Sutil, P1 - 1:28.468, 15th; P2 - 1:27.375, 12th
"It has been quite a positive day with a more consistent car than in the previous few races. We made small adjustments, rather than big ones, and I think that was a sensible approach because the balance of the car felt quite good. There's still some room to improve, but I think we have some reasonable pace for tomorrow. We still need to tweak the car a little bit more tonight, but hopefully the work we've done today will allow us to be close to Q3 tomorrow. The main thing is that I'm feeling comfortable in the car."

Paul di Resta, P2 - 1:27.608, 15th
"I think it was a reasonable day. Although I missed FP1, I slowly but surely got the car to a position where I was feeling comfortable. We now need to make some decisions tonight to ensure we take the best way forward with the race in mind. In terms of our performance level, the car seems to be slightly more competitive than we were in Suzuka, which is encouraging."

James Calado, P1 - 1:29.197, 18th
"I had driven this track before on the simulator, but my first proper experience was impressive. It's a fantastic venue and one of the most enjoyable tracks I've driven. The session was straightforward with tuning of the car and data collection. The grip levels were low to begin with, but I slowly built up my speed. I had a small spin on what probably would have been my fastest lap, but other than that it went very well."

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
"It's always a pleasure to see Formula One cars driving in India and, as always, the Buddh International Circuit looks fantastic. I was pleased with today's free practice performance and we have certainly fared better than the previous practice sessions in Korea or Japan. At this late stage of the season, the focus is simply on optimising the current package and making sure we race well, which is why we ran through various options today with our performance on Sunday remaining the priority."

Source : Formula1.com

Exclusive Q&A with Adrian Sutil: Experience will count in 2014

Having sat out the 2012 season, Adrian Sutil has made a successful return to Formula One racing with his old team Force India this season. However, the German has yet to firm up what he’ll be doing - and who he’ll be racing for - in 2014. Ahead of his team’s most important race of the year - the 2013 Formula 1 Airtel Indian Grand Prix - we spoke to Sutil about his future plans…

Q: Adrian, you’ve spent the last couple of days in India promoting your team and Formula One racing. What’s your impression: has Formula One racing arrived here?
Adrian Sutil: India is such a huge country with so much potential. F1 for sure has made a big step and there are many fans in India who both support Force India - as it is ‘their’ team - and who are interested in motorsport in general, and especially in F1. So it’s a bit sad that there won’t be a Grand Prix in 2014 in India, but hopefully it will come back in 2015 to build on the strong fan base that already exists and that I have witnessed over the last couple of days. Paul (Di Resta) and I have been guest sports editors of the newspaper ‘Times of India’ and fans could put questions forward and I was really impressed with how knowledgeable the fans are. On Tuesday we both attended a Kingfisher event and did race simulator games against young fans and oh boy, they knew every trick there is! (laughs)
Q: Many eyes will be on Force India this weekend. Will you and Paul be able to satisfy the fans’ hunger for points here?
AS: Hopefully it will be possible, but to be honest it will be difficult as the last races have not been as we would have liked them to be. We had a great start into the season with great results, but since Silverstone we’ve had a hard time. Of course we will try everything to score points and to deliver a great show to all our fans in India.
Q: This season is significantly different for Force India than in previous years: normally the second half of the season has been the time to reap points, but this year it was the first half and now the team - as you’ve just mentioned - is struggling a little. Why is that?
AS: It’s a bit boring to discuss this again and again, but since the tyres have been changed after Silverstone we’ve definitely struggled. Sahara Force India is still a small team with limited capacities so any changes that are made hurt teams like us more than the big teams. With all their resources they react to any changes much faster. But we will push very hard to have good results in the last races and to fight for P6 (in the constructors’ championship).
Q: The impression is that recently the strategies for both cars have not been particularly lucky. Would you agree?
AS: Yes, it looks like we had some problems. But from outside and after a race it’s always easy to know better. If you want to compete with the ‘big boys’ you have to try different strategies - and that is what we did. Unfortunately they did not work as we hoped they would.
Q: Will Force India be able to defend P6 in the constructors’ championship? Will the next four races see the team again on an upward curve?
AS: At least that’s our new goal after realizing that P5 is too far away. Things looked different after the first eight races, but now we have to defend P6 and we will fight as hard as possible to stay there - to finish in P6.
Q: When looking at the performance of all the teams right now one gets the impression that only Red Bull and Lotus are still developing their 2013 cars and that all others aren’t. What’s your point of view on that?
AS: Well, that is hard to say from the outside, but in reality it’s all about money and capacity. If there is enough money to spend and enough staff in the factory it’s easy to develop your car during the whole season - and to focus on the 2104 car with its dramatic changes. For all the smaller teams it is a balancing act that is hard to make happen. At one point you have to concentrate on the future.
Q: There are still a number of drivers without a 2014 contract - including you. What is the state of affairs in your case?
AS: How do you know that I’m without a contract for 2014? (laughs) I will come up with the details when the time is right. Of course I know the direction, but as I just said, the time is not right.
Q: Can you give a hint? Is it a thumbs-up, meaning you’re going somewhere different; a thumbs-down, saying goodbye to F1 racing; or thumbs straight, meaning that you’re staying with Force India?
AS: Well, as I always want to improve, hopefully it’s a thumbs-up situation.
Q: Where are you looking? And how tough is it that at this crucial time you may struggle to show your full potential due to the limited capabilities of your car?
AS: Well, after six years and more than 100 Grands Prix, people in F1 know me and what I’m able to do quite well. I’m convinced that a decision will not be made because of the last couple of races.
Q: What is it that the teams want from a driver? How would you say the job description has changed over the last few years?
AS: Teams are looking for money - that seems to be a logical answer to their situation. But to be honest, most of the teams are still looking for experienced and fast drivers, especially for 2014 with all the changes. It will help a team if the driver knows what he is doing and is able to give conclusive feedback. So, I would say that right now quality rules out over the eventual monetary benefits a driver might bring.
Q: When will your F1 situation be solved?
AS: Maybe it’s already solved. Hopefully I can say more in the coming weeks.

Source : Formula1.com

Calado to replace unwell di Resta in FP1

Force India reserve driver James Calado will replace Paul di Resta for the opening Friday practice session at the Indian Grand Prix.

Di Resta is stepping down from driving duties for the morning due to illness.
Although he was able to complete media commitments earlier on Thursday, he has been given additional time to fully recover before reclaiming his car on Friday afternoon.

The Indian GP run will be Calado's third Friday appearance of the season, following outings in Italy and Korea.

Source : Autosport.com 
 

Indian GP - Force India preview quotes

Paul di Resta, Force India
2012 Qualifying - 16th, 2012 Race - 12th
“This is always a massive event for us and comes at the end of a very busy week because we will be spending a few days in Delhi ahead of the race to meet the local media and fans. We come to India several times during the year and you can see the growing enthusiasm of the fans. It’s great that we get to spend time with them and show them the thrill of Formula One up close.
“I think the layout is one of the best from the new generation of tracks. Sector one stands out for me because it’s where you can really challenge somebody - it's got long straights and big braking zones and can make for some exciting battles. The rest of the track has elevation changes and off-camber corners so it's a challenging combination for the engineers as it’s important to have good mechanical grip.
“We didn't score points in Japan but we made some real progress with setting up the car, so going an extra step and getting in the top ten has got to be the goal this weekend. Friday is going to be crucial because this is one of those tracks where finding the right rhythm with a well-balanced car really pays you back with lap time.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“It is special - it’s our home Grand Prix and to have the colours of the Indian flag on the side of the car makes it even more memorable. I remember the first race there two years ago - so many people came to the race, showing such strong support for our team. We were in the spotlight for the whole weekend and scoring points in the first Indian Grand Prix was very important for us.
“I think scoring points will be a big task, but we will go there ready to fight. The last couple of races have not been easy for us and I’ve struggled to get the balance and consistency with the car. We are moving forward, however - we’ve learned a lot from the last two races so hopefully that will help us find a direction that gives me the confidence to push the car harder.
“It's a very demanding track which requires stability and a good front end. There are some similarities with Korea with some long, flowing corners in the second and third sectors where the downforce is important. We will need to find a good balance to be able to exploit these characteristics.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“Our home race is always a very proud weekend for everyone in the team: the atmosphere at the track is incredible and we always enjoy plenty of support. The track itself is one of the best in the world. It's also a good one for us - in the last two years we scored points in both races, so a similar result would be a good target for the team.”

Source : Formula1.com

Sutil likely to stay at Force India

Adrian Sutil believes that he will "probably" remain at Force India in 2014.

The German returned to the squad he raced for from 2007-2011 this year after sitting out last season and has had a good campaign, scoring 26 points so far.
While Force India has yet to finalise its driver line-up, Sutil is confident of staying on.

"I will probably do another season here," said Sutil when asked by AUTOSPORT about his future.

"It's a good team. At the moment, we are not as strong as we used to be but it is one of the strongest private teams and it's hard to find a better seat so I would like to do another season here.

"But I haven't made up my mind completely and no decision has been made."
While Sutil accepts that the team might opt to replace him, he suspects it will be difficult to do so.

He also stressed that it is not simply a case of Force India deciding to retain him and that he has yet to make a final decision on whether he will stay.

"It's not all about the team and whether they say I am allowed to drive or not, I can also make some comments [about] if I want to stay here.

"It's 50/50, it's not that they decide what I'm allowed to do.

"I think I am in a strong position, I have done my job this year and you would have to find someone else who does the job like I do.

"If there is a better drive somewhere out there and they want him, fine take him and good luck."

Sutil believes that the quality of his driving this year has not been rewarded with as many results as it should have done.

"I lots out on quite a few results and I knew they were big changes in Barcelona, Bahrain with the puncture, Malaysia with the pitstop problem," he said.

"I think we missed out on three top results. But that's how it is, you can't change it."

Source : Autosport.com