British GP Qualifying - Force India driver quotes

Paul di Resta (5th, Q3 - 1m 30.736s)
“I’m over the moon with the qualifying result and I think the whole team can feel very satisfied with fifth on the grid. The morning practice session was quite difficult so it feels great to come through and end up just behind two Mercedes and two Red Bulls. This track takes a lot of commitment and you need to build up your speed, but I think we saved our best till last – and that’s when it mattered. For tomorrow our tyre wear looks healthy and we’ve given ourselves a good opportunity to get in some clean air during the race. I will sleep well tonight and hope that we can have a straightforward race, and come away with lots of points.”

Adrian Sutil (7th, Q3 - 1m 30.908s)
“Seventh place is a great result today. The car was not easy to drive this morning, but we made some improvements before qualifying and found more speed with each session. If we can do our homework tonight then we have the potential to have a great race. There are still some unknowns with the tyres over long runs because I haven’t really done more than ten laps on a set of tyres, but I feel comfortable on both compounds. So we can be happy with the result, but we need to concentrate on tomorrow because that’s what counts. In terms of strategy we need to keep an open mind and have several options going into the race so that we can react as the race develops.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
“I am delighted with today’s qualifying result. The sun was shining, the grandstands were full, and we put on a fantastic show. Fifth place for Paul at his home Grand Prix is a tremendous effort, especially on this high-speed track, which has not been our strongest race in previous years. Adrian’s seventh place confirms just how competitive we are this weekend and we know that we have good race pace. For tomorrow it’s important that we maximise these starting positions and hopefully give our supporters and partners something to celebrate at our local race.”

Source: Formula1.com

Friday practice - Force India driver quotes

Paul di Resta, P1 - no time, 13th; P2 - 1:32.832, 4th
“After such a wet morning it was nice to get a run in the dry this afternoon. It was pretty productive and the car is working well so hopefully we can carry the speed into tomorrow. We didn’t run very much this morning, but with dry conditions expected for the weekend I think we’ve learned as much as anyone. The focus tonight is to keep improving because there’s still some more speed in the car. We also need to remember that it’s likely to be quite a lot hotter tomorrow so it’s hard to predict how that will impact on things.”

Adrian Sutil, P1 - no time, 16th; P2 - 1:33.313, 8th
“We looked quite good today. There are areas to improve, especially the performance on the medium tyres, but the car is working well on the hard compound. I’m happy with the balance so the main thing we need to work on is going through the tyre data because I don’t think we need to change too much on the car set-up.”

Jakob Andreasen, Force India chief race engineer
“Despite the wet weather this morning we made the most of the afternoon. There were a couple of new developments on the car and we managed to get most of the information we needed. We also ran the hard compound prototype tyres on both cars early in the afternoon session before we focussed on the regular compounds. Both Paul and Adrian managed to complete representative runs on each compound and we have all the data we need to make the decisions tonight. For tonight we will turn our attention to making sure we can qualify well and understanding how to get the tyres in the optimum working window.”

Source: Formula1.com

Exclusive Q&A with Force India’s Adrian Sutil

Despite more than his fair share of bad luck in recent races, Adrian Sutil has made a convincing return to Formula One racing this season after a year away, particularly with his spectacular fifth place in Monaco. Tenth at the following round in Canada may have been a disappointment, but now Sutil is aiming high again for his team’s home race at Silverstone, where we caught up with him on Thursday…

Q: Adrian, you seem to be the unluckiest driver of the season so far. Several times you have looked set for a fantastic result only for misfortune to throw you back. Can you talk us through your Montreal race - the last unhappy incident?
Adrian Sutil: Ha, I wouldn't say I'm more unlucky than others, but it’s true that there have been some races in the past where I should have achieved better results. Things like in Montreal shouldn't happen. There was a chance to overtake Bottas as he had a bad exit out of the corner, but it didn't work out and I unfortunately spun. Next time I would wait and overtake him on the straight because the speed was in my car.
Q: The good news is that the car seems to be working on every track. Does that compensate a bit for the bad luck?
AS: Oh yes, for sure. The team is doing a fantastic job and the car is great. It’s been fun to drive it on every track we’ve been to so far - and I cannot imagine that this will change in the future. Fingers crossed!
Q: Force India have delivered more than expected thus far in 2013. Can you explain how the team started the season so well and how they are able to remain at that level?
AS: As I just said, the team is working and pushing very hard and so we are in a good position. The car had already been strong last year and we were able to keep that momentum. We started with a good car and are constantly improving at every race. We will not let that slip away from us without heavy resistance. (laughs)
Q: It has been asked many times before - it is such a good story to see a small team taking on one of the big guns - but how is it to see Force India still ahead of McLaren in the team standings?
AS: Believe me, we are very motivated to stay ahead of McLaren, although it will be very, very hard. But we will fight for it. The season is still very long and it could turn to our side as well. There is no written law that a team - even a famous one - always has to be at the upper end of the pecking order.
Q: How satisfied are you with your personal performance - leaving aside the glitches that have cost you so many valuable points?
AS: I'm pretty happy with my performance so far, but I also try to learn and push every day. If you stop doing that, that is the time you should wave goodbye to Formula One…
Q: We are almost at the mid-season point, when thoughts about ‘hiring-and-firing’ for next year tend to start. What are your plans for 2014?
AS: Would it be surprising if I say that I am concentrating fully on 2013? There is no action concerning next season yet.
Q: Coming back to the racing, there will be no changes to the tyre specs this weekend? Are you happy about that?
AS: The tyres are the same for every team. Luckily for us, we’ve managed them quiet well so far. Having said that, is it a surprise that I'm happy as it is? No, not really. So let’s hope that it stays as it is - and that we do not ‘forget’ how to use them best.
Q: Silverstone is the home race for quite a number of teams, but especially so for Force India, whose factory is within walking distance of the track. How are you going about the weekend?
AS: I love Silverstone and as it looks as though we do have three ‘home’ Grands Prix: Silverstone, Nurburgring and India. That is not bad. But of course with the vicinity to our factory it is always something special to race here: once a year our engineers who normally work only in the factory have the chance to just walk over and see the result of their constant endeavours.
Q: Will we see another Force India success story this weekend, with a happy ending for you?
AS: Nothing to say against it. I would love to score as many points as possible, of course. And I'm still fighting for my first podium, so doing it here would be an extra thrill. (laughs)

Original story from : Formula1.com

Rossiter gets Friday practice drive

Force India's simulator driver James Rossiter will take part in Friday morning practice at the British Grand Prix.

Rossiter is Force India's go-to man for simulator work and tested this year's car in Jerez during the pre-season. Despite testing for Super Aguri and BAR in the past, Friday will mark his debut at a grand prix weekend as he takes to the cockpit of Sutil's car for the morning's 90 minute session.

"This is an amazing opportunity and I'm really looking forward to taking part in an official practice session during a grand prix weekend," Rossiter said. "The fact that Silverstone is my home race makes the news even sweeter. 

"The main reason for driving the car is to help progress the team's simulator programme, which I've been working on for almost twelve months. I drove the car during winter testing in February, but it's valuable to have another opportunity to experience the real car and make sure it's in harmony with the simulator."

Sutil will return to the car for the rest of the weekend from second practice onwards.

Original story and pictures from : En.espnf1.com

Great Britain preview quotes - Force India

Paul di Resta, Force India
2012 Qualifying -11th, 2012 Race - DNF
“It’s always a highlight of the year. When I was young I dreamed about coming to Silverstone as a Formula One driver so it’s always a very special weekend. As a venue it’s spectacular with some of the greatest corners of the year and the atmosphere is just incredible. The place is packed all weekend and the buzz from the fans gives you so much energy.
“With the way our car is working these tyres at the moment, we are looking really healthy. I believe this car is the best we've ever had and everyone in the team is working hard to squeeze even more performance from it. The key for Silverstone is to hopefully get three successful days in a row on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That’s what we did in Bahrain and it really paid off. If we can do it at Silverstone, then hopefully we can make a big impact on the race.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“It’s not my top favourite, but it’s a great place to drive a Formula One car. It’s fast and flowing, so it’s quite a big change from Monaco and Canada, but I’m confident that we can go there and perform well. I enjoy the high-speed sections and also the newer start of the lap, which definitely makes it easier to overtake compared to the old layout.
“I will be in the UK for the whole week. There’s a simulator session on Wednesday to prepare for the weekend and I will be spending a lot of time at the factory. It’s a good chance to spend more time with the team members who don’t come to races.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“There is always something special about racing at Silverstone. After the Indian Grand Prix, we regard Silverstone as our second ‘home’ race. Our headquarters is just across the road and everyone in the team feels a touch of pride in racing on what we consider ‘our’ turf. It is also a special place, the venue where the very first Formula One world championship race was held and one which can boast some of the most passionate fans in the world.
“Two exciting races in Monaco and Canada have set us up perfectly for this weekend’s event. We celebrated our 100th race in Canada and continued picking up points with both cars. That’s what we need to do if we are to hold on to fifth place in the championship. While I still believe that we are edging ever closer to the podium, we must also focus on consistency and play the long game in the championship, which means scoring points at every race.
“In the past we’ve never had great success at Silverstone, so we are keen to put that right this year. It’s a home race for Paul and I’m sure the whole team can count on lots of support from the British fans. Performance-wise, I expect us to be competitive. We have a couple of small upgrades so I’m optimistic that we can be fighting for our usual position inside the top ten.”

Source: Formula1.com

Di Resta relishing home race

Paul Di Resta says the track layout at Silverstone is 'like nothing else in the world', as F1 gets set for the British Grand Prix next weekend.
Di Resta has been enjoying his best season to date with Force India, having finished in the points in six of the seven races so far in 2013. The Scot's consistency has also helped Force India gain a strong position in the constructors' championship, where they currently sit above eight time champions McLaren.

Force India have enjoyed little success at the British Grand Prix since their arrival to the F1 grid in 2008, but Di Resta believes the track layout at Silverstone is among the best: “It's the track that makes you really appreciate what a Formula One car is capable of,” he said.

"Especially the aerodynamic grip through the quick corners and the change of direction. Everybody talks about Maggotts and Becketts, and there really is nothing else like them anywhere in the world.

“I also enjoy the new section and every year we go back there it gets better and better. The new layout has definitely created some more overtaking opportunities, especially with the introduction of DRS, so it's been the right move.”

Despite India holding a race event for the past two seasons, Di Resta still believes the British Grand Prix is the main event on the calendar for Force Inida, and paid tribute to Silverstone's atmosphere: “For me it's the biggest event we go to, especially in terms of support from the British fans, which is always amazing,” he added.

“The atmosphere is electric and I remember last year the drivers' parade was one of the highlights of the year – it really sent a shiver through me because of the reaction we received and the fact that there wasn't a seat left in the place.”

Source : www.crash.net

Adrian Sutil happy with solid Force India comeback

Formula One racer Adrian Sutil has said that he has no plans to switch teams at the moment and is confident of enjoying success at Force India. The 2013 season has been magnificent for Force India so far and they look confident of a few podium finishes in the remaining races. 

"I think we have a good chance to keep moving forwards, and I'll try the same thing for myself - with what team is quite trivial. At the moment I think I can be very successful with this team," said Sutil, who was out of action for a year and returned to the grid in 2013 in the wake of a criminal conviction for assault.

Sutil started off the season brilliantly with a strong performance at the Australian Grand Prix and at one point was leading the race and looked good for a podium finish. However, the tyre strategy did not work out for Force India in Melbourne and Sutil had to settle for seventh spot (six points) in the end. 

 


When asked about the next season, he replied, "It's still too early to say. At the moment I'm happy to be in Formula 1 with Force India. In the future, it is important for me to win, but I am in Formula 1." 

Currently, Force India are ahead of McLaren in the Constructor's Championship tally. The most important thing for the team is to continue their good form and to score double points in every race.

Source : IBNLIVE.com 

Sutil hits out at 'inconsistent' penalties

Adrian Sutil will approach FIA race director Charlie Whiting about what he feels is an inconsistent application of Formula 1's blue flag rules.

Sutil was given a drive-through penalty for disregarding blue flags when the drivers battling for second place came up to lap him.

But the German vehemently disagreed with the officials' call.

"I can't understand it and I'm not accepting this," Sutil said.

"I think I let them by within one lap. They lost maybe one second, which is absolutely normal for what you lose when you lap a car.

"I've brought it up many times in the drivers' meetings. I was stuck behind the slow backmarkers, the Marussias, the Caterhams, and they wouldn't move and you had to overtake them into a corner. No penalty.

"I don't think Lewis [Hamilton] lost a position because I was holding him up. That all happened in the next few laps.

"It's really a shame but I was eighth and fighting hard for this position, and they took it away like that.

"I just want a real clear clarification. What do you do when you're in front and someone is lapping you? How many corners do you have to let them by?

"Charlie says normally that you have to find a way through if you're behind lapped cars.
 
"I had no clear instruction and it's really, really disappointing that they're inconsistent in their decisions."

Asked by AUTOSPORT if he wanted to take the matter further, Sutil confirmed that he would seek talks with Whiting before the next race at Silverstone and raise it in the drivers' briefing there.

"I'd just like clear rules," he said.

"We have 1000 different rules here but on this kind of thing there is no clear clarification.

"When they see it on TV, they give a penalty. When they don't see it, they don't give a penalty."
Despite the penalty, and spinning when trying to pass Valtteri Bottas then being hit by Pastor Maldonado shortly afterwards, Sutil still finished 10th in Montreal.

Source : Autosport.com 
 

Canadian Race - Force India driver quotes

Paul di Resta (7th)
“To finish the race in seventh having started 17th is a great result and a top job by the team. I didn’t manage to get any long run data on Friday so it feels extra sweet to make this one-stop strategy work with a very long stint on the mediums. It also feels good to come back so strong after a difficult qualifying session. The tyres lasted very well, the lap times were competitive and the team told me it was my decision about when to make my stop. As soon as I felt the tyres starting to drop off, I came in. Then it was a case of looking after the supersofts for the final few laps.”

Adrian Sutil (10th)
“That race was quite an adventure so it’s good to come away with a point given everything that happened. I had a spin when I tried to overtake Bottas, which cost me quite a few positions and I was lucky nobody hit me when I was in the middle of the track. I dropped back and the pack was bunched together, which is when Maldonado ran into the back of me and damaged my rear wing. Even with all those things I was running in eighth until the drive-through penalty. I don’t think it was a fair penalty because I too had to lap so many cars today and it sometimes took one or two laps, and that’s normal for this circuit. The penalty cost me two positions and three points.”

Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“It’s great to see both our cars in the points at our 100th Grand Prix. It brings our tally to 51 points and strengthens our fifth position in the championship. Paul showed his fighting spirit with a remarkable drive to seventh with just one stop. The car had great pace and he looked after his medium compound tyres extremely well. I don’t think anybody thought there were 56 laps in those tyres but he pulled it out of the bag. Adrian’s afternoon was rather more eventful, but it was a disappointment to pick up the penalty in the closing laps so it’s something we need to review. Overall I think we should be pleased with the outcome after a challenging weekend. The car remains competitive and we can hopefully carry our form into our local race at Silverstone at the end of the month.”

Source: Formula1.com
 

Qualifying - Force India driver quotes

Adrian Sutil (8th, Q3 - 1m 27.348s)
“I’m quite happy with eighth place. It was a tough qualifying session and very hard to judge the conditions. Some parts of the track were wet and other areas were dry, so it was difficult to know how much to push. I also struggled to get the heat in the tyres, so it was not easy to get it altogether for one lap. The most important lap for me was just after the red flag: we all queued up at the end of the pit lane - a bit like a race start - and I knew I had one chance to make Q2. Fortunately it worked out well for me.”

Paul di Resta (17th, Q1 - 1m 24.908s)
“It’s very frustrating to be starting in P17 so we need to sit down and analyse exactly what happened. Something went wrong with the seamless shift software during my first run in Q1 and when I came in the team tried to fix it. It was only a small issue, but we lost valuable time trying to find a solution. Meanwhile the track was getting faster and faster. By the time I had got back out it was raining again and therefore we missed the track at its best. There’s not much you can do in that situation, but it’s a massive disappointment given how competitive the car was yesterday. I’ll try and take the positives because you can overtake on this track and the car is strong. We need to come up with a masterplan tonight and I will be pushing hard tomorrow.”
Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“Another excellent effort by Adrian to qualify eighth given how difficult the conditions were today. He was struggling to get the intermediates to work, but he delivered some excellent laps just when it mattered to secure his place in the top ten. Paul’s session was disrupted by a small software issue, which meant he missed out on the optimal track conditions and couldn’t show his true potential. When he did get out at the end of Q1, his best lap was totally compromised by Rosberg, who spun in front of him. It proved very costly and has given Paul a lot of work to do in the race. We know he will keep his head down tomorrow and with dry weather expected he can hopefully demonstrate the inherent pace of the car.”

Source: Formula1.com

Friday practice - Force India driver quotes

Adrian Sutil, P1 - 1:23.417, 14th; P2 - 1:15.396, 8th
“We had lots of different track conditions today, but the car was quick in both sessions. The wet morning gave us a chance to improve our performance on the intermediates and the car felt good. In the dry this afternoon the main issue was warming up the front tyres, especially the medium tyres. On the supersofts there was much better grip and the long runs seemed quite competitive so it feels as though we are at our usual level here. Tonight we just need to work on making the car more consistent.”

Paul di Resta, P1 - 1:21.020, 1st; P2 - 1:15.855, 13th
“We were quite cautious with the wet weather this morning and we only fitted the dry tyres for the last few minutes of the session. Before that I had a good run on the intermediates and felt happy with the performance - probably the most comfortable I’ve felt on the intermediates this year. So overall we didn’t look too bad in the damp conditions. The afternoon was a case of getting through the dry tyre programme and trying to find the right car balance. Unfortunately things were cut short with the electrical issue, so I didn’t do the long runs we had planned for the final part of the session.”

Jakob Andreasen, Force India chief engineer
“Despite the mixed conditions we’ve come through today pretty well. The wet weather programmes this morning were productive and both drivers feel we’ve made progress with our performance on the intermediate tyre. The dry afternoon gave us a chance to fit the new prototype medium tyre before we switched to the regular compounds for the majority of the session. An electrical issue for Paul interrupted the afternoon and cost him the final half hour of running, but Adrian was able to get the long run data we needed. In terms of performance, the car is working well whatever the conditions, so it’s just a case of seeing what the weather delivers for tomorrow and Sunday.”

Original story from : Formula1.com

Force India sure podium now imminent

Force India team boss Vijay Mallya believes his squad is on the cusp of its first Formula 1 podium finish in nearly four seasons.
The team will celebrate its 100th race in its current guise in Canada this weekend.

It is currently fifth in the constructors' championship, ahead of McLaren. It finished fourth in Bahrain with Paul di Resta and fifth in Monaco with Adrian Sutil.

"I think we are now knocking on the door of our first podium finish since 2009, and it's time to do that all-important step," said Mallya.

"Montreal would be a great place to do so - it is a track that favours overtaking and our car has shown the race pace to finish among the leaders, so everything is possible.

"I am proud of everyone in the team because we have achieved good results - and claimed 44 points – despite some very unfortunate occurrences.

"With a bit more luck, we would be even further ahead of McLaren: but the focus is on the future.

"We know our rivals will be more competitive in the next few rounds, but we have shown we can mix with the big teams and we intend to do so for the coming races too."

Mallya underlined that when he took over what was then the Spyker team prior to the 2008 season, it was mired at the back of the field.

"When we started back in 2008 we simply had the ambition to break out of Q1 and we dreamed of scoring points," he said.

"Seeing where we stand today is therefore extremely rewarding and motivates us all to continue working just as hard for the next 100 races."
FORCE INDIA'S PODIUM NEAR-MISSES

Since Giancarlo Fisichella's second place in the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix, Force India has not returned to the podium.
But it has come incredibly close, as these near-misses prove.

2009 Italian Grand Prix
Adrian Sutil qualified second and ran third early on behind Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen, only to be jumped by the one-stopping Brawns of Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button.
Hamilton's last-lap crash handed Sutil fourth, while team-mate Vitantonio Liuzzi had an outside chance of one-stopping his way to third on his first F1 start since 2007 when he retired with a transmission problem.
2012 Belgian Grand Prix
After a disappointing qualifying performance, Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta ran third and fourth at the end of the first lap, having survived the first-corner mayhem.
Di Resta faded to 10th thanks to a KERS problem, putting him out of contention, while Hulkenberg finished fourth and only missed the podium by a couple of seconds.
2012 Singapore Grand Prix
Di Resta reckoned that his fourth place in the Singapore GP could have been one better but for the bad timing of a mid-race safety car.
He ended up finishing behind Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso thanks to the safety car that nullified his strategic advantage, which could have allowed him to finish in the top three.
2012 Brazilian Grand Prix
While others pitted, Hulkenberg and Button stayed out on slicks on a damp track. When the safety car was deployed, the Force India driver led with Button right behind him and third-placed Hamilton a massive 53 seconds behind.
Even after the safety car, Hulkenberg was able to fight for the lead before losing the rear of the car while trying to pass Hamilton at the first corner and hitting the McLaren, the time loss and resulting penalty relegating him to fifth.
2013 Bahrain Grand Prix
Di Resta started fifth and thanks to his two-stop strategy, spent 33 laps in the top three.
Unfortunately for Force India, Lotus driver Romain Grosjean drove a strong race on a three-stopper, capitalising on his tyre advantage to pass di Resta for third on the 52nd lap of the 57-lap race.

Source : Autosport.com

Canada preview quotes - Force India Drivers quotes

Paul di Resta, Force India
2012 Qualifying - 8th, 2012 Race - 11th
“We’ve been competitive on every track this year and that’s a credit to the team, so we expect to be at our usual level once again. It’s traditionally a track that has suited us, so we go there confident that we can fight towards the front once again. 100 races (as Force India) is a significant achievement and it’s great to see how much the team has grown during that time. It’s a credit to the commitment of the shareholders and hopefully we can give them something to smile about come Sunday evening. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is an unusual track but tends to produce exciting racing with some really good overtaking opportunities. It’s tight, because it’s a street course, so it’s another track where there is no margin for error. Straight-line speed is important, as is a car that’s stable under braking and capable of riding the curbs well.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“Montreal is definitely one my favourite races on the calendar because it’s a great city. It’s also an interesting and unusual track, and it can be a long race with different scenarios and strategy options. I like the circuit, but for some reason I’ve never had good results there. Hopefully we can change that this year.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“The emotions of Monaco are still fresh in our memory as our attention turns to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix. Both our drivers and the team performed superbly on the streets of Monte Carlo and it is very satisfying to see us fifth in the Championship after a third of the season. The race in Monaco showed the sheer class of our two drivers, and probably helped silence some critics of the team. Adrian’s moves on two former World Champions will stay in our memories for a long time, and so will Paul’s determined performance as he went from 17th to ninth. I think we are now knocking on the door of our first podium finish since 2009, and it’s time to do that all-important step. Montreal would be a great place to do so - it is a track that favours overtaking and our car has shown the race pace to finish among the leaders, so everything is possible. I am proud of everyone in the team because we have achieved good results - and claimed 44 points - despite some very unfortunate occurrences. With a bit more luck, we would be even further ahead of McLaren: but the focus is on the future. We know our rivals will be more competitive in the next few rounds, but we have shown we can mix with the big teams and we intend to do so for the coming races too. The Canadian Grand Prix also marks the 100th Grand Prix for Sahara Force India. When we started back in 2008 we simply had the ambition to break out of Q1 and we dreamed of scoring points. Seeing where we stand today is therefore extremely rewarding and motivates us all to continue working just as hard for the next 100 races.”

Source : Formula1.com