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

Force India facing major financial hit if troubles on racetrack continue

Force India fear taking a major financial hit on the back of their 
struggles. Since Pirelli changed the construction of its tyres from the German GP onwards in the wake of the tyre blowouts at Silverstone, Force India have claimed just three points from seven races. At one stage fifth place in the Constructors’ race beckoned, but the team have slipped to sixth behind McLaren, and are now coming under threat from Sauber.

As miserably as Force India have fallen away, Sauber have been rejuvenated by the tyre change, claiming 38 points from the last four GPs. In trailing Force India by 17 points, sixth place is in their sights and with it big prize money. Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley told PA Sport: “The difficulty for us is we are still off the pace of where we were.
That’s opening the door for Sauber who’ve had some strong races, and now we are really looking over our shoulder. “Most of the gaps in prize money (in the constructors’) are between 3.5million pounds to 4million pounds, but unfortunately the gap between sixth and seventh is more like 6million pounds to 7million pounds (Rs 60 crore approx). It’s a big hit, not one we want.
“We can chip away at where we are to try to get back into the points, and we’re almost there. “If we can get that extra tenth (of a second) or two then it allows us to compete, but whether it will be enough to compete with Sauber, I’m not sure,” he added. 

Source : www.mid-day.com

Sauber form - worry for Force India

Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley is concerned that Sauber's recent form could allow it to relegate the Silverstone-based team to seventh in the constructors' championship.

The team held fifth place earlier in the season before being overhauled by McLaren, but Sauber has gained 37 points on it in the last four races to close the gap to just 17.

"The are strong and going a good job, in a way they are where we were at the beginning of the year and have now taken our mantle so it is a cause for concern," Fernley told AUTOSPORT.

"In terms of the financial side, it is quite significant.

"Obviously we were in seventh last year and if Sauber did beat us we'd be seventh again so it's no different to last year, excepting that we assumed we would get a minimum of sixth.

"From an objective point of view, it's not achieving the targets we set ourselves."

Fernley believes that its hopes of retaining sixth are dependent on other teams taking points off Sauber as the Force India is not competitive enough to beat the Swiss squad.

Force India has managed only three points in the last seven races, meaning that at the current rate it is set to be overhauled.

"We simply don't have the pace, we are just hanging around at the back end of the top 10 and the Saubers are looking strong so we can't challenge them," said Fernley.

"We probably did better than we thought we would do [in Suzuka] so that's a good sign.

"We need to take another little step and that might help us, it does not need to be a huge amount.

"But both the race and the qualifying pace of the Sauber is such that unfortunately we can't compete with it."

Source : Autosport.com

Japan GP - Force India driver quotes

Paul di Resta, 11th
“At the start of the race I didn’t get a good launch and a few cars came by me, and then we lost out at the first pit stop because the Williams of Bottas jumped us. That compromised the second stint, which is why we went very aggressive with an early second stop to get track position and move ahead of the Williams. The car felt better for the final stint and it looked like we were on course for a point. In the end we were about five laps too short with the tyre life because I couldn’t defend from Jenson [Button]. With four races to go we need to take the positives from this weekend and will travel to India determined to get back in the points.”

Adrian Sutil, 14th
“It’s been a very tough weekend and starting from the back of the grid made it difficult to get close to the points. In the end I finished P14 and had some good battles, but there was a lot of oversteer in the car and it was not easy to be consistent. The best part of the race was the start because I moved up to P16, but we just didn’t have the race pace we needed today and couldn’t get the performance from the tyres.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy team principal
“We made no secret of the fact that Suzuka was going to be the most difficult track for us in the second part of the season. So it was no surprise that points were hard to come by today. Paul came close in P11, but his race strategy was hampered in the second stint when he was running behind Bottas. He finally cleared the Williams by pitting early for his second stop, but we were missing the pace to fend off the recovering Button and that cost us the final point. With Adrian it was a similar story as he ran behind Maldonado for much of the race and struggled with tyre performance. So it’s been an uphill struggle for us, but we remain upbeat as we head to India for the team’s home race. The upcoming tracks should play more to our strengths and give us the opportunity to get back to scoring regular points.”

Source : Formula1.com

Japanese GP Qualifying - ForceIndia driver quotes

Paul di Resta (12th, Q2 - 1m 31.992s)
“Given where we started yesterday, I think we should be pretty happy with P12. Slowly but surely we’ve made the car more drivable, and in qualifying it felt quite good. The overnight efforts of everyone at the track and back at the factory have helped dial the car into the circuit. Compared with yesterday the car feels much more stable and predictable, and that’s allowed us to get within a tenth of making Q3. I’m feeling upbeat about the race because the long runs have looked consistent and we are well placed to fight for points with a free choice on tyre strategy.”

Adrian Sutil (17th, Q1 - 1m 32.890s)
“It’s not been an easy day. I made a mistake this morning, damaged the car and we had to change the gearbox. I have to say a big ‘thank you’ to the team for getting the car ready in time for qualifying because they had a lot of work to do during the lunch break. In Q1 the car was quite difficult to drive. I didn’t feel comfortable and was missing the grip to be competitive. All I can do now is look forward to the race and hope we have a better day. With the grid penalty [for the gearbox change] I will be starting near the back so I need to try and deliver consistent race pace and hopefully move towards the points.”

Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“Suzuka has been quite a challenge for us this year, but the changes we made overnight were a step in the right direction and improved the drivability of the car. An accident for Adrian halfway through FP3 was unfortunate and although the mechanics did a fantastic job of repairing his car, he was on the back foot going into qualifying. On the other side of the garage Paul was in better shape and showed very strong pace in Q1 and Q2. In the end he was unlucky to miss out on a place in Q3, but he’s done enough to be firmly in the battle for points tomorrow. We’re feeling quite optimistic about our race pace and tyre life, and if we get the strategy right we can take the fight to the cars ahead of us.”

Source : Formula1.com

JapaneseGP Friday practice - Force India Driver quotes

Paul di Resta, P1 - 1:36.399, 17th; P2 - 1:35.275, 14th
“The car was quite difficult to drive today, but we’ve worked hard to try and optimise the balance. After each run, we changed some things and I think we’ve learned a lot as a result. The long run consistency seems reasonable, but we need to make sure that we can deliver the performance with both the medium and the hard compound.”

Adrian Sutil, P1 - 1:36.165, 14th; P2 - 1:35.341, 15th
“I always enjoy this circuit, but today the car was not so easy to drive. I was suffering with understeer this morning and oversteer in the afternoon, and it’s hard to find the balance I feel comfortable with. We need to try and solve those issues tonight to give me confidence going into qualifying.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Force India chief operating officer
“A busy day of work at Suzuka and we’ve tried hard to dial the cars into this very technical lap. The morning saw us evaluate some downforce options before we focussed on improving drivability. It’s a track where driver confidence is the key to getting the laptime and that’s where we will concentrate our efforts tonight to give Paul and Adrian a better balance for tomorrow. The initial indications are that the race pace looks competitive along with the tyre degradation rates.”

Source : Formula1.com

Force India: di Resta not in doubt

Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley insists Paul di Resta's recent run of mistakes does not jeopardise his future with the team.


Di Resta crashed out of the Korean Grand Prix, which followed a late-race crash in Singapore that cost a potential sixth place and a first-lap retirement after hitting the rear of Romain Grosjean's Lotus at Monza.
Force India has yet to confirm either of its drivers for 2014 and with Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen linked to the team, there has been speculation over the future of di Resta even though he is understood to have a contract for next year.

"You have got to take it across the whole season," Fernley told AUTOSPORT.

"You have some fantastic results and you have some bad ones and you have just got to balance it all out and make the judgement at the end.

"You can't take individual results as the way forward."

Fernley believes that how di Resta reacts to his recent bad run will be crucial 
for the future.

The Silverstone-based squad has struggled since the Pirelli tyres were changed in July and di Resta has not scored a point since the British GP at the end of June.

"I don't think it's a concern at this point as these things can happen," said Fernley.

"If we didn't have the faith in Paul he wouldn't be in the car in the first place.

"He has just got to clear his head, get his head down and continue to drive and deliver."

Di Resta has accepted responsibility for the mistake in Korea and has vowed to work to cut out the errors.

He suspects that having to push too hard in a car that is increasingly uncompetitive is at the heart of the problem, a claim supported by team-mate 

Adrian Sutil's race also being ruined by a driver error.

"I'm pushing damned hard as the car is so edgy to be in the running," di Resta told AUTOSPORT.

"We moved very early in the year towards next year's car and that decision was right but it has caught me out.

"I can only hold my hands up and say it was me driving the thing and I lost it, a costly error.

"It's unlike me to do things like that but I want to work to resolve it."

AUTOSPORT SAYS
Using the last three races as a data set, you can make a compelling case for axing Paul di Resta for 2014. Use his best three, and you'd sign him up without a second thought.


That's why Bob Fernley points out such decisions are taken on the balance of the season not simply the few races that are the most fresh in the mind.

Di Resta's run of seven points finishes in nine races, the highlight being a fourth-place and near podium finish in Bahrain, do mean he is still in credit. He has had a decent season and Force India would be content to go into 2014 with di Resta and Adrian Sutil together.
The difficulty comes if Force India has to choose between the two, say if it manages to lure Nico Hulkenberg back.

While di Resta has the advantage in terms of points, 36 to 26, that does not automatically mean he has done a 38 per cent better job than Sutil.

Judged over the 14 races so far, the performance of the two drivers has been similar. In qualifying, they have each outqualified the other seven times. In terms of results, di Resta's high-point of fourth and Sutil's of fifth are similar.
Even in Australia, where Sutil surprised on his F1 comeback by leading the race, their race drives were close to identical, it's just that Sutil was on an unorthodox strategy. Likewise, in Bahrain, Sutil would likely have been close to di Resta at the finish but for a first-lap clash with Felipe Massa.

Both have had a few mishaps, but are generally safe pairs of hands. In terms of luck, Sutil has probably had the lion's share in races, particularly in the early stages of the season when the car was at its most competitive, while di Resta can legitimately argue that several of the Q1 exits that have compromised his races were down to external factors.

With the car increasingly uncompetitive, what matters now is how they finish the season. Sutil has probably been stronger when the car is less good, while di Resta led the way when it was at its best.

So returning to Fernley, in di Resta's case is it more a case of how he reacts to his run of bad results now? "Yes, more than anything else," says Fernley.

Source : Autosport.com 
 

Japan preview quotes - Force India

Paul di Resta, Force India
2012 Qualifying - 12th, 2012 Race - 12th
“Japan is definitely an interesting country to visit and a great place to go racing with a lot of passion and history. It’s in Japan that we meet some of the most dedicated fans in Formula One because the grandstands are always full – even on a Thursday! The track is one of the best tracks we race on. For me it’s up there with Silverstone because it demands so much from the car. Running on low fuel for a qualifying lap is a great feeling and something I look forward to. It’s also a big technical challenge in terms of optimising the set-up and it’s very tough on tyres because of the high-speed corners. All we can do is go there and concentrate on optimising the car balance. We’ve been focussing more on race performance recently and hopefully that will pay off.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“I have good memories of Japan. When I was 23 years old I lived there for a year and I enjoyed it so much I didn’t want to leave! The fans are very passionate, friendly and respectful, and they always give me a lot of energy. I love Japanese food too, especially Teppanyaki, and there is so much variety. I would say Suzuka is one of my favourite tracks along with Spa. The difference is that Suzuka is more technical than Spa because it’s narrow and quite bumpy, so I think having more experience of Suzuka can help you make the difference. Because I raced in Japanese Formula Three, I have driven so many laps of this track and I probably know it a little better than some other drivers. You need a car that works well in the high-speed corners. The ‘S’ curves at the start of the lap are beautiful because you can really feel the performance of a Formula One car and the incredible grip you have available. You need to have a car that allows you to find the right flow and rhythm through these corners because you can make up or lose a lot of time through this part of the lap.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“The final five races offer some very different challenges. Some tracks will suit us more than others, but it’s vital that we get back to scoring regular points to secure our position in the championship. Suzuka is a big challenge for us, but it’s important we keep our heads up and try to put the disappointment of Korea behind us.”

Source : F1.com ( Official Website )
 

KoreanGP Race - Force India driver quotes

Adrian Sutil, 20th
“I was quite unlucky on the first lap because after Massa spun everybody headed for the inside and somebody hit me on the side of my front wing. The damage was not too bad but I still had to pit for a new one. As the race went on I was able to fight back quite well and after the safety car I was in P12 and not planning to pit again. At the restart I lost the rear of the car under braking for Turn 3. I really don’t know why because I was not braking late and the car just snapped. I hit Webber so I apologise for ending his race. It’s a disappointing end to the race because I believe there was still a chance of a point.”

Paul di Resta, DNF
“I have to hold my hands up and apologise to the team. Maybe I took a little bit too much kerb and that sent me off the track. The way we’ve set the car up means it has been quite edgy and difficult to drive, and that’s what has caught me out today, although whether it has cost us points is hard to say. The performance in the race was not where we wanted it to be and the front tyres were wearing out too quickly. So we need to have a rethink ahead of Suzuka and go there determined to have a clean race.”

Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“It was not the easiest day in the office for anyone at Sahara Force India and we leave Korea feeling disappointed. Paul was pushing hard after his second stop and just made a small mistake at Turn 12. It was a fairly gentle tap against the barrier, but it was enough to damage the right rear corner and end his race. Adrian also had an eventful time, being a victim of the opening lap incident at Turn 3. Pitting early for a new wing dropped him to the back of the pack, but he battled back and was in contention for some points. Unfortunately the damage to his rear wing led to his eventual retirement. After a tough race like that it’s important we try and bounce back in Japan next week.”

Source : Formula1.com
 

korean GP Qualifying - Force India driver quotes

Force India
Adrian Sutil (14th, Q2 - 1m 38.431s)
“In the end I was very close to making Q3 – just one a half tenths away, so that shows how close things were today. We have been working very hard on the set-up all weekend and I was quite happy with the balance, but my lap was right on the limit. P14 still gives us the possibility to score points tomorrow, just as we did in Singapore. A lot of cars seem to have similar pace so maybe we need to try and do something different with the strategy to try and open us some options in the race.”

Paul di Resta (15th, Q2 - 1m 38.718s)
“The last few races have shown that our low-fuel running is where we are struggling at the moment. We were not fully optimised for qualifying because we’ve been focussing more on our race pace – as we did in Singapore. Hopefully that will pay off for us tomorrow because our long run performance and tyre wear yesterday appeared to be very good. So I think we’ve got a good race car, possibly better than some of the cars around us, and points will be the target. I will be starting on the cleaner side of the grid too, which always makes a big difference here, so if we can get a good launch we can hopefully be in a good position to make the strategy work.”

Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“We’ve put a lot of effort into trying to improve our one-lap speed so it’s disappointing not to have made the top ten this weekend. Adrian’s effort in Q2 was not too far away, but the midfield fight is so competitive at the moment and we had to settle for the seventh row of the grid. Even so, we remain positive for the race because the work we did yesterday suggests we have a car that is competitive over long runs. Hopefully we can demonstrate that pace tomorrow to try and get both cars in contention for points.”

Source : Formula1.com

Korean GP , Friday practice - Force India driver quotes

Adrian Sutil, P1 - 1:41.432, 12th; P2 - 1:40.006, 10th
“I really like this circuit and the conditions were ideal today for practice. We worked hard to find the ideal balance and in the morning there was more understeer, while in the afternoon there was more oversteer. So there is some work to do to this evening, but we seem to be in a good position for the weekend.”

Paul di Resta, P2 - 1:40.007, 11th
“It was quite a successful session and right from the first run I felt in the groove with the car. The long run pace looks promising and our tyre wear seems comparable to our rivals, which is a good sign. The area we need to improve is our one-lap pace so we will work hard tonight and hopefully find some gains ahead of final practice.”

James Calado, P1 - 1:43.008, 18th
“A new track for me and it proved to be quite difficult to learn, especially the last sector, which is quite a challenge with some off-camber corners. The programme involved some high fuel running, which is the first time I’ve done that, and by the end of the session I was feeling very comfortable with the car. The degradation of the tyres was quite high, especially as the track was so green to begin with, but I’m pretty happy with how things went today.”
Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“Another straightforward Friday for us. Adrian and James were in the cars this morning and they delivered their respective programmes as required. In the afternoon we got a better indication of our speed and were encouraged by the long run pace with both cars. With over 100 laps under our belt we have all the data to further optimise the cars tonight. The main focus is to try and find a more neutral balance with the car with a view to better optimising our one-lap pace.”

Source : Formula1.com

Force India: No rush over 2014 line-up

 
AUTOSPORT understands that Paul di Resta is under contract for next season and that Adrian Sutil has options in his contract, but despite that the team has yet to finalise either seat. 

But while Fernley believes his current driver line up is strong and he sees no reason to make a change, he insists that the team owners will not start to consider their options until the Indian Grand Prix. 

"Our decision process is one that takes place around the Indian Grand Prix, it's a shareholder decision and that's always the timing for us.

"We have excellent drivers that are already with us and equally there are some excellent drivers at the moment who are looking around.

"But there is no reason to change at the moment."

Ex-Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg is understood to have approached the team as a fallback should his hopes of moving to Lotus not be fulfilled.

Ferrari's Felipe Massa has also been linked to the team and Fernley believes that if a change was made, there would be no shortage of strong candidates given that Force India is one of the highest-placed teams on the grid with potential vacancies.

As in previous years, Fernley and the race team will compile their recommendations, although the final decision will be made by the board.

"You would be surprised how many good quality drivers there are but if you are being realistic, there are probably three seats for four quality drivers," he said.

"That's obviously one at Lotus and two at Force India.

"But nobody is going to be looking at a massive change for 2014.

 "Our job is to look at what's available, make the recommendations [to the shareholders] and provide the information." 

Source : Autosport.com
 

Korea preview quotes - Force India

Paul di Resta, Force India
2012 Qualifying - 14th, 2012 Race - 12th
“It’s an unusual track, but definitely a place that I enjoy driving. The three sectors are all very different with long straights linked by hairpins, some high-speed corners and a slower technical part of the lap. The tyre choices are the same as in Singapore so it will be interesting to see how they perform. We’ve always gone well on the supersofts, but struggled more on the medium compound so hopefully we can switch it on this weekend.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“I quite like the track and I'm looking forward to it. I haven't been so successful there yet, but I want to make up for that this year. The circuit has a nice layout and a nice flow in the second part of the lap with some high-speed corners. Let's see how the supersoft performs because the corners are very hard on the tyres. That could open up some interesting strategies.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“It’s never been our strongest track, although we did score some points there last year. It’s quite low-grip and the cooler temperatures make it a very different challenge. We will go there ready to learn as much as possible, try and improve our qualifying pace and come up with a smart strategy for Sunday.”

Source : Formula1.com