Force India aims to match Williams in 2015

Force India technical director Andrew Green reckons his Formula 1 team should be able to fight with Williams in 2015, thanks to planned improvements to its engine and aerodynamic testing.

The Silverstone-based F1 squad enjoyed a strong start to the 2014 season - reaching as high as second in the constructors' standings after Sergio Perez made the Bahrain Grand Prix podium.

But Force India's form tailed off as the season wore on, and it eventually lost out to a resurgent McLaren in the battle for fifth in the final table.

The team recently announced a deal to use Toyota's windtunnel facility in Cologne, starting in 2015, and Green reckons Force India will be a much more competitive proposition next season.

"I'd like to think we could take a step in closing the gap, given that we know if we can solve the deficit we have in the handling characteristic of the car, there's significant laptime to be had," Green told AUTOSPORT.

"Hopefully we can get up and at least be chasing Williams.

"That should really be where we're at, and I think we can do that with all the things we're putting in place for next year, and the windtunnel testing.

"Mercedes are [also] doing a good job with the engine over the winter.

"We're very excited about what they're bringing for next year and what we've learned to add to next year's car.

"I think we should be back where we were at the beginning of the season."

FORM LOOKS WORSE THAN IT WAS

Green said Force India had actually maintained its deficit to the leading Mercedes works team across the balance of the season, but argued other teams had simply jumped into the gap as they improved at a faster rate.

"We track our progress relative to the polesitter, depending on the track - because we know which tracks our problems are at - and we haven't been that far from tracking Mercedes," Green added.

"The fact is that Mercedes has been that far in front and there's been quite a big gap.

"At the beginning of the season there was quite a big group of cars behind us and we looked quite tasty.

"What happened over the course of the season was that teams popped into that gap.

"It looks like we've effectively gone backwards in the rankings, but our performance relative to the top guy hasn't really changed that much.

"We were adding things to the car and it was making a difference - it just wasn't really showing because of our position.

"Until we start putting more people behind us, it's not going to show on track."

Autosport.com

Force India to use Toyota windtunnel

The Force India Formula 1 team will use Toyota's windtunnel facilities for all its aerodynamic testing during the 2015 season and beyond.

The Japanese manufacturer's windtunnel in Cologne is regarded as one of the best in Europe, and it has been used by several teams in recent years.

Ferrari used the facility while it worked on upgrading its own windtunnel.

Team boss Vijay Mallya labelled the move as one of the "most significant decisions" in Force India's history.

"The decision to use Toyota's facility in Cologne is indicative of our ambitions to continue as a competitive force in Formula 1," said Mallya.

"It's one of the most significant decisions in our history and gives us access to what is regarded as one of the finest windtunnels in the world.

"We have used the facility previously on an ad hoc basis and we are aware of the advantages of basing all our aerodynamic research in Cologne.

"It will strengthen our approach and give us a solid base to build upon for the years to come."

The decision to focus on the Toyota tunnel comes amid a rule change for 2015 that means F1 teams can only nominate one windtunnel.

Appendix 8 of the sporting regulations states: "Each team may nominate only one windtunnel for use in any one 12-month period. The first nomination must be made on or before 1 January 2015 and no re-nominations may be made for at least 12 months."

Force India said its own windtunnel facilities in Brackley will remain operational for external customers.

Autosport.com

Abu Dhabi GP - Race - ForceIndia drivers quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, 6th
"I'm very happy with this result. After struggling with the car on Friday and in qualifying, I think we can be proud of today's race and our performance is a good sign for next year as well. The car performed at its best; I had a good balance and I had the confidence to really push. There were just a few laps after the pit stops when I was managing the tyres, but other than that it was flat out all the way. The long final stint on the supersoft tyres was brave, but it turned out to be a great strategy by the team and it really worked out well."

Sergio Perez, 7th
"The points today helped me to finish in the top ten of the championship, which is an important achievement after a great year. I think we could have been even higher up today, but we probably stopped too late for the final pit stop. If we had been on the supersofts a bit earlier then maybe we could have been closer to Button at the end of the race. Looking back at the season overall I think everyone in the team has done a tremendous job and we should feel very happy about what we have achieved. I've enjoyed this season and now that I know the team I'm looking forward to coming back stronger in 2015."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"Today we saw a captivating race that demonstrated how far we have come this season. Everyone in the team performed superbly, from the team on the pit wall that devised a very effective strategy, to the pit-crew who pulled off four good stops. Equally, the drivers were superb and Nico and Sergio didn't put a wheel wrong on track. We battled with world champions today and we beat them fair and square -we finished with both cars ahead of the Ferraris and one Red Bull. Nico's penalty was harsh and it surely cost him fifth place, which would have been thoroughly deserved. Even though tonight's result was not enough to claim back fifth in the championship, we can look back to our season with pride. We scored the highest points tally in the history of the team, 155 points, and we finished with both cars in the points on ten occasions. I want to congratulate everyone in the team, both here at the track and back in Silverstone, for their effort this season, and encourage them to take this year as a spur for even greater things to come in 2015."

F1.com

Perez confirmed at Force India for 2015

Sergio Perez has extended his contract to continue racing with Force India for 2015 and beyond. With Nico Hulkenberg already confirmed, it means an unchanged driver line-up at the team for next season.

Perez, 24, joined Force India at the start of 2014 and enjoyed immediate success with a podium finish in only his third race for the team. He has scored points a total of 11 times this season and lies 12th in the current driver standings.

"It's good to announce my plans," said the Mexican. "As soon as I joined Sahara Force India, I noticed the hunger and determination of everyone in the team, and I'm very proud to be part of that. I feel at home here and I'm fully committed.

"I'm enjoying my racing and we've already celebrated some special results together. It's important for me to establish myself in a team and have some continuity. The team have given me a competitive car this year and I believe we can continue to achieve great things together in the future."

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director, commented: "I am delighted that Checo will continue with us. He's a true racer who has done a fantastic job for us this season. The whole team has been impressed with his speed and race craft, as well as his role away from the track. He has a very bright future in Formula One and we will do our utmost to give him the equipment to match his talent.

"I look forward to celebrating more strong results with Checo this year and in years to come, and I cannot wait for Checo's first home Grand Prix in Mexico [next year] in front of his huge following of passionate fans."

F1.com 
 

Abu Dhabi GP - Qualifying - Force India driver quotes

Sergio Perez (13th, Q2 - 1:42.239)
"Today wasn't an especially difficult day, but we simply didn't have the pace to extract a better position from qualifying. We expected this, which is why our set-up is more geared towards the race. The way the tyres are behaving here is quite different from the past in Abu Dhabi so we had to amend our set-up accordingly: we hope this will give us some advantage tomorrow. In any case, the strategy choices are quite limited on this track so I don't expect any adventurous choices from anyone on the grid. We have made some big changes compared to yesterday; hopefully they will pay off when it matters and we can close our season with another points finish."

Nico Hulkenberg (14th, Q2 - 1:42.384)
"Going into qualifying we knew we that our pace over one lap was not the best and that it would be difficult to make the top ten. With the set-up we chose it has been quite tricky to find a good harmony over one lap on this track. The good news is that our race pace looks stronger and I hope we can perform better tomorrow. Also, there are double points on offer, so everything counts twice. It's also the last race of the year so we should try and take some chances to finish the year in a good way."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"We enter the final race of the season with nothing to lose and an outside chance of claiming fifth place - so we will need to give it our all tomorrow. Our one lap pace today was not that strong, but we are hopeful of a more competitive showing in the race. Unfortunately this is one of those circuits that always proves difficult for overtaking so our best chance is to try and do something with the strategy to bring our cars into play. Whatever happens tomorrow we look forward to a spectacular finale to the season and I look forward to the championship showdown between Lewis and Nico."

F1.com

Abu Dhabi GP - Practice - Force India drivers quotes

Sergio Perez, P1 - 1:45.983, 9th; P2 - 1:43.746, 11th
"It was a busy day, but I think we did a good job of getting the information we needed and understanding the changing temperatures throughout the day. Tyres will clearly play a big part with quite high degradation over the long runs and that will be the main challenge on Sunday. So it's important to analyse the tyre performance and see where we can improve. We also need to focus on our single lap pace with the target of Q3 tomorrow, but it's looking very competitive to try and get in the top ten."

Nico Hulkenberg, P1 - 1:46.030, 10th; P2 - 1:44.068, 13th
"The first session went well, but my car felt quite different this evening and not so easy to drive. It's something we need to analyse and understand because it certainly had an impact on performance and lap time. Despite these issues I was still able to get a feeling for the tyres, which have been more of a challenge than we expected. It was very cool this evening at the end of FP2 and that was a big factor on tyre performance."

Otmar Szafnauer, Force India chief operating officer
"We made a good start to our Abu Dhabi programme with no significant issues to report and encouraging performance on the track. Both drivers are generally happy, although we need to find a better direction for Nico tonight to make sure he is comfortable before qualifying. The afternoon session was the most relevant, being run in temperatures more representative of qualifying and the race, and we collected all the relevant tyre information and long run data. Our long run performance needs some work, but the soft tyre certainly appears to be the more consistent of the compounds. Tonight we need to make sure the car is optimised for qualifying because it's a circuit that's always proved difficult for overtaking and grid position will be vital for a successful result come Sunday."

F1.com

Force India to test Palmer, Goddard

 

GP2 champion Jolyon Palmer will make his Formula 1 test debut with Force India in Abu Dhabi next week.

The team will also give European Formula 3 racer Spike Goddard his first F1 run.

Palmer wrapped up the 2014 GP2 title with a round to spare at Sochi last month, and said afterwards he was optimistic he could buck the recent trend of feeder series champions failing to secure F1 seats.

He hopes the Force India test can grow into a bigger opportunity.

"Force India has shown their faith in me by offering this opportunity and I am looking forward to repaying their trust in Abu Dhabi," said the 23-year-old Briton.

"I have worked very hard for a chance like this and I want to help the team get the most from this test session.

"This is a team that has always promoted talent and I hope this opportunity can lead to bigger things in the future."

Force India team boss Vijay Mallya was pleased it would be his squad giving Palmer his first F1 chance.

"As a team we have a strong track record of identifying up-and-coming prospects and giving them valuable mileage and experience in our cars.," he said.

"I have been following Jolyon's progress this season in GP2 and he is clearly a big talent that deserves a chance in Formula 1."

Palmer will drive on the Tuesday of the test before handing over to 22-year-old Australian Goddard, who was 23rd in European F3 this season.

Autosport.com

Force India F1 team corrects aero error

 

McLaren looks set to face a renewed attack from Force India in the fight for fifth place in the constructors' championship with its Formula 1 rival having now corrected an aero concept mistake.

The two teams had been locked in a close battle for much of the season, but McLaren has recently edged clear thanks to development upgrades improving its speed.

Force India had appeared unable to respond as it slipped down the order, but deputy team principal Bob Fernley has revealed that it has now worked out what went wrong.

Rather than the situation being simply down to McLaren being able to outspend Force India with its development budget, the Silverstone-based outfit pursued a wrong aero concept.

Fernley told AUTOSPORT: "Obviously they [McLaren] do have a much more significant development budget than ours, but we have to take our own responsibility that our upgrades didn't quite deliver what we had hoped they would do.

"We took a wrong direction mid-season, and we only worked that out a race or so ago.

"We have moved in the right direction now and although it has helped us move forward with the 2015 car, it lost us some ground just after the halfway point of this year.

"So our tail off was the result of that step in the wrong direction."

Fernley would not expand on the specifics of the mistake Force India had made - beyond saying that it was a wrong 'concept' in terms of aerodynamics.

Having uncovered what went wrong, it showed improved form in Brazil and, thanks to double points being on offer for the season finale in Abu Dhabi, the team knows that there is still a slim chance it can cause an 11th hour upset.

Force India is currently 34 points behind McLaren - so in theory a fifth and sixth place finish for Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez could lift it above its rival.

Autosport.com 

Abu Dhabi GP - Preview - Force India

Nico Hulkenberg
2013 Qualifying - 6th, 2013 Race - 14th
"Abu Dhabi is a nice venue: very modern and with great facilities. The racing looks really cool on TV as the day turns into night and the track is pretty challenging for us in the car as well. The light is not really an issue once you are in the cockpit, but the layout makes it very easy to make mistakes and lose time, especially in qualifying. It's very stop-start, with a few chicanes and tight corners, so it is very difficult to get a good rhythm.

"It was nice to be back on the pace in Brazil and hopefully we will have similar pace in Abu Dhabi. It has been a great year for everyone in the team and it would be nice to end the season in style with some more points."

Sergio Perez
2013 Qualifying - 9th, 2013 Race - 9th
"Abu Dhabi is a special race on a circuit I really enjoy. It's where I first drove a Formula One car and that is something that will remain with me forever. The facilities are great and the track is not easy to master: this year we also have double points and that gives you even more motivation to do well. Everything in the lap requires some compromise - you need a set-up that works on fast corners, stop-start turns and the twisty final sectors. You also need to think carefully about your choice of helmet visor: you start the race with a low sun that requires a dark visor, and end the race in the night needing a clear one."

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
"We are usually competitive in Abu Dhabi and I am really looking forward to it. It will not be easy [to snatch fifth in the constructors' championship], but we will give it everything we have and see if that will be enough. Whatever happens in Abu Dhabi, we already have sixth place in the championship secured, so there is nothing to lose and everything to gain. As a big Formula One fan, I am also eager to see the final chapter of the championship battle between Nico and Lewis - it will be exciting.

"I believe we have a lot to be proud of this season. We took on some huge challenges at the start of a new era of Formula One and we produced a competitive car. We took the fight to the biggest names in the sport; we got back on the podium on merit and did so without compromising on our philosophy. I feel that in Nico and Checo we have found a pair of drivers who are capable of pushing each other and the team at every race and this is helping us maximise the good work done by everyone at our headquarters and trackside. In 2014 we scored the biggest points total in our history and we want to build on this result to create an even stronger 2015."

F1.com 
 

Brazil GP - Race - Force India Driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, 8th
"It was quite a cool race and very satisfying to finish in eighth. With a three-stop race you are always pushing, but my race was not too complicated and I was on my own for a large part of the afternoon. I also had a few nice battles and it was good fun. The car felt a bit better today compared to earlier in the weekend so I was more comfortable and really able to push. The team made the right calls on the strategy and we maximised our performance with the tyres in these very hot conditions. I finished just behind the two Ferraris and maybe with one or two more laps I could have finished sixth instead of eighth, but that's racing."

Sergio Perez, 15th
"It was a difficult race and things didn't really go my way all weekend. With the track time we lost on Friday and the grid penalty yesterday, we always knew it was going to be hard to recover the lost ground. I tried my best to fight through in the race, but I lost a lot of track position following the five-second penalty and for most of the afternoon I was stuck in traffic. I couldn't make any progress and the cars around us were on a similar strategy. So it has been a disappointing weekend and I just hope we can have a better result in Abu Dhabi."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"It was an interesting race for us and I think we were involved in a lot of the overtaking action! Nico produced a very good performance, making the most of an alternative strategy and bringing home some valuable points. The only regret is that, had the race been a couple of laps longer, he could have probably finished a couple of positions higher. Checo always had his work cut out after taking the grid drop: he had a great start and was looking like he would make up quite a few places, but in the end the five-second pit-stop penalty undid all the good work he had done in the first part of the race. Today's results mean we will need a special result in Abu Dhabi, but we will not stop fighting as the maths does not rule us out. Formula One can be unpredictable and we're ready to take the championship battle for fifth down to the wire."

F1.com 
 

BrazilGP - Qualifying - Force India driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg (12th, Q2 - 1:11.976)
"It was a pretty straightforward day and actually the whole weekend has been smooth on my side of the garage. It's just that we haven't been as competitive as we would like and for various reasons the car is not in complete harmony with this track. It's been quite difficult to find a rhythm and be consistent - so from that perspective P12 is probably the most that was possible today. Tomorrow I think we can challenge for points and maybe the weather will mix things up."

Sergio Perez (17th, Q1 - 1:12.076)
"It hasn't been an easy weekend for us and we knew today would be a struggle because of the lack of running on Friday. So our focus has always been on the race and I think we made quite a lot of progress in final practice by concentrating on long runs rather than qualifying preparation. The race here at Interlagos is always quite unpredictable so I still believe we can have a good result tomorrow and leave here with some points."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"Today's qualifying session saw very different situations for our drivers as a result of previous events. Nico produced a very good lap and he probably extracted nearly all the potential of the car. His position, and the long run pace he showed yesterday, mean he is well placed to fight for points tomorrow. In Checo's case, it was a matter of prioritising his race preparation, especially in the light of his grid penalty and the problems that side-lined him yesterday. So our decision was to concentrate on maximising his chances of making up the positions on Sunday. He has a tough challenge ahead of him, but if he makes the most of the opportunities that arise, he could still leave with some points. Brazil always produces unpredictable races and, should that be the case, we will need to be ready."

F1.com 
 

Perez will stay in Force India - Mallya

Sergio Perez is staying at the Force India Formula 1 team next year, his team boss Vijay Mallya said on Friday.

Although Perez has suggested that he is still finalising his contract with the team, Mallya made is clear in Brazil that there was no question over the Mexican's plans for next year.

"I have a two-year contract with Sergio Perez," said Mallya. "He can say what he wants: but I exercised my option and it is done."

Mallya said that the uncertainty about Perez's future was most likely related to talks about a contract extension for 2016, which could also result in revised terms for next year.

"The possibility came of extending Checo's contract in to 2016 as well, and that is what is under negotiation," he said.

"As far as 2015 is concerned, we had a two-year contract with him. We exercised the option, period.

"We are talking about one additional year and that is the whole point of the negotiation."

Force India has already confirmed Nico Hulkenberg will be staying at the team for next year too.

Autosport.com 
 

Brazil GP - Friday Practice- Force India Driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, P1 - 1:14.678, 13th; P2 - 1:13.882, 13th
"Most forecasts said it would be cloudy and wet, but the opposite was the case and it was very hot and sunny. We even saw track temperatures of 58ºC, which made it a challenge to manage both tyre compounds this afternoon. It might be cooler over the weekend, so we need to be careful about what conclusions we make tonight and the approach we take tomorrow. Apart from that it was a pretty straightforward Friday on my side of the garage and we just need to make the usual performance tweaks overnight."

Sergio Perez, P2 - No time
"It's disappointing not to run today and what happened with Daniel is bad luck. This is how things are in Formula One and sometimes you just have to accept that it's not going to be your day. Final practice will be even more important now but hopefully I can get up-to-speed before qualifying."

Daniel Juncadella, P1 - 1:16.030, 16th
"It's always good to be back in the car, but it's a shame to end the session with an accident. It was the strangest crash I ever had and I was not expecting it at all. The track was evolving very quickly because there is new asphalt and there was only one racing line with grip. On that lap I went a bit wider on the kerb, which was a bit too optimistic because I had a moment and had to catch the car. There was no room in the run-off area so I damaged the front of the car. I've apologised to the team and I'm sorry that it caused Sergio to miss track time, but hopefully he can still have a strong weekend."

Vijay Mallya, team principal and managing director
"It was quite a testing day on Checo's side of the garage. Daniel drove the car this morning, but made a mistake coming through turn seven and ended up in the barrier. It was not a heavy impact, but the car experienced a lot of heat soak, which damaged some engine hydraulic components. The decision was taken to replace them as a precaution, which unfortunately deprived Checo of running today. With only one car available this afternoon, we adjusted our run plan to ensure we gathered all the data we needed prior to the race, although with several red flags during the session it was not easy to complete a long run without disruption."

F1.com 
 

Brazil GP - Preview - Force India

Nico Hulkenberg
2013 Qualifying - 10th, 2013 Race - 8th
"Brazil is always a highlight of my season and it's one of the events I enjoy the most. If you look at my record at Interlagos it's a circuit where I have always performed well. I enjoy the country, the atmosphere, the Brazilian lifestyle and all that surrounds the event seems to have given me a special boost in the past and hopefully it will happen again. Obviously this is a new year and we will need to prepare for this event well: Interlagos can always throw a surprise with the conditions and this could be a challenge for which we need to be ready.

"The track itself is a proper old-school circuit: you don't have the vast expanses of more modern tracks, everything is bunched up together - it feels almost like a karting track. It's a very cool layout with some iconic corners, and it has a lot of Formula One history."

Sergio Perez
2013 Qualifying - 14th, 2013 Race - 6th
"Interlagos is a great track and makes for a very enjoyable weekend. The circuit is very rewarding to drive in an F1 car - you can attack in almost every corner and it requires absolute commitment. There are quite a few overtaking points and I have had some special battles there in the past. You have some very fast corners and a very complex middle sector: there are changes of elevation, cambers and it's very twisty, it's very difficult but it gives you such a great feeling when you get it right.
"Brazil is a great country to race in - the public has a real passion for Formula One and this creates a great atmosphere. The country has created so many big names in our sport, none more so than Senna: he was fully devoted to racing and was a unique driver and man. You can see his spirit lives on at this track and this is reflected in all the fans in the grandstands. The other thing I always remember about Interlagos is the traffic - it can be a bit of an adventure to get from the hotel to the circuit but it's all part of the experience!"

Daniel Juncadella
"I'm very happy to be given another chance to drive the car this weekend in Brazil. I feel confident after my outings in Silverstone and Italy and I look forward to continue gaining more experience with the team. The Brazilian track brings back good memories, as I achieved two podium finishes back in 2008 when I raced here at the final two races of the Formula BMW American season, but I can't wait to go back and see what it's like to drive it in an F1 car! The fact that I know the track and that I'm not new to the team anymore will definitely be two positive elements that will allow me to focus on my driving and on doing the best job possible for the team straight away. After finishing my DTM season much stronger than we started it, I now look forward to my third FP1 outing and I'd like to thank Sahara Force India for this opportunity."

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
"The bad luck we experienced in Austin is part of the game and I'm pleased to say it's very unusual to see our two cars fail to take the chequered flag. Our consistency and reliability have been strong for the most part of the year and we simply have to take a weekend such as Austin on the chin. Our battle for fifth in the championship is now a bit more complicated, but it's not yet out of reach. It's a shame that Checo will have a grid penalty in Brazil, but Interlagos is a track that lends itself to overtaking so hopefully he can recover some of the lost ground. The last time Nico Hulkenberg raced for us in Brazil, he almost won the race! It remains one of the most memorable moments in the team's history, but it's also a painful memory because we came so close to our first victory. It's a track that both Nico and Sergio love and perhaps we can expect some more magic moments this year, especially if we get some of Sao Paulo's famous unsettled weather."

F1.com 

FIA punishes Perez for 'reckless' clash

 

Sergio Perez will take a seven-place grid penalty for the next Formula 1 race in Brazil, after the FIA found him guilty of reckless driving in the US Grand Prix.
Force India F1 racer Perez collided with the Sauber of Adrian Sutil on the opening lap of Sunday's race at Austin, putting both out of the event and causing a safety car period.

The stewards have slapped Perez with a seven-place grid penalty and two penalty points on his licence for causing the collision.

An FIA statement read: "The driver of car #11 [Perez] could not reasonably have expected to complete the manoeuvre. His collision with car #99 [Sutil] was reckless."

Perez described the incident, in which he also made lighter contact with Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari, as "unfortunate".

"I made a move on Adrian at Turn 15 when he left the door open, so I went up the inside, then Adrian started to close the door and I had to try and brake later than him," Perez explained.


"By doing so I was unable to avoid contact with Kimi, which caused me to make contact with Adrian also.

"I just didn't expect Kimi to be in that position."

Sutil started a season's best ninth for the race, and was frustrated to miss out on a chance of scoring Sauber's first points of the season.

"It was such a shame and so disappointing and so unnecessary," Sutil said.

"We were hoping for a great result today and because of a silly action like this we missed everything.

"It is very disappointing that we missed our biggest chance of points because of this move."

Autosport.com

America GP - Race - Force India driver quotes

Sergio Perez, DNF
"What happened today is really unfortunate. I made a move on Adrian [Sutil] at turn 15 when he left the door open, so I went up the inside. Then Adrian started to close the door and I had to try and brake later than him. By doing so I was unable to avoid contact with Kimi [Raikkonen], which caused me to make contact with Adrian also. I just didn't expect Kimi to be in that position. It's a big shame because I had a great chance to keep up my run of points finishes and I was determined to do well in such an important race. I feel very sorry for all my fans who came to support me this weekend and I'm disappointed I could not give them a race to remember."

Nico Hulkenberg, DNF
"Unfortunately an early end to my race. I lost drive and had no more power so the team told me over the radio to stop the car. Even before that it had not been an easy race with a very difficult first lap. I was right behind Sergio and Adrian when they crashed, and Sergio's front wing just happened to fall right in front of my car. I ran over it, which caused damage to my car and the tyres. I dived into the pits and lost quite a lot of track position. After that I was running behind the McLarens on a similar strategy with the plan to run the softs at the end of the race. It's always disappointing to end a race with retirement but fortunately we have the next race in seven days so I will soon be back in the car. Sao Paulo is one of my favourite races and hopefully we can have a better weekend there."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"It was obviously a very disappointing day for Sahara Force India. We have had a pretty good level of reliability and consistency so far in the season, so when a day like this happens and two cars fail to finish the race it comes as a bit of a surprise. Checo's race was very short and it was a real shame as he was already up inside the points before his retirement. He had the pace to bring home a good result and perhaps it was just a case of being too eager to make up the positions. Nico had to pit as he couldn't avoid the debris from the crash, but we are confident he would have been battling for the points. Unfortunately, he was sidelined by an engine failure that will be investigated once the power unit is back in the UK. Today's result complicates our battle for fifth in the Championship, but we will keep fighting until the very end. There are still two races, one with double points, and today has shown a bad weekend can happen to anyone.

F1.com 
 

Exclusive Sergio Perez Q&A: I want to stay with Force India

Having been dropped by McLaren after just a single season at the end of 2013, Sergio Perez has had to work hard this year to revive his reputation at Force India. But after a podium finish and a further 10 point-scoring results, Perez now feels fully at home with his new team and hopes to continue their partnership next year. We caught up with the Mexican in Austin to review his 2014 campaign…

Q: Checo, what is the state of affairs in your negotiations with Force India for 2015? Will we hear news soon, given that your team mate Nico Hulkenberg has already been confirmed?
Sergio Perez: You have to speak to (team boss) Vijay (Mallya) - he is the man to know. But yes, we are of course in negotiations and I hope that we will have something to announce very soon.
Q: Is it your aim to stay with the team in 2015?
SP: Yes, definitely. It always takes a while till you are fully integrated in a new team - know all the people and their positions and skills - but that period is over now and I feel very comfortable in being a part of Force India. Of course the Bahrain podium was a huge door opener, but if you look at my last five races I was in the points in each of them - so yes, I have arrived, and yes, I would like to stay with Force India in 2015.
Q: The season is almost over: what is your opinion on the 2014 changes? For what kind of driver are the changes a blessing - and what is hurting the others?
SP: Well, it was an adaption to a new driving style. At the beginning it was a bit odd to see that the pit wall is in fact with you in the cockpit - that many things that a driver used to decide is now done electronically. It is different now, true, but it holds different challenges, so in no way has driving a Formula One car become easier.
Q: What had the most significant impact on driving style? And will it be more balanced in 2015 when the changes have sunk in?
SP: The low downforce level. These cars are completely different to handle than those from last year - and then you have the strong influence of the pit wall as I just said. You have to come to terms with the fact that the times of ‘a man and his machine’ are over - now it is a man, his machine and his engineering crew. (laughs)
Q: When you look back on this year’s races, what’s been your highlight - not necessarily in terms of points, but skills?
SP: Of course the Bahrain podium stands out - it was my third race with the team and it really bonded me to my then-new team. I also enjoyed the Austrian Grand Prix that saw me finishing in P6. Drivers are result driven, so results are what makes your day! (laughs)
Q: Lately Nico has been having a tough time of it in races whereas you’ve been in the points at the last five Grands Prix - why is that so?
SP: I cannot speak about Nico’s situation - you have to ask him. I can only say that I am happy with the last five races and I want to add tomorrow to this list of points finishes.
Q: The first two positions in the constructors’ championship are taken, but we will see very interesting battles behind that: between Williams and Ferrari for P3 and between McLaren and Force India for P5. What’s your guess on the final order?
SP: Yes, we four teams still fighting for positions will give the fans a good show, I swear. I can only speak for Force India in terms of possibilities and I think that we do still have all the chances to beat McLaren because of the double points in Abu Dhabi. So we will stay on their heels.

Q: Next year F1 racing will return to Mexico, but for this season Austin is the closest thing to your home race. Are the many Mexican fans here giving you a boost?
SP: Yes. In the paddock you hear Spanish everywhere, and the Mexican flags on the grandstands - that is awesome! I promise all the Mexican fans who have come here that I will do everything I can not to disappoint them!
Q: What has been your main focus so far this weekend? Both cars dropped out in Q2, but Force India are known to be a ‘race-orientated’ team…
SP: Of course we were disappointed not to make it into Q3. I used two sets of tyres in Q1 just to get through to Q2 and then I only had one single set left, which meant only one shot to make it into Q3 and unfortunately it didn’t work out. I am not fully satisfied with the balance of the car, but the wind played a major factor in that. And the wind will also play a major factor in the race - and the temperature. But our long-run pace from Friday was promising, so I would still predict that we will deliver a good result. 

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America GP - Qualifying - ForceIndia Driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg (13th, Q2 - 1:38.598)
"To begin with, qualifying was going well and I really believed Q3 was possible. On my final lap in Q2 I was on target for the top ten until something really unusual happened because a tear-off visor wrapped itself around my front tyre going into turn twelve. I've never experienced something like that in my career and when I turned into the corner I had no grip, I ran wide and lost a couple of tenths. It was my final Q2 lap so it was quite frustrating and unlucky. Looking ahead to the race, it's going to be tough because the soft tyres are quite a challenge here and we expect more hot temperatures tomorrow. Scoring points will be our aim as we are normally stronger on Sunday afternoon."

Sergio Perez (12th, Q2 - 1:38.554)
"It has been a difficult weekend so far working with the car balance because the windy conditions have impacted on us quite a lot. The wind was always changing direction, making the car quite unpredictable and making it difficult to be consistent. So it was hard to get the perfect lap together. I had to use two sets of soft tyres in Q1 just to make sure I got through to Q2, which meant I only had a single set of new soft tyres to use in Q2. Given the conditions I think we've done a good job, but I wish I could have done even better for the fans because they have made a big effort to come here and show their support. Hopefully tomorrow we can race well and be in the fight for some points."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"We were probably expecting a little bit more from today's qualifying session, especially considering that Nico has been inside the top ten in all the practice sessions and looked very strong during this morning's session. Ultimately he was unlucky when it mattered today with a strange incident disturbing his best opportunity to make the top ten. Without that he would have made Q3. Sergio has been struggling more to fine-tune the balance here, due in part to the windy weather. However, he pulled together a reasonable lap and he should be able to race well from there."

F1.com
 

USGP - Friday practice - Force India Driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, P1 - 1:41.722, 9th; P2 - 1:40.800, 10th
“I think we can be reasonably happy with our Friday. We did all the work we set out to do at the start of the day and it's always good fun to practice on a track like this. There was a big shift in conditions between the morning and the afternoon - it was much hotter and there was a very strong wind which was challenging. All in all it was a good day: we will have the usual amount of fine-tuning to do on the set-up and we will need to look at the tyre data to understand how the compounds work, but that's all standard stuff on a trouble-free Friday. It's Halloween tonight, so hopefully we'll get more treats than tricks for tomorrow's qualifying!”
Sergio Perez, P1 - 1:42.359, 15th; P2 - 1:41.123, 14th
“It was definitely not a bad start for the weekend. We had some upgrades on the car and our main target was to do as much running as possible to assess their effectiveness. We were able to do some good progress on the balance between the two sessions so I am feeling quite positive for the rest of the weekend. There's still plenty to look at tonight, especially in regard to the two different compounds, to try and squeeze out more performance ahead of tomorrow. I am quite optimistic even if today's times don't really show where we stand, but the points are given out on Sunday and that is what my focus is on.”

Vijay Mallya, team principal and managing director
“It was a very windy day, which makes it hard to assess the balance of the car as the conditions change continuously, but it was the same for everybody so we just have to carry on with our work. We had a very busy day, testing upgrades and collecting lots of data: this is very important as a lot of it will feed directly into our designs for next season. In FP2 we achieved a pretty good balance with our car and we were able to switch our attention to the long runs. Overall it was a very good Friday and we're looking forward to tomorrow.”

F1.com
 

America GP - Preview - Force India Driver Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg
2013 Qualifying - 4th, 2013 Race - 6th
"I remember that as soon as I drove in Austin my first thought was that it was an amazing circuit. It's fun to drive, with lots of different kinds of corners, and it's one of the best tracks from the new generation of circuits. It's very easy to find a rhythm and the tarmac is very smooth, which makes it very nice to drive. Away from the track, Austin is a venue everybody enjoys visiting. It's not the biggest city, but there is a good atmosphere and they love Formula One.

"I've had good results in Austin [P8 in 2012 and P6 in 2013] so I am feeling upbeat about this weekend. It's clear that some teams ahead of us have made a step forward recently, but we know that we can race well. I think it's realistic to target points again this weekend and try to close the gap to fifth place."

Sergio Perez
2013 Qualifying - 7th, 2013 Race - 7th
"Austin is a great race and because it's so close to Mexico it feels like my ‘home' race. There are usually a lot of Mexican fans and you feel a lot of support because the grandstands are full and there are always a lot of Mexican flags. I enjoy the track, especially the first sector and the uphill turn one, which is quite unusual. You can brake extremely late for this corner and it's a good overtaking opportunity. From there you go into the quick corners: turns three, four and five, which are a lot of fun to drive.

"I arrive in Austin feeling positive. I've scored points in every race since the summer break – five races in a row – and I think we've maximised what we could get out of those races. We've been racing hard, taking some chances, and making some excellent decisions with the strategy so hopefully we can continue to do so in the next few races."

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
"Fifth place is not that far ahead so it's certainly not out of reach. It's been a ding-dong battle all season. As I said before Russia, we're not giving up, whether it's Austin, Sao Paulo, or Abu Dhabi we'll give it everything we have! The final races of the season traditionally can deliver surprises and we must be ready to take any opportunity that comes up. The USA has a long history in Formula One and it seems Austin as a city has continued the tradition of embracing the United States Grand Prix. The grandstands are full, the supporters are passionate and knowledgeable, and there is a party atmosphere in town for the whole week. It's one of my favourite events in the calendar."

F1.com 
 

Hulkenberg to stay with Force India for 2015

Nico Hulkenberg will remain with Force India for the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship, the team have confirmed.

The 27-year-old German is enjoying his best season to date in 2014, having scored points in all but three Grands Prix. He currently sits eighth in the drivers' standings.

"It's good to confirm my plans for next season," Hulkenberg said. "This is a team I know extremely well and we've enjoyed a great year together with some special results.

"The team has big ambitions and I believe we can have a competitive package once again next year. We have a strong partner in Mercedes and everyone in the team is motivated and hungry for more success.

"I have a good feeling for 2015 and there is a lot to be excited about as we try to build on the results we have achieved this year."

Force India team principal and managing director Vijay Mallya said retaining Hulkenberg was a major boost, adding: "Everybody in the team is delighted to see Nico remain a Sahara Force India driver for next season. We rate him very highly and he has done a tremendous job this year by consistently picking up crucial championship points.

"We know him extremely well: he's a true racer and he knows how to motivate the team. I am convinced he is one of the best talents on the grid and I am proud that he will continue to race in the colours of Sahara Force India."

Hulkenberg raced with Force India in 2011 and '12 and, after a one-year spell at Sauber, returned ahead of the 2014 season. He has scored 76 points over the opening 16 races - compared to team mate Sergio Perez's 47 - and has helped keep Force India in the hunt for fifth in the constructors' championship. The team currently trail McLaren by 20 points.

F1.com 

Russian GP - Race - Force India Drivers Quotes

Sergio Perez, 8th
"It was a very hard race and a very hard-earned point. We tried our best to push throughout the race, but obviously the fuel strategy was quite marginal - especially because I started the race on the medium and had to really push to keep in touch with the group on the softs. When I was on the softs, it was hard to save fuel because I had to defend from Felipe [Massa] who was behind me for the whole of the second stint. So it was a hard afternoon, but hopefully we can be in better shape for the coming races."

Nico Hulkenberg, 12th
"It was quite a difficult race for me today. We started pretty far back on the grid and I was struggling a little with my straight-line speed compared to the cars with which I was battling. We were doing well in the corners, but losing a bit of ground on the straights, which made it difficult to overtake, especially on a track like this, where the straights are the only good passing opportunities. We could have probably finished in a higher position had it not been for this. We will need to regroup and come back stronger in Austin."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"It was a difficult race on a track on which overtaking is nearly impossible. Checo was able to make his way past some of the other cars and mounted an impressive defence against Felipe Massa to claim the final point. Unfortunately his earlier overtakes had claimed a toll on fuel consumption and he had to give up his chase of Raikkonen to save fuel, otherwise ninth might have been possible. Nico's race was compromised by his grid penalty, but he did well to close in on the top ten. This result complicates a bit the battle for fifth in the Constructors' Championship, but with three races left, including the double-points finale in Abu Dhabi, everything can still happen. We will keep working hard and give 100 percent to bring the battle down to the wire."

F1.com 

Russia GP - Qualifying - Force India driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg (12th, Q2 - 1:40.058)
"It's a very long and challenging lap here, and it's not so easy to put a good lap together. I think we got pretty much what we could from the car because getting the most from the tyres today was a big challenge. If you pushed more initially, you paid the price at the end of the lap, so the secret was to find a balance across the whole lap. Having the five-place grid penalty tomorrow will be quite costly on this track because I think it's going to be difficult to overtake € it's only really possible down the two main straights. Hopefully I can make a clean start and use our race pace to score some points, but there is not that much you can do with the strategy because the tyre degradation is very low. We expect this race to be very demanding on fuel consumption so maybe that will open up some opportunities."

Sergio Perez (13th, Q2 - 1:40.163)
"It is disappointing to miss out on a place in Q3 because the gaps were very small. My first lap in Q2 was very good, but in my second run I made a few mistakes which cost me two tenths and a place in the top ten. I think we will be starting pretty much where we expected based on our one-lap pace, so we will aim to move ahead and achieve a better position in the race tomorrow. In terms of strategy, we don't expect big surprises. I think it will be an interesting race: overtaking won't be easy so the start and the first few laps could have a big influence on the final result. The track is quite difficult and tyre temperatures will be a key element as the race progresses."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"A place in Q3 was out of reach today but the margins were very close and one or two tenths would have made the difference. The penalty for Nico is unfortunate and gives us an even bigger challenge tomorrow because of the limited strategy options on a circuit where it appears to be very difficult to overtake. However, it's a brand new track, we've never seen a race here, and there are lots of unknowns that could play a role. So we remain optimistic of converting our starting positions into points and we will give it our all as usual."

F1.com

Rusia GP - Friday practice - Force India driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, P1 - 1:43.976, 13th; P2 - 1:41.677, 12th
"It was a positive Friday for us. This is a nice track to drive; it's really cool but also challenging and tricky. There are some very technical parts, especially the last sector. We ticked all the boxes in our programme today and got some good data. We will work on tweaking the balance a little overnight in order to find a bit more pace and improve performance for tomorrow."

Sergio Perez, P1 - 1:43.129, 6th; P2 - 1:42.090, 14th
"It was nice to get out on track and get our mind off the very difficult week we all had. I would say today was a good start to our weekend. We managed to complete almost all our programme, with the only interruption caused by the red flag. This interrupted our assessment of the prime tyre in the long runs, but it feels like it handles quite well. The track has a very nice layout and the option tyres in particular work really well here. As a circuit, it appears to be quite demanding in terms of fuel, which will have implications for the strategy. These factors should make for quite an interesting race for the fans."

Vijay Mallya, team principal and managing director
"One of the priorities today was to give the drivers as much track time as possible to get acquainted with this new circuit. We were able to verify the correlation between our simulations and the actual track running, checking that we are running the correct settings and that we are getting the most of the advantages our power unit gives us. There is still plenty of work to do but it's positive to see that both Nico and Checo were getting happier and happier about the car as the day progressed. We end the day being pretty satisfied with the balance we have shown in the long runs, and we will aim to get a bit more qualifying performance ahead of tomorrow."

F1.com 

Russia GP - Preview - Force India driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg
“It’s always fun to explore a new place and this will be my first visit to Russia. So far I’ve only seen a few photos of the paddock and the track layout so I will arrive there with a very open mind about what to expect. However, I do have high expectations because I know that the organisers have made a big effort to make the race a success.
“It’s hard to look at a track on paper and really get an understanding of how it will feel to drive. I prefer to go there and experience things before I make judgements and talk about track characteristics. So in that sense it’s too early for me to compare it with another circuit. What is clear is that there are some really quick sections and a lot of right-angled corners.
“It’s fun to learn a new track and I look forward to the first few laps of free practice. I would say that after about 10 laps you’ve done your learning and start to feel comfortable. After that, you can focus more on improving the car’s performance.”

Sergio Perez
“I’m really looking forward to the race in Sochi. It’s a country that will be totally new for me and so it’s exciting to go there for the first time. I will feel like a tourist looking around the city.
“The location of the track inside the Olympic park is very unusual. If I get the opportunity I will definitely explore a bit. From the photographs I’ve seen it looks to be a very impressive facility. There are some long straights, some tight corners, and I think it will feel like a street circuit because the walls are close to the track in a lot of areas.
“To prepare for a new track I normally walk the track and cycle it a few times. Normally you need about 10 laps before you can really start doing performance runs. Nobody knows the track so it will be the same situation for all of us. We all start from zero.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“Everybody at Sahara Force India continues to send support to Jules (Bianchi) and the Marussia team. We know Jules well having worked with him during 2012. His recovery is the main priority at the moment.”

“[Russia] is an important race for us and for the global expansion of the sport. Russia is an emerging market for Formula One and it's big enough and important enough for everyone in the sport to look forward to going there. These huge markets are the kinds of places that we should be concentrating on, which is why I continue to push for India to be back on the calendar as well. We need to embrace these huge audiences where there is great potential to increase the popularity of our sport.

“[In terms of fifth place in the constructors’ championship] we are hanging on in there and we know we face a big task in the final four races to maintain this advantage. We are certainly motivated and will do all we can to add performance to the car and score points. In Formula One, anything can happen – we’ve seen it over and over again – and with double points on offer in Abu Dhabi there is all to play for.”

F1.com
 

Japan GP - Qualifying - Force India Drivers Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg (14th, Q2 - 1:35.099)
“Starting from P14 will be difficult and will make the race a bit more of a challenge. We lost a very good lap at the final chicane when I locked up and I have to kick myself for that. I think we would have been on target for Q3, which would probably have been the optimum result considering our performance throughout the weekend so far. Starting 14th complicates things, but Suzuka is one of the trickiest circuits, so tomorrow there will be everything to play for. With the threat of rain, a lot can happen."
Sergio Perez (12th, Q2 - 1:35.089)
“I’m feeling disappointed not to be higher up today. My first run in Q2 was good, but for my second attempt, when the track was improving, things didn’t work out for me. On my out lap I came across a lot of traffic in the final chicane so I had to slow down and lost temperature in the tyres and brakes. So I arrived at turn one on the next lap and didn’t have the grip. It’s a shame not to maximise our performance today because we managed to improve the car before qualifying and I felt more was possible. I’m hoping for better things tomorrow.”

Robert Fernley, Force India team principal and managing director
“Going into qualifying we certainly felt that Q3 was a realistic prospect and we should have ended the session a bit higher up the grid than P12 and P14. Nico made a mistake on his final lap in Q2 going into the chicane and that cost him the chance to move up. It was a similar situation with Sergio, who did a great first lap in Q2, but didn’t get his timing correct on his second lap and was compromised by traffic. So we didn’t extract the maximum from the car today. How this will impact the final result in the race remains to be seen. The question mark over the weather remains at the front of our minds and will present its own challenges and opportunities tomorrow.”

F1.com 
 

Japan GP - Friday Practice - Force India Driver Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, P1 - 1:38.582, 14th; P2 - 1:37.504, 12th
“Today's practice sessions went quite well from our perspective, even though in FP2 there were a lot of yellow and red flags that brought a few interruptions. We have a clear idea of what we need to concentrate on to find a bit more speed overnight and hopefully some changes in the set-up will improve the balance of the car ahead of tomorrow's qualifying session. I am not overly worried about the rain that is expected later in the weekend; we just have to wait and see, especially for Sunday. In the end, we are all in the same boat when it comes to the weather and we will need to react to what the situation is.”

Sergio Perez, P1 - 1:38.324, 13th; P2 - 1:37.786, 15th
“It was quite a difficult day because we lost a lot of track time this afternoon. It meant we could only do a short run on each tyre compound and I missed out on the high fuel running. Of course, if it rains on Sunday, missing out on this running won’t really matter, but we have to see what happens with the weather. My initial feeling was good on the hard tyre but we still need to work out the right compromise to get the most from the medium tyre.”

Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“It was quite a straightforward morning session with both cars running through their initial programmes and making reasonable progress. Unfortunately the afternoon was a bit more complicated with Checo’s car suffering from an electronics control problem related to the gearbox. That impacted quite significantly on his track time and meant we could not do the usual high-fuel running that we had planned. Nico, on the other hand, was able to do some longer runs to give us some useful data, although his progress was disrupted by the red flags, especially the final one at the close of the session. The rest of the day was focussed on evaluating set-up changes to find the best direction for tomorrow, while also keeping in mind the uncertain forecast for Sunday. The overall focus for tonight is to try and make the drivers feel a bit more comfortable with the balance.”

F1.com 
 

Japanase GP - Preview - Force India Driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg
2013 Qualifying - 7th, 2013 Race - 6th
"Suzuka is one of the best circuits of the year. I think it's quite similar to Spa in terms of the feeling you get inside the car. It's just a great place to experience a Formula One car and it's a lot of fun. There are some big corners, especially the ‘S' curves, which are very technical. Finding the right balance is very important for being quick in these long, sweeping corners. The last couple of years I've scored good points in Japan so I want to add some more this year.
"It's also a fun weekend outside of the car: the fans really show their love for the teams and drivers, and they're very sweet and respectful. When we travel from the hotel to the track they are always there standing on the side of the road waving at us with both hands. I'm also a big fan of Japanese food, so it's a good chance to enjoy the local food, especially the teppanyaki."

Sergio Perez
2013 Qualifying - 11th, 2013 Race - 15th
"Suzuka is such an exciting circuit. It's a classic full of great corners in every sector. It's a track where confidence with your car is especially important because you need to find the flow of the lap, especially in the first sector from turns two to seven where you have to be totally committed. The key is to be precise, but it's very technical and not easy to hit every apex. Because there are so many high-speed corners, it's not easy to follow cars closely and overtaking is very difficult. It's possible, though, and I remember having a good battle with Lewis [Hamilton] two years ago.

"We meet great fans during the season wherever we go, but I would rate the fans in Japan as some of the best. They have a lot of love for Formula One and they have always been very kind to me. It is always fantastic to come back to this country because they help make this race a special one."

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
"We haven't had the best of results in Suzuka over the years, but hopefully with this car and these two drivers we can come away with some points. We brought an aero update to Singapore and, in terms of race pace, it worked well. Suzuka will give us another chance to evaluate those parts because it's a track that is dominated by medium-speed corners. There are also a few more bits and pieces coming before the end of the year, so we're continuing to push hard and not giving up."

F1.com

Force India will 'fight like hell' to stay ahead of McLaren - Vijay Mallya

Vijay Mallya hopes Force India can beat McLaren at their own game, and hold on to fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship, with upgrades they’re planning later this season.

The Silverstone team jumped six points clear of their rivals at last weekend’s Singapore GP, in which Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg finished seventh and ninth respectively.

By contrast, it was a difficult weekend for McLaren, with Kevin Magnussen claiming a solitary point at a race where they’d introduced a number of changes to their car.

The expectation is that the bigger team will eventually assert themselves. But at the same time, the concern for McLaren is the lack of clear progress they’re making with the MP4-29, despite its frequent upgrades.

As such, Mallya is optimistic improvements to Force India’s own VJM07 will prove effective – and bolster their 2015 campaign into the bargain.

“I know that there’s another upgrade coming later on this season and that’s all part of the plan,” Force India’s Team Principal said.

“The only reason I’m approving this development right up until the last race - which I never did before in previous seasons – is because whatever we’re doing now in terms of development can be carried forward into next year’s car.

“If it was full-stop at the end of this season and start again for next year, I may not have bothered to do what I’m doing.

“But because all the development that’s happening as we speak can actually carry forward to 2015, it’s an investment also in next year’s car.”
Mallya says he’s proud Force India are giving McLaren a run for their money since, according to him, they’re doing it with half the Woking team’s budget.

“I refer to McLaren as ‘the great McLaren’. I truly believe that’s a World Championship team, so I’m not going to take them for granted,” he said.

“I’m going to throw everything I have at it and fight like hell.

“For a team like Force India to be engaged in such a competitive battle with a team like the great McLaren itself says a lot about us and I feel quite proud about it.”

The flamboyant 58-year-old businessman added: “Let’s be clear: when you race with the big boys and you get ahead of them, it gives you that extra bit of a high, doesn’t it?”

Mallya also confirmed that he wanted both Perez and Hulkenberg to stay on at the team.

Although Hulkenberg made the stronger start to the season, it’s Perez who has gained the better results since the summer break.

The Mexican fell to 17th in Singapore after he was hit by Adrian Sutil’s Sauber, but made up ten places with a late surge through the field.

“Both of them have the same talent and both have my respect. I’ve confirmed before: I’m not looking to change anything. I’m very happy with both of them,” Mallya added.

“Nico had a better start to the season than Checo but equally I have to say that Checo didn’t have all the luck in the world."

Skysports.com 
 

Singapore GP - Race - Force India driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, 9th
"It's good to be in the points and from a team perspective it's been a successful day. This is always a difficult race, especially from a strategic point of view, and maybe we could have achieved even more today. After the safety car I had to do a 30-lap stint on the soft tyres and like most of the cars ahead I was running out of grip towards the end of the race. With hindsight it would have been better to pit again for fresh tyres and we probably could have finished even higher up, but it's always a difficult decision for the team with the information we had at the time. The good news is that we got two cars home in the points."

Sergio Perez, 7th
"The race really had everything for me and the final laps were very enjoyable. I was very happy with our performance today and, most importantly, we finished ahead of our direct competitors. Those in front of me at the end had big tyre degradation, but this affected me as well. When I caught the train ahead I didn't have much grip either and this made each one of the overtakes a bit more difficult. We managed our tyres perfectly and to go from P15 to P7 was the reward we deserved. It was a great result for the team; they did a fantastic job with the strategy and it worked very well for both Nico and me. Today was one of those results where the race gives you a fantastic feeling: it's more than just scoring the points - it's about how you gained the result. Everything gets thrown at you but you don't give up and come back strongly to get the points."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"To come away from Singapore with eight points in our pocket and fifth place in the championship is a fantastic result. It was an eventful race, especially for Checo, and it was only in the closing laps that the race came back to us. We had to make some difficult decisions on the pit wall today, but I think on the whole we made the right ones. There was a bit of luck, too, but we made the most of our opportunities and Checo and Nico drove extremely well. It sets us up well for the final five races where it's crucial that we continue to score well with both cars."

Formula1.com

Singapore GP - Qualifying - Force India Driver's Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg (13th, Q2 - 1:47.308)
"The qualifying hour in Singapore is always intense and stressful, but I was hoping to be a bit more competitive and squeeze into the top ten. As it turned out, a place in Q3 was a few tenths away, but my lap was pretty good. I feel quite positive about the race because I have a free choice on tyres for the start and Singapore is always a long and eventful race. There are a few strategy options because yesterday we saw a lot of tyre degradation on both the compounds. The target is to come away with points tomorrow."

Sergio Perez (15th, Q2 - 1:47.575)
"The track felt very different today and we were not expecting such a dramatic change coming into qualifying. As the session went on, we struggled to get the tyres to work in the way we wanted. We headed out early in Q2 to try and get a clean out lap and prepare the tyres, but obviously we knew this would give away something in terms of performance with the track evolution. Even with these choices, we weren't able to make the progress we wanted. Looking at the race we know that overtaking on this circuit is quite difficult, but with a good start and a strong strategy we can make up some places. This track is very harsh in terms of tyre degradation and I expect it to play a big part tomorrow. It will be a battle to get some good points, but on a track like this everything is possible."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"We were expecting to be a little higher up the grid today. Our starting positions tomorrow mean we will need to work a bit harder to score the points we need. However, I feel quite positive about our long run pace, which should allow us to race competitively. Singapore usually throws up opportunities to explore different strategies and we enjoy racing in the heat. We need to be ready to maximise the opportunities that come up in the race with the goal of getting both cars in the points."

Formula1.com