Malaysian GP - Race - Force India driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, 5th
“Today was a super team effort and I’m very happy with fifth place. We were the only team among the frontrunners to do a two-stop race and we had good pace all afternoon. It shows that the team’s hard work over the winter is paying off and it feels great to be so competitive and fighting up at the front. We showed that we could manage the tyres well, although I felt a bit more comfortable on the medium compound tyres than on the hards, but we always had the tyre management under control. So I’m feeling happy that we can take all these positives to Bahrain and leave Malaysia with a good helping of points.”

Sergio Perez, DNS
“I’m disappointed not to have a chance to race today. We are still investigating the cause of the problem but the car kept going into neutral when I was downshifting on the way to the grid. I made it back to the garage but we could not find a solution. I need to focus on the positives because we learned a lot from the weekend so I hope we can come back stronger in Bahrain. It’s been a frustrating weekend for me but at least we are racing again in seven days and can look forward to putting the disappointment behind us.”

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"Nico’s fifth place today is a fantastic result for the team. He didn’t put a wheel out of place and managed the race perfectly to complete a two-stop strategy. In the end we didn’t have the performance left in the hard tyres to hold off Alonso, but it’s encouraging to see us finish 36 seconds ahead of the sixth place McLaren. We knew we would cope well in the hot conditions so it’s very satisfying to pick up ten more points; but it was a day of mixed fortunes with Checo unable to start the race. It’s important we solve the problem before Bahrain because we had the speed to score good points with both cars today. On the whole I’m feeling very positive about our performance this weekend and I’m confident we can deliver a similar showing in Bahrain.”

Source : Formula1.com 
 

Malyasian GP Qualifying - Force India driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg (7th, Q3 - 2:01.712)
"It was pretty challenging with the weather conditions today. There was so much rain, standing water and spray. Visibility was an issue and it was hard to see your braking points. It's tricky to drive these engines with lots of torque in these conditions and you need to be really smooth with the throttle out of the slow corners, but I enjoyed the challenge. We're in P7 and in the top 10 on the grid for the second time in a row, which is a result we can be satisfied with. I think we have shown all weekend that we have the speed to be top 10 material whether it’s wet or dry and I hope to score a good helping of points tomorrow."

Sergio Perez (14th, Q2 - 2:01.712)
"The conditions out there were very difficult and they kept changing with every lap, especially during Q2. I had a better feeling on the intermediate tyres and when I changed to the full wets I struggled to keep the temperature in them, which made it hard to put together a good lap. Tomorrow we will need to try and recover from P14, but we have to see what the weather will do. I also need to solve the rear locking which is affecting me under braking in the wet conditions. I’m still confident we can have a good race and I will keep fighting to score as many points as possible."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"Another very wet qualifying session in Sepang presented us with challenging conditions today. Nico looked comfortable in the wet and matched his starting position from Melbourne with seventh place. He has been in the top 10 in all the sessions this weekend and should be in good shape for tomorrow. Sergio struggled more in the wet and didn’t have confidence on the wet tyres. We will try and solve those issues tonight because there’s a good chance of more rain tomorrow. Whether it’s wet or dry I’d like to see both Sahara Force India cars well inside the top 10."

Source : Formula1.com

Malaysian GP - Friday practice - Force India driver quotes

Sergio Perez, P1 - no time, 20th; P2 - 1:41.671, 16th
"Not an easy day because I missed most of the morning session and that has limited my running on the hard compound. In the afternoon we tried to improve the car, as well as learning about the tyres, but I still feel we need to make a big step tonight to be ready for qualifying. The tyre performance gap between the hard and the medium compound is not that big, but we suffered with high degradation on both tyres."

Nico Hulkenberg, P1 - 1:41.642, 8th; P2 - 1:40.691, 10th
"I think we can be satisfied with what we learned today. We worked through the programme and there were no big issues on my side. Of course, the hot weather here means conditions are tough and we found that tyre management during the long run was quite challenging. It's even more difficult this year because there is more wheelspin with these engines and the rear degradation is quite high. We collected the usual data for the tyres and the set-up, and I think there is still room for improvement. I need some more grip and we need to tweak the balance before final practice."

Otmar Szafnauer, chief operating officer
"Apart from some lost track time for Sergio this morning, which resulted from a fuel system issue, our preparation for the Malaysian Grand Prix has gone largely to plan. We met our mileage target for the tyres and signed off the cooling solutions we have in place for this weekend. The long run performance looks competitive, although coping with the high tyre degradation will be critical come Sunday afternoon."

Source : Formula1.com

Malaysia preview quotes - Force India

Nico Hulkenberg, Force India
2013 Qualifying - 12th, 2013 Race - 8th
“Malaysia is going to be a tough challenge with totally different track characteristics and higher temperatures, which always leads to higher tyre degradation. It should be a good test of the new cars because it’s much more open than Melbourne with a nice variation of high and low-speed corners, plus two long straights.”

Sergio Perez, Force India
2013 Qualifying - 10th, 2013 Race - 9th
“I think as a team we are moving in the right direction and there were lots of positives to take away from Australia. It was the first race and we, as everyone else on the grid, are still learning a lot about the new car. We have seen some encouraging signs and collected a lot of data that can be put to use for the next few races, starting in Sepang.

“I believe Malaysia can be a very good race for us. Let's see how we can perform there. I think Melbourne was a more difficult one for us and with a hotter track and more rear tyre degradation for everyone we can be stronger. I'm counting the days to Malaysia to recover what we couldn't achieve in Australia. I have good memories of this track and I want to build on my previous results there.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“The weather in Melbourne was relatively cool so I'd like to see what impact the warmer climates of Malaysia and Bahrain will have on performance and competitiveness. Effective cooling will be a priority this weekend. If we can reproduce the performance level we showed in Melbourne that will be a good starting point.”

Source : Formula1.com 
 

Force India: pace behind expectations

Force India believes it has work to do to catch its rival Mercedes-powered Formula 1 teams after it struggled more than expected in the Australian Grand Prix.

Nico Hulkenberg ran fourth in the early stages of the race in Melbourne, but he finished seventh on the road and was promoted to sixth after Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull was disqualified.

Deputy team principal Bob Fernley described the performance as "acceptable but not exceptional" and has charged the team with closing the gap to its rivals.

"It was good, but probably not quite as good as we would like it to be," he told AUTOSPORT.

"We didn't quite have the race pace as we would have liked, so we have got a bit of work to do.

"We have just got to focus now on making sure we do a little bit of work on the performance side.

"We have got reliability, which is good, and which is across the board with the Mercedes-powered cars, so we've got to inch ourselves up and make sure we are fighting with McLaren and Williams."

Fernley believes that given the amount of running Force India had during pre-season testing, there are only small gains to be made in terms of the way it is using the engine as the race did not throw up any surprises.
He confirmed that the team will bring some upgrades to the Malaysian Grand Prix and that the team is pushing ahead with its development plan.

"It's marginal now," he said when asked what gains could be made with the operation of the engine.

"With the mileage that we did in pre-season, what happened in the race didn't deviate from what we thought we would do.

"We have a little bit coming [for Malaysia] but we will just go full speed with developments.

"Truth be told, we were expecting the aero war to start in Europe, but now I think it's going to come forward."

Source : Autosport.com 
 

Australian GP - Race - Force India driver quotes

Nico Hulkenberg, 6th
"Seventh place is a positive way to start the season. I was very happy to see the chequered flag - the first time I've done so in Melbourne - and it's important to score some good points early on. I made a strong start and enjoyed good track position for the first two stints when I was running up in fourth. The only real issue I had was some front left graining on the soft tyres, which never really cleared up and that compromised my first two stints. It was a shame to lose two positions at my second stop [to Button and Alonso] but it looks like some of the cars around us have a bit more pace at the moment. I want to thank the team for the amazing job they've done over the winter and this weekend to get us to this point. It's been a great effort and it's nice to reward everyone with some points at the first race."

Sergio Perez, 10th
"I'm satisfied to finish the race, but disappointed not to score points. My race became very difficult on lap one when I got hit by the Sauber of Gutierrez at turn three. It gave me a puncture and I had to return to the pits very slowly, which dropped me to the back of the pack. After that I just tried to keep a consistent pace on the medium tyres and I was quite fortunate that the safety car came out, which helped me recover some positions. Points were close, but my progress was hurt by being stuck behind the Sauber of Adrian for such a long time. It's positive to finish the race because it gives the team lots of information and hopefully that will make us stronger for Malaysia."

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
"Starting the season with points is what we were aiming to do so we're happy with today's result. Nico drove an excellent race and was able to fight near the front for most of the race, eventually earning us six points. Sergio's race was much more challenging with a puncture on lap one making it difficult for him to show the pace of the car. The safety car allowed him to catch up, but he just missed out on reaching the top ten. Overall we are pleased to see both cars make the finish in this new era of Formula One and we have learned a huge amount. I congratulate everyone in the team for all their hard work over the winter and I look forward to Malaysia in two weeks' time where we will aim to build on what we learned this weekend."

Source : Formula1.com 

Australian GP - Qualifying - Force India Driver Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg (7th, Q3 - 1:46.030)
“The first qualifying session of the new season and we finished P7, which is good news! Everything went well today and it was an entertaining session, which I really enjoyed. It was the first time I’ve driven the new car in the wet, but right away I felt comfortable and confident with a nice balance on the intermediates and the wets. There was a good harmony between me and the car, and the team did a great job helping me manage the traffic. Looking ahead to tomorrow, it really is a step into the unknown for everyone. I think we are well prepared and I’m really looking forward to the race where points will be our target.”

Sergio Perez (16th, Q2 - 1:47.293)
“It was not an easy session, especially Q2, and unfortunately we didn’t manage to get a good lap in the wet conditions. It was hard to find clear space with the traffic and I had to pit for new tyres when the track was probably at its best. When I left the pits for my final attempt I locked the rear tyres going into turn three, lost control and could not recover. So it was not the qualifying result we were expecting, but we know tomorrow is another opportunity. We will fight back and try to score some points.”

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
“It is very promising to see Nico qualify seventh under these difficult conditions. He always excels in the wet and today he looked very comfortable whatever the weather. Sergio had a more difficult session and unfortunately the weather changed for the worse as he was pitting for new tyres, which made it very difficult for him to improve. I think he will fare better in the race and improve his position because our pace in practice suggests we can be in the fight for points. The weather will surely play a big role, with the chance of more rain showers tomorrow, so we will need to plan for all possible conditions."

Source : Formula1.com
 

Nico Hulkenberg Q&A: Positive vibes at Force India

In his first practice appearance back at Force India, Nico Hulkenberg ended the opening day in Melbourne a respectable tenth in the times. More importantly perhaps, the team were able to run their program without any major reliability issues and now Hulkenberg is hoping his Australia weekend will continue in the same vein…

Q: Nico, what do you make of today’s running?
Nico Hulkenberg: That it is fair to say - and which was visible during winter testing - that Mercedes is up front and after them it is Red Bull. And that we are around the top ten, some 1.4 seconds shy of Hamilton. But it’s the first day of running for a race, so there is room for improvement - though unfortunately for everyone. But that’s how it is and where we sit today. Let’s see how it works tomorrow.

Q: Some other teams are having quite serious reliability issues. It seems that Force India have been pretty much spared that. Is that giving you positive vibes?
NH: Yes, we are pretty much on top of it and there is nothing on the horizon that should destroy that good vibe. So yes, at the moment we are good.

Q: Can you read anything into the order that we’ve seen in Friday’s running?
NH: Yes, you can already - at least for this weekend.

Q: Are you surprised by Red Bull’s showing?
NH: They seem to be quick. Surprised about it? No, not really. Daniel Ricciardo already showed signs when he was running a fast lap in Bahrain that there is some speed in the car. They seem to have been able to fix some issues on the car - at least from what they have shown in their long run - so I expect them to be there too. But that is no surprise, with all the resources they have. It was very clear that they wouldn’t be stuck in the situation they’ve been in during testing.

Q: Your namesake Nico Rosberg said that fuel consumption will be one of the main issues - especially on a track like Melbourne. You race the same engine - how do you see that?
NH: Yes, you have to keep a good eye on it - manage your consumption more than in the past - to make it to the end of the race. Looking at the tyres everything was as witnessed over the test season, so at least for us no surprises there.

Q: Would you say that you are quite satisfied with your first day?
NH: Yes, because you couldn’t expect going into the first race weekend of the season without any issues. But touch wood, we made it pretty smooth here so far. We’ve been able to run our program for today almost like a normal Friday from last season. And that is almost a little sensation. But I also said before that there is room for improvement - and that room we will attend to tomorrow morning. Hopefully with the same smoothness as today!

Q: You went over the kerbs and on to the grass…
NH: Yes, I did. When the sun is sitting low it is tough to see. There are a few corners where it is hard to see the edge of the track, but it is all in my head now and hopefully it will not happen again. So let’s look forward to a very interesting race.

Source : Formula1.com

 

Australia GP - Friday Practice - Force India driver quotes

Force India
Sergio Perez, P1 - 1.33.855, 12th; P2 - 1:31.283, 13th
“It’s been a successful day in terms of the work we’ve done and I think we can feel confident about the rest of the weekend. There are some areas where we need to improve, but the most important thing is that we managed to collect some good information. I’m happy with the general balance of the car so we have moved in the right direction with the set-up. My long run was not ideal because of the traffic, but we have enough information to make our decisions.”

Nico Hulkenberg, P1 - 1:33.533, 11th; P2 - 1:31.054, 10th
“I’m feeling quite happy because it was a smooth day with lots to learn. I had a little moment at the end of FP2 when I put a wheel on the grass under braking, but the conditions were difficult because the sun was so low in the sky. Otherwise the day went well in terms of reliability and we look quite competitive so far. It feels like both tyre compounds are working well, but there is still room for improvement with the balance, which is where we will concentrate this evening.”

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal and managing director
“The first two sessions of the 2014 season have gone pretty much to plan for us. Both cars have run reliably throughout the day and allowed us to complete a lot of the set-up work and test items on the job list. Our tyre evaluation also went well and we have plenty of long-run data with both cars running slightly different programmes to give us as much information as possible on how to approach the race. There will be a busy night of analysis ahead before we focus on qualifying pace in final practice tomorrow.”

Source : Formual1.com 
 

Force India should be confident - Hulkenberg

Nico Hulkenberg says Force India has good reasons to be confident ahead of this weekend's Australian Grand Prix.

Force India had a solid pre-season testing programme and benefits from running the Mercedes engine, which proved to be the most reliable over the three tests. Hulkenberg said there is no way of knowing how the weekend will go, but believes his team should have high expectations.

"I'm not nervous, quite relaxed in general," he said. "I think we can be fairly confident, winter testing has gone fairly smoothly for us compared to other teams. From that point of view we are as well prepared as we can [be]. It's still going to be a big challenge this weekend and it can hold a lot of surprises. We can talk a lot about that in theory, but we just have to get going, start the season and see what happens."

Force India did not show the sort of one-lap pace Mercedes and Williams managed during testing in Bahrain, but Hulkenberg is confident in the car.

"I didn't get one proper go on a one-lap attempt, but I think the car felt fairly okay for that and also in terms of balance. I think there is no big issue, but there are some fast cars out there and where we fit in I'm not quite sure."

The Mercedes-powered cars were among the most reliable in testing, but Hulkenberg said there are no guarantees for race day.

"It's hard to say. Winter testing was pretty solid, especially the second Bahrain test, we were pretty strong from that point of view. That doesn't mean we are immune to it and nothing will happen in the next couple of days."



Source : En.espnf1.com

Australia preview quotes - Force India

Nico Hulkenberg, Force India
2013 Qualifying - 11th, 2013 Race - DNF
“It’s been three races in Melbourne and I’ve still not completed a racing lap! They say bad luck comes in groups of three so hopefully attempt number four will work out better! The car has come a long way since Jerez. We made steps at each test and I think we made very good use of the time we had available. We signed off a lot of things during testing and I don’t think we’re in bad shape. There is always more you can do, but we’re pretty well prepared. I feel comfortable (in the car), but I think this feeling will grow stronger during the season. The cars are different compared to last year: the corner speeds are lower because there is less downforce and the engine behaviour is quite different. So it’s a new challenge and it’s difficult to tell just from testing how it will feel during a race weekend. It’s not easy (to set expectations). Testing only tells you so much, but I think we still have some performance in our pocket. I just hope we are competitive and can race for good points.”

Sergio Perez, Force India
2013 Qualifying - 15th, 2013 Race - 11th
“It’s the first race of the year so I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time. I hope we can have a great start of the season. The new rules are interesting and the cars are quite challenging. There is less downforce now, but there is a lot of torque from the engine so it’s quite a different feeling. You also have to think about managing the fuel load and we know that Melbourne is a circuit with high fuel consumption. There are more things to do in terms of managing the systems on the car so it’s more complicated than last year. The pre-season testing has given us enough time to get to know the new systems so I don't foresee any issue come the first race. I think we are feeling well prepared going into Melbourne. Testing has had its ups and downs, as always, but we ended the second Bahrain test in a good position. There are still areas we need to improve, but I think we have made a good start and we can build on that. It's always a good feeling to start with a new team. I had a full winter to get to know everyone and I’m feeling ready now. The team is very hungry and I hope we can achieve some great things this year.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“It’s never easy to make predictions and this year there are so many more unknowns than usual. I think we can arrive in Melbourne feeling happy about the work we’ve done over the winter. How that will translate to a race weekend is hard to say, but I think it’s important that an element of unpredictability has returned. There is plenty of interest around Formula One at the moment and that’s a good thing

Source : Formula1.com 
 

Australian GP: Driver's View - Nico Hülkenberg

 

Nico Hülkenberg reflects on a busy pre-season and looks forward to Melbourne.
Nico, how satisfied are you with the work completed over the winter?I think we’re pretty satisfied. In the final week in Bahrain we averaged 100 laps per day and made good progress. You would always like more time to test, but we’ve done as much as we could.
2014 brings new procedures and a new way of driving – do you feel comfortable already?I feel comfortable, but I think this feeling will grow stronger during the season. The cars are different compared to last year: the corner speeds are lower because there is less downforce and the engine behaviour is quite different. So it’s a new challenge and it’s difficult to tell just from testing how it will feel during a race weekend.
How much has the car improved since the first test in Jerez?The car has come a long way since Jerez. We made steps at each test and I think we made very good use of the time we had available. We signed off a lot of things during testing and I don’t think we’re in bad shape. There is always more you can do, but we’re pretty well prepared.
Have you set any expectations for this weekend?It’s not easy to say. Testing only tells you so much, but I think we still have some performance in our pocket. I just hope we are competitive and can race for good points.
You’ve always been unlucky on race day in Melbourne. Surely you are due a change of luck…It’s been three races in Melbourne and I’ve still not completed a racing lap! They say bad luck comes in groups of three so hopefully attempt number four will work out better!

Source : Forceindiaf1.com  

Australian GP: Driver's View - Sergio Perez

 

Sergio Perez gears up for the start of the season.

Sergio, the start of the season is here. Are you looking forward to racing in Melbourne?It’s the first race of the year so I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time. I hope we can have a great start of the season. 

How have you found the new generation of Formula One cars to drive?The new rules are interesting and the cars are quite challenging. There is less downforce now, but there is a lot of torque from the engine so it’s quite a different feeling. You also have to think about managing the fuel load and we know that Melbourne is a circuit with high fuel consumption.

Do you feel busier in the car this year?Yes, there are more things to do in terms of managing the systems on the car so it’s more complicated than last year. The pre-season testing has given us enough time to get to know the new systems so I don't foresee any issue come the first race.

How would you sum up the pre-season so far?I think we are feeling well prepared going into Melbourne. Testing has had its ups and downs, as always, but we ended the second Bahrain test week in a good position. There are still areas we need to improve, but I think we have made a good start and we can build on that.

How are you feeling about your first race weekend with Sahara Force India?It's always a good feeling to start with a new team. I had a full winter to get to know everyone and I’m feeling ready now. The team is very hungry and I hope we can achieve some great things this year.

Source : Forceindiaf1.com 
 

McLaren improved Perez - Force India

Sergio Perez enters the 2014 Formula 1 championship a better and more rounded driver following his season at McLaren, according to Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley.

The Mexican joined McLaren as Lewis Hamilton's replacement after scoring three podiums in two years with Sauber, but was then dropped at the end of 2013 in favour of rookie Kevin Magnussen.

Fernley though says the experience of driving for a championship-winning team, and adapting to the associated demands, will be a massive benefit to Perez and by proxy Force India in the coming campaign.

"Checo's time with McLaren will benefit us enormously here as he's embraced the disciplines that go with running with a top team," Fernley told AUTOSPORT.

"I thought that the last six months that he was with McLaren he matured well. He still had that aggressive touch but it was contained.

"The thing that the fans find exciting, but teams find worrying, is when you go for a gap at Monaco that isn't there.

"[In] the second six months he was very measured in the way he approached things and had great success in terms of what he was doing driving-wise.

"I believe that, again, we have benefitted from the McLaren process."

'ARROGANT' REPUTATION NO CONCERN

While some at McLaren felt Perez could be arrogant in his approach, Fernley said his attitude will help him flourish at the team and carry the fight to new team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.

"A driver has to have an element of arrogance, otherwise they don't believe in themselves," he said.


"They've got to believe in their minds that they're the best that's out there.

"That must be unshakeable because if it isn't then the doubts come in and that's 
when they start to struggle.

"Checo's easy to work with and he'll take the team with him, like Nico does.

"What better team-mate could Checo have than Nico?

"We don't need to do anything because he's going to be sitting next to somebody who is rated as a potential world champion [and] who's going to challenge him every time he sits in the car."

Source : Autosport.com 
 

A Force to be reckoned with? Exclusive Vijay Mallya Q&A

Several times in recent seasons Force India have threatened to break free of the midfield and to start routinely challenging the frontrunners, only for that challenge to fade. This year, team boss Vijay Mallya is confident things could be different. With Mercedes-powered teams leading the way in pre-season testing, both on reliability and pace, the charismatic Mallya is hoping to see both Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez score points in the opening round…

Q: Vijay, you popped over to Bahrain on the last day of the final test to see Force India. Were you satisfied with what you saw from your team?
Vijay Mallya: We are doing reasonably well. Actually I am quite pleased, but largely because of the number of laps that we’ve managed to achieve. Very clearly all the technical changes are extremely complicated and sensitive - difficult to understand. I think that’s why many teams are having problems. We started off being overawed by the technical challenge, but we’ve come to terms with understanding the car better. We are now able to run it more reliably - and the result is the many laps we’ve been able to do at the two Bahrain tests. It is a good feeling to know that reliability has been established positively. Now let’s talk about the pace: there is more to come. We had a few problems at the last Bahrain test and we still have more performance to get out of the car, so the fact that we are consistently among the top three is something that is very encouraging for the whole team. If we manage to ensure reliability - even at the current level of performance - I think when we go racing we will certainly be in the points - touch wood!
Q: The Mercedes-powered teams look the most likely to score points in the opening races. Is that what you believe too?
VM: Yes, I would say that my decision to go with Mercedes early last year and to sign a long-term agreement with them was the right decision - the results speak for themselves. The Mercedes-powered teams are clearly ahead and are currently more reliable than the others.
Q: But you can’t have known last year that the Mercedes engine would be the pacesetter, so on what did you base decision to stay with them long term? Was it a gut decision?
VM: We have been using the Mercedes engine for years and have seen the German precision - and the commitment. We’ve been very happy with their engines in the last couple of years and when Mercedes agreed to give us the entire powertrain - gearbox included - it was a no-brainer. I decided to go with Mercedes - and I was right.
Q: Could 2014 finally be the year that we see a Force India driver on the podium again?
VM: Ha, I don’t want to test my luck, but certainly this year is the right year to be optimistic.
Q: We have obviously seen some teams struggling in testing. Do you think that was for real or only sandbagging?
VM: I would find sandbagging very, very strange. If you don’t put enough laps in during testing you can’t ensure reliability. You cannot use a race to establish reliability. And in order to find the optimum set-up for a car - whether it is for qualifying or race trim - you have to actually test it on the track. And that’s what the tests are meant for. I would find it surprising if there are some teams that sandbagged right through testing and will suddenly show some dramatic improvements in the race itself. I don’t believe that this will happen - but in Formula One I have learned that anything can happen! (laughs)
Q: In Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez you have a very promising driver line-up. Are you pleased with your guys?
VM: I am very happy with our two guys. Nico is a highly talented and highly rated driver and I am very glad to have him back. Checo Perez was selected by none other than McLaren. And if he was found to be good enough to get a McLaren race seat, I know that he also has a great amount of ability. Nico and Checo will do very well for us.
Q: Where do the strengths lie in each of your drivers?
VM: I like to say that both are highly talented. Their driving styles might be a little different, but then no two drivers are the same in any case. What I am more concerned about is that they are quick and give us good feedback, that they are technically knowledgeable and good human beings and easy to get along with. Both my drivers meet these criteria very well.
Q: Nico visited Checo in Mexico over the winter - that hardly happens with team mates. Is that a good sign for you that they really want to pull together as a team?
VM: This is a fantastic sign. That is what team spirit is all about.
Q: Force India have moved steadily up the pecking order over the years. What’s your plan for 2014?
VM: Ha, to move even further up the pecking order. And the signs look pretty encouraging.
Q: How much personal interest did you take in the making of this year’s car?
VM: My job is it to put together a good team - which I did; to give them a free hand - which I did; to have a periodical look at the development without interfering - which I did; but to monitor the progress - which I also did. Before this car was built I was with them in the wind tunnel and had several conferences with the design team and our technical director Andrew Green. So yes, I track the progress. We are a bit handicapped because our facilities are old. Many other teams have much better facilities than we have. Now we are planning to give the engineering team better resources in the factory by upgrading the equipment, which hopefully will make us even more competitive.
Q: You are a racer at heart, so what did you make of the winter tests? In your opinion, who's got it and who not?
VM: Let’s start from the beginning: the test in Jerez was just to gain experience, whereas Bahrain one and two were about running the car. As I said before, running the car is to establish reliability and that is a huge factor. After that you start to work on the competitiveness of the car in terms of pace - qualifying and race pace - which is totally different. It is always a thin red line - and even more so this year. You can have a quick car, but if it is unreliable and cannot finish a race it is of no use. Equally, if you have a car that is totally reliable - particularly in the early races - but maybe not so quick, you still have a good chance.
Q: So what are your expectations for the first four flyaway races? Are you looking to cash in in on any engine advantage?
VM: The first four races present a great opportunity, particularly for the Mercedes-powered teams, because so far they are showing that they are ahead of the rest. But in the end it will be all about - here comes the word again - reliability. You can do many fancy things during testing, but a race is a race and the conditions of a race are very different. By the time we get back to Europe many teams will have sorted out their issues and some big upgrades will be coming from Barcelona onwards. So yes, my guess is that these four races will be a bit of a luxury for the Mercedes-powered teams - and once we get to Europe, that is where some serious racing will start.
Q: So the plan for the first four races is to take the points and run?
VM: Don’t get me wrong, we are also planning some big updates for Europe. It definitely isn’t as if we would plan nothing. As you mentioned earlier, since I took over we’ve step-by-step moved up the pecking order every year, and this year is different because of the huge technology change. But in previous years we were racing with the biggest and the best and still scoring points, so there might be an additional opportunity now for us in 2014.
Q: If you could dream up the Australian race, what’s your guess - how will it develop?
VM: Ha, the crystal ball questions. In a race anything can happen. The drivers have a very important role to play. It’s the conditions on that particular day. If it’s a bright, sunny day it’s one thing. If it rains it’s another. But certainly I could see a double-points finish - a least that is what I’m looking forward to.
Q: So you are heading into this season with more confidence than in previous years?
VM: Certainly. We are racing with the best and outperforming some of the best, which we haven’t done before. If that’s not a good sign and every reason to be optimistic… Or let’s put it this way: cautiously optimistic.


Source : Formula1.com

Force India completes its pre-season testing programme in Bahrain

Nico Hulkenberg: "The final day of testing went pretty well. In the end we didn’t do the race simulation, but we did some long runs and signed off a lot of other things on the job list. We didn’t do as many laps as yesterday, but we still made progress and learned some new things. So it’s been two good days for me and I’m feeling pretty satisfied. You always want more time to prepare, but I think we’re in good shape. The car has come a long way since the first Jerez test and we have made progress every day.” 

Andrew Green, Technical Director: “The final day in Bahrain saw a continuation of yesterday’s work improving the car balance, collecting tyre data, and some long runs. Our programme ended slightly early with a suspected component failure, which was a result of high mileage, and so we didn’t manage to complete our target number of laps. Nonetheless our time in Bahrain has gone largely to plan with the mileage achieved during the previous three days leaving us in good shape going into Melbourne. We’re feeling positive about our reliability and have explored some encouraging directions for improving car performance. The other focus has been on our race readiness and we’ve done a great deal of homework to prepare the drivers for the challenge that awaits them in Melbourne."

Day Four Statistics:
Chassis: VJM07-01
Laps: 74 laps
Mileage: 401 km
Fastest lap: 1:35.577
Classification: P4

Source : Motorsport.com 

Nico Hulkenberg Q&A: Reliability as important as speed

Force India have had a very promising final test in Bahrain which has included three consecutive 100 lap days. They’ve also shown promising pace, although as Nico Hulkenberg explains, going fast isn’t necessarily the most important thing this season…

Q: Nico, how was your day today? Only one more and then you won’t run again until Melbourne…
Nico Hulkenberg: It was a good day. It was the third day in a row that we’ve done more than one hundred laps - and we hope that we can repeat that tomorrow. Touch wood! In the end, at this stage mileage is all that matters. The team has made a good progress - it was a significant change from where I left the car last week to where I jumped in today. You could clearly see that some work has been done - and completed! We were able to do a race simulation in the afternoon - and that went promisingly. So step-by-step we are ticking all the boxes and getting ready for Melbourne. Tomorrow we will look a bit more into performance.

Q: The wind was picking up today - was that difficult to handle?
NH: It was a bit tricky, yes. It was almost a bit of a sandstorm in some parts of the track - at one point there was even a bit of sand in your eyes. But that also can happen when we race here in about a month, so it’s better to deal with the conditions now than being surprised later! (laughs)

Q: When you say that you will be looking into performance tomorrow; when you look at the times of Massa and Rosberg today (Saturday), do you think you will come close?
NH: It will be difficult. Those times are very competitive.

Q: So what is your plan for tomorrow?
NH: We will do a qualifying simulation and another race simulation - and as I just said, looking for performance.

Q: Where would you rank Force India from what you’ve seen over the last three test days?
NH: Everybody asks for a crystal ball reading, but there is no such thing. Right now I don’t think it is really important to know what the pecking order looks like because my prediction is that everything we see now will not outlast the Melbourne race. So what is the plan for us? Do our homework and wait for the answer in Melbourne.

Q: If you compare the Force India to the Sauber of 2013 - is it a better car?
NH: There is no way of comparing last year’s car to this year’s. It is so different in any aspect that ever answer you get to such a question would be a lie. What is good with the Fore India is that we don’t seem to have many of the issues that others have - and that is something that money almost can’t buy right now!

Q: With the reliability the Force India has shown, do you think you can capitalise on that in the first four flyaway races whilst the others have to catch up?
NH: It is no secret that right now reliability is king. A fastest lap is worth nothing if you don’t finish the race. We have shown good reliability, but where it really counts is Melbourne. I hope that we can keep the level that we have now - then things should look good. But that is really something that is written in the stars. My prediction is that Melbourne will be one of the most interesting races in a long time that will eventually separate the wheat from the chaff - at least for the first four races. 

Source : Formula1.com ( Official site )