Q&A with Otmar Szafnauer

Otmar, how would you sum up the last couple of months in the factory – has it been a relatively straightforward winter?
“The stability in the technical regulations has made things a bit easier this year. Some of the designs can carry over from 2015 into 2016, but we’ve had to manufacture a couple of new chassis, suspension components, and all the mechanical parts, which has kept the factory very busy. There’s also a new aero package, which is an evolution from 2015, but still requires a lot of production work over the winter to be ready for the first test.”
Does the strong performance in 2015 put extra pressure on the team?
“It does, but we take the increased expectation as a positive. We must consolidate our fifth place and target teams such as Red Bull Racing and Williams – teams we were matching in the second half of 2015. Seeing our drivers on the podium more regularly is another goal for 2016.”
The success of the b-spec car was the surprise of the 2015 season. Can we expect big aero steps in 2016 as well?
“The wind tunnel programme in Cologne is maturing nicely and I’m encouraged by the gains we have made over the winter. We’ve found our rhythm with the tunnel and adjusted our working practices to improve efficiency. The same is true of our CFD tools in Brackley, where we invested heavily in 2014, which means we are making better use of our supercomputer capacity. The first major aero updates should be on the car in time for Melbourne and we also plan another big step for the start of the European season.”
2016 sees consistency with drivers, technical personnel and regulations – that’s a real positive…
“Stability in any area of the team normally brings benefits and performance, so an unchanged line-up is good news. Nico is beginning his fifth season with us and Checo his third, and that means they both know the team very well and vice versa. I think that counts for a lot because it’s not easy to build harmony and get a team gelling well together. We’ve worked hard to achieve that in most areas and it’s not something you can build overnight. It’s definitely one of our strengths.”
The team has recruited some young development drivers. What hopes do you have for them in 2016?
“Alfonso Celis joined us at the end of 2015 and tested the VJM08 in Abu Dhabi. He’s a development driver who will spend time on our simulator and take part in seven practice sessions at Grand Prix events. Our most recent recruit is Nikita Mazepin, a young Russian who will begin a comprehensive development programme as part of a long-term association. As a team we’ve always tried to give opportunities to young talent and nurture their raw abilities to lead them to success. I hope Alfonso and Nikita make the most of this opportunity.”
Where does the team need to improve in 2016 compared to previous years?
“We missed some opportunities last year with too many retirements in the races – whether through mistakes, failures or bad luck. So we need to address that this year and improve our finishing rate. We also need to bring improvements to the track faster. We saw last year the significant step we made with the b-spec car and it’s definitely a regret that we had the technical capability but not the resources required to introduce it earlier in the season.”
How is the relationship with Mercedes?
“This year marks the eighth year of our collaboration with Mercedes. They look after us incredibly well and there are absolutely no complaints from our side. The strength and reliability of the powertrain has played an important role in our competitiveness.”
What can we expect from Formula One in 2016?
“Given the stability of the rules, there’s every reason to believe we can carry the momentum of last year into 2016. I think the entire field will close up – that always happens with stable rules – and the battle to get inside the top ten will be fierce. So from a fan perspective I think 2016 is going to be very entertaining with good racing throughout the field and especially in the middle of the pack.”

 

Forceindiaf1.com 

 

Force India has big potential - Perez

Sergio Perez believes Force India's new Formula 1 car has "big potential" following his first taste of the VJM09.

The team launched its new F1 challenger on Monday morning, before development driver Alfonso Celis Jr was entrusted with its first day of running.

Perez took over on Tuesday, setting a time of 1m23.650s on the super-soft compound to be third-fastest for the day, behind the ultra-soft shod Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo.

"Very good, very positive," the Mexican driver said. 

"I am very happy with my first day in the car, there is big potential that we have to exploit out of this car.

"I certainly feel comfortable and happy to be here in the first day. 

"We more or less managed to complete the whole programme that we were hoping to do today. 

"When you have days like this, on your first day in the car, definitely it's a good thing."
After a troubled 2014/15 winter including delays as it moved to Toyota's windtunnel in Cologne, Force India missed last year's opening pre-season test, then ran its old car at the second.

While a 2015 car made its debut in the final test at Barcelona, it was not a full package until the team's B-spec update was introduced mid-season at Silverstone.

From there, Perez and team-mate Nico Hulkenberg helped Force India to its best finish of fifth in the constructors' championship.

The difference between last year and 2016, with a definitive race car, bodes well, Perez feels.
"If you compare where we were last year, it's a couple of seconds difference, already," he added. 

"We managed to improve a lot throughout the year last year, and today the starting point is pretty strong.

"It's making a huge difference, being able to focus on understanding our new car. 

"We did the same last year, but we did it during the races. 

"We took a couple of races to understand the car and to learn how to work with it. 

"We are in a much better position than we were last year, so I'm very optimistic." 

Autosport.com

Force India launches VJM09 2016 Formula 1 car

Force India pulled the covers off its VJM09 for the 2016 Formula 1 season half an hour before the start of pre-season testing at Barcelona.

Development driver Alfonso Celis Jr will be at the wheel for the car's first run on Monday, before racers Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg take their turns later in the week.

There are high hopes for the Mercedes-powered VJM09 after Force India's performance surge in the second half of the 2015 campaign.


Autosport.com

Force India on track for Barcelona test

Force India will be in action at the first Barcelona test with their new 2016 car, stating that their preparations are "progressing well."

Last year the team was unable to attend the opening pre-season test which cost them four days of running.

Added to that the Silverstone-based squad only had a modified version of their 2014 car available for the second outing.

This year Force India, who achieved a career best fifth place in the 2015 Constructors' Championship, are confident they will run at both pre-season tests and will do so with their new 2016 challenger.

"Our winter programme is progressing well and we will be attending both Barcelona test sessions," a spokesman told GPUpdate.net.

The spokesman added that the team intends running their 2016 car at both outings.
Pre-season testing gets underway at the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona on 22 February.

Planetf1.com 
 

Force India's 2015 B-spec a strong base for '16, Hulkenberg feels

Nico Hulkenberg believes Force India has a solid foundation on which to attack the new Formula 1 season after finally building a good all-round car.

The team's introduction of its B-spec car last year at the British Grand Prix proved tremendously successful, with Force India going on to secure a best finish of fifth in the F1 constructors' championship.

With the regulations remaining stable going, Hulkenberg feels there is no reason why Force India cannot continue with the vein of form it displayed during the second half of 2015.

"If you look at all the different tracks, the different tyre compounds, whatever, with the B-spec we are more or less in a position where we can score good points on every track on any day, and that is good," Hulkenberg told Autosport.

"We have built a really good solid foundation to put us in a good position, and now it is our job to keep working at it and to build on that.
"That is crucial if we are to straight away be competitive at the first race.

"Obviously it's really difficult to predict what we're capable of. Impossible.

"But that will be seen when we roll out the car for winter testing and the first races.

"Obviously we target on improving and to close the gap to the front, that is definitely what we are after, what we want and what everybody is pushing for.

"But it doesn't come to you. You have to go get it and find it, so that's our work now."

Hulkenberg knows the team cannot afford to let complacency set in either, and that it has to find further gains from elsewhere, believing they are possible.

"Of course, there is more that can be done and that has to be done," insisted Hulkenberg.

"Obviously we compete against the other teams every couple of weeks, and now we have seen there are more competitive cars out there.

"With regards to our car there is more room for improvement, and that is what we are doing, what we are working at.

"If it is mechanical grip, aero, that is Formula 1. You can never stand still. If you do, that is basically going backwards.

"So we are always working, looking for what we can improve, what we can do, what we have to do."

Autosport.com