Alfonso Celis Jr gets F1 practice run in Bahrain with Force India

Force India is to hand development driver Alfonso Celis Jr his official Formula 1 debut ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Celis will take part in the first practice session at the Sakhir Circuit next Friday, deputising for fellow Mexican Sergio Perez.

It is the first of seven practice outings this season for the 19-year-old from Mexico City, who has already enjoyed a taste of F1 machinery.

Celis took part in the Pirelli tyre test in Abu Dhabi at the end of last season, and followed that up with two days in this year's Force India car, the VJM09, at the first pre-season test in Barcelona.

He is combining his duties with Force India with a drive for Adrian Valles' AVF team in the rebranded Formula V8 3.5 series.

Autosport.com

Midfield too close to call

This year F1 is set for a very close battle in the midfield with Bob Fernley saying there is a "cigarette paper" separating those vying for best of the rest.

With Mercedes and Ferrari looking set to run away at the front of the pack, the race is on to be best of the rest behind the leaders.

Last time out in Australia that went to Daniel Ricciardo with Felipe Massa right behind him while Force India's Nico Hulkenberg brought his VJM09 home in seventh place.

"I don't think Williams has moved away from us," Force India's deputy team principal told Motorsport.com.

"Toro Rosso has done a great job and Red Bull continue to do a great job. But there is a cigarette paper between us all.

"And track circuit elements specific to certain teams means you will have to leave it a few races to see."

Fernley added that tyre management, which varies at the different tracks between the teams, is just one aspect that is set to play a role in the outcome.

"Red Bull was very good on tyre management [in Australia] and it was a circuit that didn't really show off its weakness in the power unit," he said.

"I think you will have swings and roundabouts between all those teams. Each will be strong at different circuits, and it will be who can get across the board the most consistency."

Planetf1.com

Bharain GP - Preview - Force India Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg
“Next up is Bahrain, which is a special place. As a circuit, it's very different to Melbourne: it's not bumpy at all; it's very smooth and it's full of slow corners. There are a several overtaking spots and the whole track, with long straights and big braking zones, makes for some great wheel-to-wheel racing. It's a track that rewards attacking, so hopefully we will see lots of action in the race. And of course, it's a night race so the atmosphere of the whole event is very different!
“One of my favourite things about Bahrain is the paddock. It looks like it’s straight out of ‘One Thousand and One Nights’, with the lights and buildings all adding to the atmosphere. It's one of my favourite events of the season. We will arrive there in a good place and we have the potential to get another strong result.”

Sergio Perez
“Australia didn't bring the result I was hoping for so I am targeting a better outcome from Bahrain. Getting a bad start really compromised my race last time out because I got stuck in the middle of cars on different strategies and I couldn't recover. However, it’s a long season and I have an opportunity to get back in the points in Bahrain.

“The racing is never boring in Bahrain so fans should enjoy some good entertainment. There are long straights and sharp braking zones so it's great for overtaking, but the big tractions zones make this a tough track for the rear tyres. I think tyre degradation will be a key factor in the outcome of this race. The track evolves a lot as the race goes on, as the cars sweep away all the sand and dust that the wind has blown onto the track.

“I have some very good memories from Bahrain - the race in 2014 was just fantastic when I celebrated my first podium with the team. I am confident we can be strong again this year and get back all the points I missed in Australia. Even in Melbourne, there were lots of positives we can build on, such as our strong qualifying speed and race pace. The team is doing a great job back at the factory and we should have some interesting new bits on the car, too, so I am feeling confident.”

Formual1.com 
 

Ausralian GP - Race - Force India Drivers quotes

A mixed day for Force India with Hulkenberg a strong seventh, while Perez faded after running in the points in the early stages. Like many of the one stoppers, his race was scuppered by the red flag.

Nico Hulkenberg, 7th
“To get some points in the bag at the first race is a positive way to start the year. It was not an easy day and it’s difficult to know what would have happened without the race being stopped and restarted. I think the red flag made things a lot more difficult for our planned one-stop strategy because it gave everybody around us the chance to reset and change their tyres. So that was a shame and it meant I was out of position and got stuck behind the Haas for most of the race. It was not easy to get close to Romain [Grosjean] and I had a lot of cars behind me, which meant I was always under pressure and having to defend as well as chase. So, given all the circumstances, seventh place feels quite satisfying.”

Sergio Perez, 13th
“It's a real shame to finish outside of the points. My problems began at the start: I lost a couple of places off the line and that put me in a very difficult position. I spent my first stint behind Alonso, who was on a faster compound, and being stuck in the dirty air destroyed my tyres. Unfortunately there was a very similar situation after the restart because I was passed by Jenson (Button), who was on supersoft tyres, and that cost me a lot of time. Sadly the Safety Car and the red flag ruined our strategy, which was to stop only once. When the race restarted we had our work cut out: I had pressure from behind and the Renaults and Williams ahead were very difficult to catch - I got close but couldn't really attack. In the end I had an issue with overheating brakes, probably because I spent most of the race in traffic, but we still managed to finish the race. It's not an ideal start of the season for me, especially after the good work we had done in qualifying yesterday, but we have to keep looking ahead and continue working hard.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“The first race is always a bit of a step into the unknown, so getting some points on the board is a positive conclusion to a challenging weekend. Our strategy was shaping up very nicely with the plan to stop both cars only once, but the red flag reset the strategies of everyone around us and made our task much more difficult. Making our pit stops just prior to the safety car also cost us track position. Getting Nico back up to seventh place was a good recovery and he did an excellent job of containing Bottas and the Toro Rosso pair for most of the afternoon. Sergio’s strategy was also undone by the red flag, even more so than Nico’s because he dropped to the back of the midfield traffic jam and suffered with high tyre degradation. So a day of mixed fortunes for us, but at least we’ve got some points on the board and we are looking forward to Bahrain.”

Formula1.com

Australian GP - Qualifying - Force India Quotes

Sergio Perez, 9th, 1:25.753
“I am happy about today's result. The team did a great job and I think it's a very positive way to begin the season. Starting ninth gives us many more options in terms of the strategy because we can choose the tyres for our first stint. This could be one of the key aspects of the race so it’s good to be in this position.
“As for the new qualifying system, we need to see how the fans react. I think it’s a system that favours the big teams and puts more pressure on the middle of the grid because any mistake during your lap means you will almost certainly be eliminated. You don't have any opportunity to go out again and improve your time, which adds a lot of pressure - much more on us than on bigger teams. It's not just pressure for the drivers, it is for everyone in the team, also the mechanics and engineers - you're in a race against the clock just for the opportunity to get another lap in.
“We still have question marks about how the race will unfold, but I think pretty much everyone on the grid is in the same position because of the limited running in the dry. It will be an interesting Sunday and we have the potential to score good points.”
Nico Hulkenberg, 10th, 1:25.865
“The new qualifying format didn’t really change my approach, although you are certainly under more pressure to deliver a good first run to avoid being at risk of dropping out early. So your first runs in Q1 and Q2 are probably the most important of the day.
“In terms of the result, I’m pretty happy with tenth and it’s more or less in the ballpark of what we felt we could achieve today. Under last year’s rules it would have taken us through to Q3, but with the new format it’s actually a really good place to start because it opens up some nice strategy options with the free tyre choice for the start of the race.
“There are still a few unknowns for tomorrow, especially in terms of race pace because nobody was able to do their usual long run programmes yesterday. Also, the first race always has the potential to be unpredictable and eventful. I expect a tough race because the grid is very tight, but I want to come away with some big points.”
Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“I think the whole team can be satisfied to see our cars lining up on the fifth row of the grid for the first race of the season. It has been quite an unusual and disjointed weekend in the lead up to qualifying, so to come through that and qualify inside the top ten is a good achievement. The new qualifying system didn’t really impact on our approach to the session and probably didn’t change too much in the end. Going into the session we knew that ninth and tenth would represent a good result, especially given the strategic options it opens up. The task now is to convert today’s performance into solid points tomorrow afternoon.”

Formula1.com

Australian GP - Friday practice - Force India quotes

Nico Hulkenberg: FP1, 1:31.325, P5; FP2, 1:39.308, P2
“Really challenging conditions today with the wind and the rain. It was so gusty and the car was being moved around a lot by the wind, even on the straights. So the conditions were not the best for testing and learning. This morning we did a very short run on the soft tyres, but the track was very damp and so it was not really a representative dry run. Then, in the afternoon, we worked with the intermediates, getting a feel for the car in the wet conditions in case the rain comes back again tomorrow. So it was one of those slow days where you just had to make the best of it. Tomorrow is a new day so let’s see what the weather brings.”

Sergio Perez: FP1, 1:33.370, P9; FP2, 1:41.256, P9
“It has been a difficult day for everyone because of the changing weather. Just when it looked as though the track was starting to dry, the rain started again. So it was quite frustrating and we could not carry out all the testing we had planned. We made the most of the conditions and we looked quite competitive on the intermediates, but you can’t read too much into the times because it depended on when you were out on track. We are still not sure what the weather will do tomorrow, but if it’s dry then we will start from zero again and it will be a very busy day. If it does rain again, the set-up work we have done on the 
intermediates will be very useful.”

Robert Fernley, deputy team principal
“They say that Melbourne is a city where you can experience four seasons in a day, and based on today there is some truth to that expression! There were some very brief windows for dry running this morning, but neither Checo nor Nico carried out any meaningful work on the soft tyre. With a risk of more rain tomorrow we made the most of the afternoon session to run the intermediate tyre and looked quite competitive in the damp conditions. On days like this it’s frustrating for everybody, not least the fans who didn’t see as much action as they would have liked. I’m sure that as the weekend unfolds and the weather improves we can make up for the limited running today and put on a good show for everyone.”

Formula1.com 

Nico Hulkenberg Q&A

Even after eight days of pre-season testing, teams will only truly find out where they stand in 2016 when qualifying begins in Australia. Despite this Nico Hulkenberg says Force India have seen enough to be optimistic about their prospects - and are setting their sights on Williams as a result...

Q: Nico, you topped the timesheets on day three of the first test but said not to read too much into it at the time. Now we've had the full eight days of the pre-season, what can we read into Force India's prospects?

Nico Hulkenberg: The test days are often tactical rather than being a sporting showdown - many teams bluff to hide their real performance level. We did a little reality check, probably earlier than most other teams. I guess that explains the result of that test day - that and my moderate poker skills (laughs). But I am satisfied with the pre-season and leave Barcelona pretty optimistic.

Q: Most of the teams brought upgrades to the crucial last few days of testing. What is new for Force India heading into the Australian season opener?
NH: In general, the stability in the technical regulations means that upgrades are more of an evolution than a revolution. Good for us: last year we already achieved the team's best result in the championship and had a strong base. Our VJM09 is the targeted progression of our successful B-spec chassis. Even the design is quite similar to the one last year. However, my new helmet is definitely the most remarkable change in 2016!

Q: So how competitive do you think your car is now? And how long will that last before major upgrades will be needed not to fall seriously behind?
NH: Why speculate about it? Let's just be a little patient and find out together in the coming months! Anyhow - I have big faith in our factory to bake a nice little upgrade in time to be in sweet shape!

Q: During the first test we saw a fair number of 'political' lap times - drivers running on ultrasoft tyres and with very low fuel. What did you make of such laps - and did they reveal anything ahead of Melbourne?
NH: As I mentioned the test days are a platform for tactical moves. Each team must make a decision whether pure testing or political driving is the best way to improve the starting position in Australia. It's part of the game. Melbourne will show which team followed the best strategy.

Q: So who do you think is in the best shape, based on your own reading of the timesheets?
NH: I think this F1 season will be highly competitive. Not boring. Obviously, Mercedes and Ferrari will dominate in 2016 - again. Williams are the favourites for third place in the championship. What counts for me and our team is being the best of the rest - and perhaps a little bit more! Who knows...

Q: How did you spend your winter? What is the cool side of Nico Hulkenberg?
NH: I have done a lot of nothing, which is great after a long year and a demanding season! (laughs) I always give my mind and body a few quiet weeks to recharge, which I enjoy a lot. Some lazy days at home, watching movies from bed, etc. But I did some cool stuff: I had a trip to Lapland to drive on ice, spent some time in sunny Miami as compensation for the icy temperatures in Lapland, and attended the Milan Fashion week - to name a few things!

Q: With the huge changes coming in 2017, some teams might opt to stick with their current driver line-ups. Could that upset your plans for your future?
NH: No. Just now the future doesn't matter for me. I extended my contract last year and I'm happy to work with my team on new objectives. Last year was the best year for Sahara Force India. This season should become the best year of my career too. I'm hungry to push myself onto the podium - in a Sahara Force India

 

Q: Looking to the more immediate future, we have Australia in just over seven days. You've scored big points in the last two years there - what are you expecting in 2016? 
NH: After the testing days we look optimistically forward to the start of the season in Melbourne. To repeat the seventh [from 2015] or sixth [in 2014] place would be a good start. We will need the combination of a reliable powerful car and steady performance of the driver. But as I already said: I always push myself to the maximum.

Formula1.com 
 

 

Australian GP - Force India - Preview

Sergio Perez
“It feels great to be going racing again. Winter has been long and I have been missing the atmosphere you get from a race weekend. Going to Melbourne is a great way to start the year and it’s one of my favourite races. Everyone is very friendly and relaxed and I always enjoy those races close to a big city.

“I’m a big fan of street tracks and Albert Park is a real challenge. You can’t afford to be rusty because it’s a circuit that doesn’t forgive your mistakes. Getting a perfect lap together is quite difficult because it’s quite stop-start. You need to be good on your brakes and strong out of the traction zones. Overtaking is always difficult - even though there are some good spots like turns three and thirteen.

“No matter how many laps you do in testing, you never really know where you are compared to the other teams. So I don’t want to say too much. As a team we feel quite happy with what we achieved in Barcelona and that’s the main thing. The car has been reliable and we’ve made a good step forward compared to last year. I think we can go to Melbourne knowing that points are achievable.”

Nico Hulkenberg
“Melbourne used to be my unlucky track, but I scored points in 2014 and 2015, so I think I’ve broken the curse! I don’t know of anybody in the paddock who doesn’t enjoy this event. After the long winter you arrive in Melbourne and everybody is pumped and ready to get the season started. The weather is great, the city is cool and you get a lot of energy and positivity from the crowd and the buzz in the paddock.

“Sector two is my highlight of the lap: you go from a slow chicane to a straight and into a fast left-right combination that is tricky to get right. It's a high-speed corner where you can make or lose a lot of time and it can set you up for a good overtaking spot on the approach to turn 13.

“To be quick at Albert Park you need a car that is well settled. It’s about braking late, using the kerbs and being precise. Tyre degradation is usually high so the new tyre rules could open up some different strategy options.

“The opening race of the season often throws up surprises: anything can happen and we need to put ourselves in a position to make the best of any opportunity that comes our way.”

Vijay Mallya, team principal
“Melbourne can always throw up some surprises and unpredictability, but I’d like to see us get some points and start the season as we mean to go on. We want to be qualifying and racing inside the top ten from race one.”

Formula1.com

Barcelona Test Report, 3 March 2016

Sahara Force India had another positive day in Barcelona as Nico Hulkenberg completed 137 laps, setting a time of 1:23.251. Sergio Perez will be back in the VJM09 tomorrow for the final day of pre-season testing.

Chassis: VJM09-02
Laps: 137 laps
Mileage: 638km
Best lap: 1:23.251 (P3)

Nico Hulkenberg: "137 laps was not a bad way to finish my pre-season and today gave us a lot of indications about the tyres, including the new ultra-soft compound. They are grippier, a step forward from the super-soft, and we will need to learn how to make them work well. I feel we are as prepared as we could be, having gone through a few very productive days with no major interruptions. We went through our full test list again today and now we need to see where we pan out once we get to Melbourne. I see a lot of potential in the VJM09 and I know there is quite a lot in the pipeline, coming later in the season. It's very encouraging and I can't wait to get back to racing again.”

Tom McCullough, Chief Race Engineer
Once more, a positive day with lots of running and a full testing programme completed. It was Nico's final time in the VJM09 ahead of Melbourne so it was important to maximise our work with him and to give him as much time in the car as possible. The morning was quite busy: we continued the aero correlation work we have been carrying out during the first few days, running with test sensors fitted on the car in the first hour. The rest of the time before lunch was devoted to general set-up work, with shorter performance runs. After the break, we went on several long stints and, despite the interruption brought by a red flag, we were still able to gather a lot of useful data. We were also able to work with the softer end of the compound range and we had our first running on the new ultra-soft compound, so we will have plenty to analyse ahead of the final day tomorrow.

Forceindiaf1.com 

Barcelona Test Report, 1 March 2016

Sahara Force India resumed its Barcelona test programme today with Nico Hülkenberg clocking up 121 laps with a best time of 1:25.336. Sergio Perez takes over driving duties tomorrow.
Chassis: VJM09-02 Laps: 121 laps Mileage: 563 km Best lap: 1:25.336 (P8)
Nico Hülkenberg: “It was a good day and we were able to get through a big testing plan. We had quite a few different objectives and specific items we wanted to look at, so to be able to do all that was a positive. We continue to build our understanding of the VJM09 and we explore ways to adapt to its behaviour: it's the usual learning process that takes place when you have a new car and you start developing it for the season. In the afternoon we were able to complete some long runs which were useful to learn about the way the tyres work.”
Tom McCullough, Chief Race Engineer
“Another routine day of testing with ideal weather conditions for this time of year. The car ran reliably throughout the day and we covered 121 laps. We dedicated the early morning running to aero data correlation and fitted various test sensors to the VJM09. We then moved on to general set-up work and focussed on long run performance and further understanding of the 2016 tyres. Although the temperatures we see in these winter tests are not especially representative, it still gives us a reasonable idea of what we can expect from the early races. We need to analyse most of the tyre data tonight so that we can continue with the programme tomorrow with Sergio.”

Forceindiaf1.com 
 

Nico Hulkenberg among opponents of "horrible" F1 cockpit halo

Nico Hulkenberg says the halo head protection system "looks horrible" and does not believe it should be introduced in Formula 1.

The FIA has conducted considerable research into and tests of possible concepts, with the halo emerging as the best of the reviewed designs.

On Thursday Kimi Raikkonen became the first driver to try the system when he completed an installation lap with a version produced by Ferrari to test visibility.

When asked what he thought of the design, Hulkenberg said: "Don't do it.

"It sends the wrong message. F1 is very safe at the moment.

"It looks horrible, I don't like it and it's just one of these little personal things that I wouldn't like to see it."

Hulkenberg added that he believes an element of danger makes F1 more attractive and he accepts the risks that come with competing in the series.

"You can't sterilise the sport. There needs to be an element of danger - I think in a way that's sexy and attractive and it's also what Formula 1 needs.

"Safety standards in F1 are pretty high and very good, I'd be happy to accept those risks and keep running as we are.

"Personally I don't like how it looks and for me it feels like trying to eliminate every little bit of risk."

Williams driver Felipe Massa said the design is "not so nice" but agrees with the concept for safety reasons.

"Safety is the most important thing and I totally agree with the halo or the closed cockpits or whatever - I agree with this change.

"But it does't look very nice. We'll see how it's going to be. If it's good for the safety, it's fine."
World champion Lewis Hamilton said he had seen the pictures of Raikkonen's car, but he declined to comment on the design saying: "I'm not going to give you a soundbite!"
The FIA anticipates if the halo is accepted and adopted from 2017 it will be made of a lightweight material that will add around five kilograms to the weight of the car.

Autosport.com