Germany GP - Force India Preview

Nico Hulkenberg: “Competing in your home race is always a highlight of the year. I raced in Hockenheim so many times during my junior career, in Formula 3, Formula BMW and I always enjoy going back there. In fact, it’s an area of the country I really like – I used to live nearby just a few years ago. Racing at home is a special occasion, but it is important to keep the right mental approach and try to treat it like any other race. I try not to overcook it when I am driving, even though there is a bit of extra pressure from the media and the fans, as they all want the local drivers to do well. Expectations are always high. We missed out on having a race last year, so Germans are really excited about having Formula One back.  Even though the focus is firmly on the business at the track, I look forward to the summer break. It’s a busy season, so it’s nice to know you’re soon going to be on a nice holiday, hopefully doing something cool and having a few weeks off to recharge your batteries.”

Sergio Perez: “Every time I go to Hockenheim, I think about the beginning of my racing career in Europe. I lived in Germany for two years during my Formula BMW days, when I was just fifteen, and I still have good friends there. It’s not just the memories – it’s great to meet German fans too. They are really knowledgeable about Formula One and they always show good support. Even though I used to live in Germany, the only thing I can say in German is: “Ich bin Checo” and “danke schön. I quite like the Hockenheimring. It’s an interesting circuit that always delivers some surprises and it’s great for racing with a really good overtaking zone into turn six. I never got to see or race on the old Hockenheim, but I think they did a nice job with the new track. The weather is usually very hot for this race and last time we raced there we had a track temperature of 55 degrees so the heat could be a factor, especially for tyre management.”  

Planetf1.com 
 

Hungary GP - Race - Force India Quotes

Perez was lying in the points until a late pit call failed to make it through to his team. One scrambled stop later and he had lost three places. Hulkenberg spent most of his afternoon in traffic but helped by Palmer's late spin, did grab the last championship point. 

Nico Hülkenberg, 10th
“I am not overly happy with my afternoon because it was a pretty difficult race for us. I found myself in the wrong place at turn one and lost a position, which made things a bit harder for me. The main problem in the race was after our first pit stop, when we fell behind the Toro Rosso of Kvyat and the Williams of Massa, and I just couldn’t get by. It’s so hard to overtake here and as soon as you get close to the car in front, you lose so much downforce and you destroy your tyres. That was the story of my race. I lost a place to Palmer at the second pit stop – that was my mistake actually and I hold my hand up and apologise to the team. During the pit stop I let the clutch slip and that made the car move, so the boys couldn’t fit the tyres properly and it cost us a little time. The next race in Germany should be fairly similar to this one: we have the same tyre compounds and the track has lots of medium-speed corners. We have shown today that even with a difficult race we can bring home points, but we need to do a better job in the coming races to pick up more points.”

Sergio Perez, 11th
“A tough race today. We were planning to do a one-stop race, but the performance was not there on the medium tyres and the car was sliding around under me. So we decided to switch to the two-stop, the team called me in, but when I arrived in the pit lane the team was not expecting me. I think it was a simple miscommunication between the pit wall and the mechanics, which can happen sometimes. It’s frustrating because it cost me some time and the chance to be in the points. I’m pleased that Germany is coming up next week and the positive thing is that we have a strong car with good race pace.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“We leave Budapest with a sense of unrealised potential. Ultimately, our race result was determined by the tricky qualifying session yesterday, which put us on the back foot in terms of track position – which is very important here. Nico lost out to Bottas at the start and was tucked up in a train of cars for much of the race – especially behind Kvyat – and could not make the most of his superior race pace. With Checo we were contemplating a one-stop race, but it soon became clear he was struggling on the medium tyres. When we switched him to the two-stop there was a miscommunication on the pit wall, which cost us extra time in the pit stop. Given the challenges we have faced over the last couple of days, it’s still encouraging to pick up a point – and it’s only the second time in the team’s history that we’ve scored points in Budapest. We know there is good speed in the car and I’m confident we can make better use of it in Germany next week.”

Formula1.com

Hungary GP - Qualifying - Force India Quotes

When the first red flags came out, Perez and Hulkenberg were sitting pretty at the top of the standings. When running resumed, Hulkenberg found the pace to make Q3 on a track which historically hasn't suited the Force India team. Perez by contrast could only manage 13th after making a mistake on his flying lap. 

Nico Hülkenberg, 9th, 1:21.823
“Being in the top ten is always good, especially in a session with tricky conditions. As a team I think we coped well with so many red flags because it’s important to stay calm and maintain your rhythm. When the rain stopped, the track dried so quickly and by the end of Q2 the sun was shining and the track was almost completely dry. Q3 was a bit difficult: I just didn’t have the balance and I struggled with understeer on my final lap. So from that perspective maybe it would have been better if the track had stayed wet for longer. Ninth place is still a good place to start and I’m sure we can have a strong race from there.”

Sergio Perez, 13th, 1:25.416
“Qualifying in P13 is a very disappointing result. Today we had everything we needed to be in Q3, especially in these conditions. We were among the first to switch to dry tyres, but when it came to the end of the session I wasn’t able to put together a good enough lap to finish in the top ten. I made a mistake in turn five and that cost me more than a second. It’s a shame as I think we had great potential, but it goes to show how difficult it is to get the right lap at the right time. Starting where we are is going to make the race very challenging. A good start will be crucial and we need to choose the right strategy because overtaking here is not easy. Our pace in the dry is good and my target is to bring home some points.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“We come away from today’s qualifying session feeling disappointed. The car has performed well all weekend and we certainly had the speed to get both cars through to Q3. Sergio’s mistake towards the end of Q2 means he will start out of position down in P13 on a track where it’s not very easy to overtake. Nico had a very strong session overall, but struggled with the car when the track had completely dried out. He didn’t have a clean lap and that probably cost him a position or two on the grid. Looking ahead to the race, we were competitive during the long runs in the dry yesterday so our race pace should be good. Strategy options are quite limited, but this place tends to throw up surprises when you least expect them so let’s see what happens tomorrow.”

Formula1.com
 

Hungary Gp - Friday - Force India Quotes

Both drivers were happy with the general feel of the VJM09, but said that the Hamilton red flag in FP2 sapped their programme’s momentum.

Nico Hulkenberg - FP1: 1:24.120, P11; FP2: 1:22.449, P9
"It’s been a fairly standard Friday, with no big surprises. The new track surface is a big difference compared to previous years. The bumps that were one of the features of this track are gone and the new tarmac is really grippy. I think times are already a couple of seconds faster than they used to be. The initial feeling with the car is pretty good - of course, there are the usual tweaks we have to make overnight, but by looking at both our short and long run pace, we seem to be in good shape."

Sergio Perez  - FP1: 1:24.073, P10; FP2: 1:22.653, P10
"It’s been a very useful first day of work, even though the red flag in FP2 came at the worst possible moment and reduced our short run work. We made quite a few changes on the car between runs, so there will be a lot of data to analyse to come up with the best set-up for both qualifying and the race. We managed to get a lot of information on our long runs and this should be good for the race. The new track surface is a lot smoother and there is a lot of grip so it’s a big improvement compared with last year."

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal 
"A busy day on track with each car completing a race distance to give us plenty of data for the race. Track temperatures were pretty hot – in the high forties – but we could see even hotter temperatures over the weekend. We worked through our usual tyre programmes and carried out some experimentation with test items split between the two cars – tonight we will decide on the best route to take going forward. The drivers appear generally happy with the car balance and the focus for tomorrow morning will be firmly on qualifying performance because grid position is especially important for this event given the tight layout of the track."

Formula1.com 

Hungary GP - Preview - Force India Quotes

Nico Hulkenberg
"Getting back in the points in Silverstone was a good result, although I think I could have scored even more points had some circumstances like the VSC played out differently. However, the car performed well and we beat some fast cars on merit, which is very encouraging for Hungary and the rest of the season.

"The race in Budapest is generally pretty cool. I am a big fan of this city: it's beautiful, with lots of historic buildings and there's a good vibe around town. There are many fans who somehow manage to find out where you're staying and they'll be waiting at the hotel every morning and evening. It's pretty good fun.

"The Hungaroring is not somewhere I raced a lot in my junior formulas. Outside of F1, I only raced there in GP2 in 2009 – I won the feature race and it was a pretty good weekend for me. It's an old school track: narrow and very twisty. There is no chance to relax or lose concentration as all the corners come one after the other and you risk losing momentum with any mistake. It's a challenging track to get right and it usually produces some fun races."

Sergio Perez
"We have been strong in the last few races, but after some very fast tracks like Austria and Silverstone we head to the Hungaroring, which is the complete opposite to them. 

"The weekend in Budapest is one I find very enjoyable: there's a nice atmosphere in the paddock and everyone's a fan of this beautiful city. Unfortunately, this year the race is not the final one before the summer break: in the past we usually had a big celebration on Sunday night and the mood there was always great, regardless of whether your result was good or bad. I have a lot of great memories from those parties! I hope there is still one this year as it's a great way to release a lot of the tension after the race.

"I really like Hungary and its interesting culture. The locals really love Formula One too and there's always a big crowd in the grandstands. It's a track with few overtaking opportunities so qualifying is important. It's probably the second most important race for track position after Monaco. I think it will be a challenging weekend, but we know we can be competitive on every track. I haven't had a lot of luck there in the past, so I hope for better fortunes this year."

Vijay Mallya
"I thoroughly enjoyed the Silverstone weekend. The atmosphere was fantastic and it was great to see a full house on Sunday. The enthusiasm from the British crowd showed Formula One at its best. Meeting fans in the campsites was great fun and I'm pleased they were treated to an entertaining race.

I'm very proud of our performance at Silverstone. 14 points represents our best ever score from a British Grand Prix and it means we are closing down the gap to fourth place in the championship. I take real encouragement from our pace across the whole weekend, especially during the race. With half the season to go, there's no reason why we can't score good points at every race. If we want to fight for fourth, that's what we need to do.

"Budapest last year was a pretty challenging weekend for the team and a race we prefer to forget. So things can only get better this year. The twisty layout of the Hungaroring is the complete opposite of Silverstone so it will be interesting to see how we perform there. We've worked hard to improve the car through low and medium-speed corners so I think we should be in good shape this weekend."

Formula1.com

Force India targeting Williams and fourth

Vijay Mallya is confident Force India can make team history and secure fourth place in the Formula 1 constructors' championship despite halting all development on its 2016 car.
Force India claimed fifth for the first time last year, but Mallya has his sights set on overhauling a struggling Williams for fourth.

Following a solid start to the season from Williams and a poor one for Force India, it was 51 points behind after five races.
Williams failed to score a point in a race for the first time this season at the British Grand Prix, while Force India collected 14 after Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg finished sixth and seventh, closing the gap to 19 points.

"I'm a very happy man," team principal Mallya told Autosport.

"I've said our objective for the team is to secure fourth in the championship, and we scored 14 points on Williams, so we are now only 19 behind them with 11 more races to go.

"We haven't quite optimised our update yet, so I have every reason to smile."
That update was introduced at the Spanish GP and included a new front wing, floor and associated bodywork, including sidepods.

"There are some bits and pieces of the update that are yet to come to the car, which are under manufacture," Mallya added.

"Plus we need to optimise the set-up to get the most out of the updates.

"Silverstone has high-speed corners, but I believe where this update is going to be more relevant is on those tracks that have a mix of both slow and high-speed corners.

"We've never been at our very best in slow-speed corners, so generally I'm feeling good and optimistic."

Mallya has confirmed, though, that all focus is now on Force India's 2017 car, as he is refusing to gamble on the team's chances when the regulations change considerably

"If I said we wanted to continue development during 2016 just to beat Williams then I might compromise myself in 2017," said Mallya.

"2017 is a big opportunity for us to be really competitive, and I don't want to lose that opportunity.

"So we need to focus on 2017 and produce a really good car, and 100% of our resources are on '17. There will be no more development on this year's car.

"This is the one that will see us through to the end of the season, barring the final pieces of the update that I mentioned are in manufacture.

"That's not too bad given how we performed [at Silverstone]

Autosport.com
 

British GP - Race - Force India Quotes

A strong double points finish on home soil after last week's slightly disappointing outing in Austria. Perez benefited from the timing of his first pit stop to jump up to fourth, but was unable to keep Ricciardo and Raikkonen behind and eventually finished sixth. Hulkenberg had a busier afternoon battling in midfield and finished right behind his team mate in seventh place.

Sergio Perez, 6th
“It’s a very good result for the team, with two cars in the points, even if I feel I could have kept fifth place without that spin at turn one. When I had that moment I thought my race was over, but I managed to save it. However, I flat-spotted my tyres and that hurt me for the rest of the race in terms of degradation. I pushed hard to try and keep Raikkonen behind, and it was only when he passed me that I was able to take it easy and save the tyres. We had to do a very long stint on the mediums, which was a bit of a risk as degradation was quite high, but the team made the right calls at the right time and it paid off in the end. The conditions, especially in the first part of the race, were very tricky. You had a drying line, but as soon as you put a wheel on the damp parts, all the grip was gone. Just keeping the car facing in the right direction was an achievement. To come away with this many points after a weekend in which I hadn’t been very comfortable with the car is a big satisfaction and it makes up for the disappointment of last week.”

Nico Hülkenberg, 7th
“Obviously a good result for the team, but I still feel a bit frustrated with how the race unfolded because things didn’t work in my favour today. I really lost out under the virtual safety car, which allowed a lot of cars to jump me when I had already made the switch to intermediates. Then, I was stuck behind Felipe [Massa] for so many laps, even though I was a lot quicker than him. There was only a narrow dry line with a lot of standing water offline so it wasn’t easy to make a move. When everybody moved to dry tyres it was a lot of fun out there and you had to be very careful through turn one, which remained damp for so long. I did a very long stint on the medium tyres and by the final few laps it was just a case of trying to manage the degradation and survive until the end. Although I’m not totally happy, I am pleased with the car performance and the fact that we scored good points today.”

Vijay Mallya, Team Principal & Managing Director
“Today’s race was extremely entertaining and I am very happy with our team performance. It’s our best ever result at Silverstone and we are now just 19 points adrift of fourth place in the championship. It wasn’t an easy race by any means, especially with the track drying out so quickly in some places and remaining damp in others. Nico and Checo were both in the thick of the action all afternoon and did a splendid job to bring home 14 important points. We’ve shown today just how competitive we can be on one of the most demanding high-speed tracks of the year and I think there is even more potential to come in the second half of the season.”

Formula1.com

British GP - Qualifying - Force India Quotes

Perez was just bumped out of Q3, finishing 11th - although he will start tenth due to Vettel's grid drop, and have free choice of tyres. Hulkenberg did make the top ten shoot-out but fell foul of the track limits to see his quickest time deleted.

Nico Hülkenberg, 9th, 1:32.172
“It looks like I will be starting from P8 and that’s pretty much where we expected to be. It was very tight with McLaren and Toro Rosso in that session and the margins were very small. Unfortunately my final lap in Q3 was deleted because I ran a little bit wide through Copse corner and couldn’t keep the car inside the track limits. Without that, I would have been a place higher up. I think the stewards are correct to insist on these track limits and it’s something we discussed yesterday in the drivers’ meeting, so you have to accept the penalty. Looking ahead to the race, there’s talk of showers once again, and to be honest I don’t mind if we get some rain because it would mix things up. Whatever happens, I just want to have a strong race and bring home some good points.”

Sergio Perez, 11th, 1:31.875
“The changes we made to the car after final practice helped us take a step in the right direction. Missing out on Q3 was not ideal, especially by such a small margin, but I am confident we can make good progress in the race. We have the advantage of being the first car with a free choice of tyres and, if I can make a good start, we should be able to fight for some points. Overtaking is quite tricky here so the first few laps are very important and you need to get good track position. Degradation is high, but we have done a lot of work to manage it and we have a good understanding of the tyres, so I think we can be competitive tomorrow.”

Vijay Mallya, Team Principal & Managing Director
“A solid performance today on both sides of the garage. We had the pace to get both cars into Q3, but Sergio just missed the cut. However, starting from P8 and P10 gives us a good opportunity to score points at our home race. It’s a shame that Nico’s best effort from Q3 was deleted, but in the end it only cost him a place on the grid. For the race tomorrow we feel optimistic: our Friday simulations suggest we have competitive race pace and the car is working well with its latest updates. I would expect a dry race, but you never know what will happen at Silverstone and we will be ready to make the most of things come rain or shine.”

Formula1.com

British GP - Friday - Force India Quotes

Force India had a better day than it seemed from their times in FP2, as they didn't run the soft tyres in that session. There is still the inevitable extra set-up work to do overnight, but the mood in camp is good.

Sergio Perez - FP1: 1:33.235, P8; FP2: 1:34.356, P16
“It was a very intense day and we now have plenty of information for the team to go through. We have some important decisions to make, in particular for Sunday’s race, but I think we have learned enough to make the right calls. We were able to run on all tyre compounds and I feel we are in a good position for the weekend. We need to focus on our long run pace – that’s where we have a margin to improve and that’s the main area we will work on tonight.”

Nico Hulkenberg - FP1: 1:32.492, P3; FP2: 1:34.321, P15
“It was a pretty standard Friday, even though we had gale-strength winds in the afternoon that really made the conditions difficult out there. The times don’t tell the whole story, as we didn’t run the soft tyres in the afternoon and so our final positions don’t look that good. Across the two sessions, we ran all three compounds, although there is not a huge difference in feeling between them. We have a few areas to improve, but in general I am quite happy with the balance of the car. It will be important to find a way to reduce the effects of the wind on the car and hopefully we’ll find a bit more performance for tomorrow.”

Vijay Mallya, Team Principal
“The conditions out there were not the easiest, with very strong winds that could unsettle the car, especially through the high-speed corners. This morning we were able to evaluate the new parts we brought for the car, while the rest of the day’s work was focussed on preparing for the race. In any case, we only used the two harder compounds in the afternoon session. The drivers are reasonably happy with the baseline set-up and with the balance of the car. Of course, we had a wide range of parts to test on the car and slightly different programmes for the two drivers, so we will analyse all the data tonight to find the best way to move forward. Overall, we’re happy with how the day went, especially in these conditions, and we can be optimistic for tomorrow and Sunday.”

Formula1.com
 

British GP - Force India Preview

Nico Hulkenberg
“I’m still feeling disappointed with the result in Austria. When you start on the front row you obviously have big hopes for the race, but things just didn’t work out for us. Fortunately we have Silverstone this week so I can get back in the car and focus on getting a good result.
“The team’s home race is always a busy weekend because our factory is next to the track. It’s one of those special races because the grandstands are full, there’s a buzzing atmosphere and the energy of the fans gives you a real boost. We usually visit one of the campsites and it’s great to meet the fans and have a chat - you always see how much they love the sport.
“I love driving at Silverstone and the circuit is a real challenge. The fast sections are very enjoyable and corners such as Maggots and Becketts are some of the best of the season where you feel the true performance of an F1 car.”
Sergio Perez
“The last race was very exciting, but sadly it was one lap too long for me. I may have lost some points, but there were a lot of positives from my race and I feel confident for Silverstone and the rest of the season.
“Silverstone is one of the best tracks of the year. I think all the drivers say it’s one of their favourites. There is so much history and all the great drivers have raced and won there. For me it’s very important that we keep going back to these historic circuits because they helped make Formula One what it is today.
“Silverstone is a track that really tests aero performance. We’ve made good progress with the car in this area so I think we can be competitive once again. Another big factor for Silverstone is the unpredictable British weather. I remember in 2012 when it rained so much on the Saturday and qualifying had to be delayed, but the fans never lost their enthusiasm. They always help create a great atmosphere.”

Vijay Mallya, team principal
“Leaving Austria empty-handed was very disappointing. We showed good form throughout the weekend, but various factors prevented us from realising our true potential. We’ve understood what went wrong and I’m confident we can bounce back this weekend at Silverstone.
“We shouldn’t let one unlucky race overshadow the great results we have been achieving recently. We’re sitting fifth in the championship and the battle for fourth remains wide open with twelves races still to go. We’ve got some extra performance coming for the VJM09 this weekend and that should help us for the races leading up to the summer break.
“There is no denying that Silverstone is one of the most special races of the whole season. Being so close to our factory, just across the road, means our staff can be close to the action and we enjoy incredible support from our fans. The British Grand Prix is one of the classic races on the calendar and the atmosphere is unique: the supporters are brilliant and knowledgeable; there is a party atmosphere in the campsites and the weekend is a true celebration of our sport.”

Formula1.com

Austrain GP - Race - Force India Quotes

A race which had promised so much turned into an afternoon of disappointment. Hulkenberg, starting on the front row, struggled for speed and dropped out of serious contention in the early laps. He complained of bad vibrations before retiring the car towards the end of the race. Perez was having a strong race and running inside the top ten when brake issues saw him run into the barriers on the final lap.

Nico Hülkenberg, DNF
“I’m pretty disappointed and gutted, to be honest. It was a really tough race and nothing really worked out for us. The start wasn’t great and I dropped a couple of positions on lap one, but the opening stint was very difficult because the car was sliding around and the tyres were graining. That became the story of my race because the balance of the car wasn’t allowing me to manage the tyres and I was suffering with so much graining. With a new set I could manage just three of four laps before they fell away. Towards the end of the race I had some vibrations with the car and the team saw that I was critical on brake wear, which is why we retired the car in the end. We have to digest and understand what happened today and then look forward to Silverstone.”

Sergio Perez, 17th
“It’s a big shame that we retired on the last lap of the race. I’m feeling sad for the team because we really deserved some points. Yesterday and today we have been really unlucky, and it’s frustrating because we’ve been competitive here with our pace. The race was going really well and I thought we had the points in our pocket. I was pushing hard to stay close to Grosjean because I knew he had a five seconds time penalty. Then, on the final lap, going into turn three, I had no brakes and went straight on. I touched the barrier and damaged the front of the car, but I’m perfectly okay. It’s annoying because the team did everything right today and it’s just bad luck which stopped our great recovery.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“Not the way we wanted to end our weekend after all of the promise we showed yesterday, but that is the harsh deal racing sometimes hands you. We looked on course to score some good points with Sergio, who had completed a great comeback to P8 from a low grid position, but unfortunately he suffered a brake problem on the last lap and ended up in the gravel. It’s a shame as he would have richly deserved this result after a determined performance. Nico lost a few places at the start and then all his tyres suffered from graining. The timing of the safety car also didn’t play into his hands. In the end, his race was brought to an end early as we saw some brake issues arising on his car and we called him in to retire as a precautionary measure. It’s disappointing not to score, but we will regroup and try to bounce back for our home Grand Prix in Silverstone.”

Formula1.com

Austrain GP - Qualifying - Force India Quotes

Perez was another driver to suffer a suspension failure, but managed to limp back to the pits in Q1 and took no further part in qualifying. Hulkenberg by contrast had looked fast on Friday and continued to find pace all through the session. He was the first driver to gamble on ultrasofts towards the end of Q3 and that decision paid off. With Rosberg's gearbox penalty, he will line up on the front row of the grid.

Nico Hulkenberg, 3rd, 1:09.285
“A great qualifying session and I’m feeling very happy and satisfied with our performance. The drying track today reminded me of my pole position from Brazil 2010 and I have to say I really enjoy these tricky conditions. You don’t know where the grip is; you have to take some risks and you have to switch to dry tyres at just the right moment – which is something we did today. It was just a super effort from the whole team and it puts us in a great position for the race. There will be a lot of quick cars around us, but my car feels good and we’ve been strong here in all the sessions so I think we can bring home a lot of points.”

Sergio Perez, 16th, 1:07.657
“I’m feeling disappointed about what happened during qualifying. We found a good balance with the car this morning and we should have easily made it through to Q3. I was on my second run during Q1 when I felt something strange at the rear of my car. I managed to recover to the pits and we saw that it was a suspension failure, but unfortunately there was not enough time to fix the car and my session was done. It’s a big missed opportunity today, but I won’t give up because I know we can recover some ground tomorrow and still be in the fight for points.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“Qualifying a car in the top three for the second race in a row is a great result and further proof of the steps forward we have taken recently. Nico fought at the front for the whole of Q3 and the team made all the right calls, not only in terms of tyres but also in terms of timing, as he was one of the last drivers to take the chequered flag. Nico delivered a clean lap in tricky conditions and the grid penalty for Rosberg means he will start from the front row tomorrow, which gives him a great opportunity for a strong result. Sadly we lost a big chance with Sergio, who suffered a suspension failure early in the session. Starting in P16 is not ideal, but he knows he’s got a quick car and should be able to make his way through the field and into the points.”

Formula1.com

Asutrain GP - Friday - Force India Quotes

Force India had yet another strong day, with Hulkenberg on strong form to depose Vettel in the closing stages of FP2. Perez, meanwhile, lost track time thanks to the weather, to add to the FP1 session he’d missed as Celis was given another run.

Sergio Perez - FP2: 1:09.226, P14
“It was one of those days when the wet weather really limited our programme. I didn’t drive this morning so the wet session this afternoon was not ideal. I feel that I’m a little bit on the back foot and it’s going to be important to maximise what we can get out of final practice tomorrow. Nico has shown that the car is competitive here and hopefully I can find some more performance in the morning to be ready for qualifying.”

Nico Hulkenberg - FP1: 1:09.280, P12; FP2: 1:08.580, P3
“Definitely a solid day. The car feels okay, but we still have some homework to do tonight to improve the balance. It was quite a strange day with the changing weather, especially this afternoon when the big storm arrived, and the knock-on effect means we don’t have very much long-run data - but it’s the same for everybody. We were able to do some laps on the intermediate tyres, which is important because we don’t know what the weather will do tomorrow and whether the rain will return. Overall, I think we are in good shape heading into the weekend.”

Alfonso Celis - FP1: 1:10.860, P22
“It was a straightforward session for me and I’m pleased we had a smooth day. I only ran on the soft tyres, so there was definitely extra performance to be found on the supersoft or ultrasoft, but the team’s programme was to focus on understanding the soft. We also did a few test items and procedural checks, and everything went to plan.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“An encouraging day despite the changeable weather. We knew rain was expected this afternoon so we focussed on understanding the soft tyre this morning alongside some aero and mechanical tests. The storm arrived very early into the afternoon session and meant the track was constantly evolving and it was difficult to learn much, even when we switched to dry tyres. The drivers are relatively happy with the car, but there is room for improvement on a track where we typically see a very tight grid.”

Formula1.com