‘We were not expecting this pace’ – Perez hails surprise P7

Sergio Perez has been in fine form since returning from the summer break, helping Force India fight it out at the front of the midfield battle, but he was expecting his rivals to hit back in Singapore. They challenged the Mexican in qualifying on Saturday, but to his ‘surprise’, he came out on top at Marina Bay…

The Silverstone squad have brought a major update for this Grand Prix, including revisions to their front wing plus further aerodynamic changes. But speaking ahead of this weekend, Perez was not predicting major gains, admitting that ‘Singapore is not the greatest track for us’.

So, it was understandable that Perez was delighted in the paddock post-qualifying. The Force India star had just produced a superb performance to put his car seventh on the grid, once again winning the best of the rest tussle, with Haas’ Romain Grosjean his nearest challenger.

“It was quite a surprise,” said Perez. “As you know, we were not expecting this amount of pace. We brought an upgrade but to put four-tenths on the Haas and the Renault - four- and six-tenths is definitely a great lap.

“It just all came together, it was a very strong lap. To get such a perfect lap around here is never easy. You put a lot of stress on the tyres. The team did a fantastic job today.
"The past two races we have been best of the rest with both cars. We have a very long race ahead, a lot of things can happen here. I will be very pleased if we can score points with both cars. Definitely the performance we have shown today is very impressive.

“To get a performance out of today was something very strong and very special.”
Perhaps even more special, given the tough summer the team endured when they were put into administration. But since a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll allowed them to have a fresh start, they’ve been able to focus on their performances on the track.
 

That new ownership, with the team reborn as Racing Point Force India, saw the team lose their previous 59 championship points from 2018, but Perez and team mate Esteban Ocon have since combined to deliver 32 points, and they sit seventh in the standings.
So does Perez think they can get back to fourth? “We are not thinking that,” he added. “For us we are the same team.

“At the end of the season, we will definitely do the calculation without losing any points. If are best of the rest it will be a great year, but there's still a long way to go.”
Team mate Ocon, who qualified ninth behind Grosjean, was also delighted with how his VJM11 performed on Saturday, admitting they exceeded expectations.

“It appears to be a great car this weekend,” added the Frenchman. “Arriving here, it was of course the target to get into Q3, but it looked difficult compared to last year.
“Last year we had poor pace with the car and this year it seems to be working really well so we are pretty pleased with that. Everything can happen tomorrow so it’s going to be about being opportunistic. I’m going to try to get the maximum position I can, the maximum points.”

Perez, who starts in the top ten in Singapore for the first time in his Formula 1 career, certainly enjoys racing at Marina Bay - he’s scored in all seven of his previous starts. He'll be hoping for a repeat on Sunday.

Formula1.com 
 

 

Singapore GP - Qualifying - Force India quotes

Force India got both cars into Q3 to continue their fightback in the Constructor Standings. Indeed, it was Perez's first top 10 qualifying performance in Singapore of his F1 career - and he wound up 'best of the rest' to boot. With Ocon two places further back, a double points finish is surely the aim for the men in pink.

Sergio Perez, 7th, 1:37.985
“It's an incredible result; I am really pleased with our performance today. I think I produced a nearly perfect lap on a track where it is hard to achieve it. We're ahead of our direct rivals and just behind the leaders. We had an advantage of four tenths on the Haas and six tenths on the Renault, and I think it goes to show that our upgrade package is already making a difference. This is a track that normally doesn't play to our strengths, so I was a pleased at the pace we have shown. Tomorrow's race is going to be a long one - nearly two hours - and there's never a boring race in Singapore with incidents and Safety Cars influencing the end result. We need to make it to the chequered flag, avoid mistakes and hopefully I can make it eight races out of eight in the points in Singapore. Starting on hypersoft tyres can leave me a bit vulnerable to those behind, but track position is very important here. It's not as crucial as in Monaco, but I'd rather be ahead than catching up.”

Esteban Ocon, 9th, 1:38.365
“I am quite pleased with tonight’s result. We had a great car and the upgrades worked really well, so we can be happy with what we achieved. My Q3 lap was not ideal because I brushed the wall and it probably cost me some time. Maybe without this I could have been higher up the grid. I feel good about tomorrow - anything can happen in the race and you need to keep out of trouble and be opportunistic. Overtaking isn’t easy around here so the first lap will be really important. I think we will have the race pace to score good points.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal & CEO
“The team did an excellent job tonight and we start tomorrow’s race with a great opportunity to score well with both cars. Throughout qualifying Sergio and Esteban delivered the laps we needed to progress to Q3 and seventh and ninth places are a great return for the team’s hard work so far. I want to recognise the efforts back at base to get the new parts to the track and the long hours worked by the mechanics on Thursday and Friday nights to get us to this point. Of course, it’s only Saturday and the main challenge is yet to come, but we have put ourselves in a strong position to have a good Sunday and we can be satisfied with our performance today.”

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Singapore Preview - Force India Quotes

Sergio Perez
"I am really looking forward to racing this weekend. The last couple of events went really well for us and you can feel the positive atmosphere in the whole team, so we want to keep the momentum going.

“Singapore is a special event and I don't think there's any other race in the world like it. The city is buzzing and the circuit looks amazing when all the lights are on. The hotel is close to the paddock, so we walk to the track and that's a way to see the city and feel the atmosphere - something you can't really do at other races.

“The race is a big test for the body. When you're in the car, it is hard to breathe and you're sweating a lot. In the days leading up to the race I train in the toughest conditions I can to get used to it. The race is also the longest of the year in terms of time in the cockpit, so fitness is important. The best preparation is to sleep well and keep hydrated. The weird schedule makes it a bit strange, especially at the beginning of the week, but after a couple of days in Singapore it’s not a problem anymore.

“The Marina Bay Circuit is one of my favourites because I have scored points every time I’ve raced there. That’s seven times from seven races and I’m looking forward to making it eight out of eight. I love driving street circuits because you have to be aggressive and accurate, and Marina Bay is the type of track where you can make a difference as a driver.

“Being so close to the walls is always challenging but it’s fun as well. With the wide cars it’s tougher to overtake, but is not as tight as Monaco and there is enough space to make some overtaking moves.
“We're bringing an upgrade to the race, so I expect us to be competitive. Last year I finished fifth and after the breakthrough we had at Spa and Monza, I definitely expect to be fighting for a good amount of points this time as well.”

Esteban Ocon
“In the two races after the summer break we have shown good pace and scored a lot of points, so we go to Singapore aiming to continue this run of great races.

“Singapore is the toughest race of the year from a physical point of view. It’s hot and it’s humid, but I have been preparing for it with lots of cardio training. It’s important to eat the right things and drink a lot even before we travel to Singapore. Other than training in the heat, my routine doesn’t change much because we have to be very fit for all the other races already.

“This Singapore weekend has a unique schedule but I have a little trick for it. I always keep two different time zones on my watch – local and European. I keep to European timings and still manage to go to bed every night at 9pm, Paris time!

“The Singapore race is a fantastic event. Night races are always different and there is the added challenge of a street circuit. I admit I am not the biggest fan of the track layout, but it is a very challenging one. There are so many corners and lots of places where you can gain time or make a mistake, so it’s difficult to put together a perfect lap. My favourite part is the final sector where you have to get really close to the walls.

“We are bringing an upgrade to this race and we look forward to testing it on Friday. If we can get everything working properly then hopefully we can keep our position at the front of the midfield.”

Formula1.com 
 

Force India targeting McLaren's sixth place after strong Monza

The tumult that has surrounded Force India in the last month or so would have been enough to floor some teams – and yet, ever since they were purchased by a consortium in August, the new Racing Point Force India have flourished.

Since they technically came into Formula 1 as a new entry, the post-Hungarian Grand Prix Force India saw all of their previous 2018 points wiped out. But after a storming Belgian Grand Prix saw them whip straight past Williams in the constructors’ race, a similarly impressive Italian Grand Prix showing has moved them to seventh, overcoming both Sauber and Toro Rosso in the process.

Force India now sit just 20 points behind sixth-placed McLaren – and with that team having scored just 12 points since May’s Monaco Grand Prix (Force India took 14 in Italy alone) the team in pink are very much eyeing up reclaiming the P6 they held in the standings when the original team had their points removed.

“It’s what we’re going to try to do,” said Team Principal and CEO Otmar Szafnauer when asked if sixth was a realistic target. “Standing here now, with the races we have left, and if the upgrade works like we think it’s going to work I believe we can finish sixth this year.”
 

The upgrade Szafnauer is referring to is the one that will be fitted to Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez’s cars from Singapore onwards, with the arrival of that improvement package having been held up by the team’s financial complications.
Asked if he’d been encouraged by the team’s performance given how they’d fallen behind their rivals in the development race, Ocon replied: “It's great, it's fantastic to see, after difficult times as well for the team, for everyone working here, that we are fighting for those positions.

“It's a great comeback and great start, a new way for the team. We couldn’t dream of a better start. We are just enjoying it while the car is so quick, and we are definitely hoping that the upgrades are going to bring something better, also for the higher downforce circuits.”
However, amid all the optimism, Ocon’s team mate sounded a note of warning over getting too complacent as the season moves towards its climax.

“Everyone is bringing upgrades and pushing hard,” said Sergio Perez. “Singapore and the rest of this season is going to be incredibly hard, so we have to keep our heads down and keep working hard.”

Formula1.com 
 
 

 

 

Italian GP - race, Force india Quotes

Esteban: “I’m feeling happy with the result today. We were targeting sixth place, but we just didn’t quite have enough pace advantage to make the move on Grosjean. However, seventh and eighth for the team is a great effort. My start was really good but I was squeezed onto the grass on the approach to turn one and had to back out of it, which cost me a couple of positions. From then on we had good pace and we managed to get ahead of Sainz. I was able to look after my tyres and make them last. I had one realistic opportunity to try and get Grosjean towards the end of the race, but it didn’t work out. I’m pleased we could end the European season with a strong result. We head to the flyaways in good shape and we have good momentum.”

Sergio: “I am happy to come away from here with points, especially considering we were starting pretty far back on the grid. Unfortunately, I had to carry really big damage for the whole of the race: I was in a battle with Kevin [Magnussen] and he cut the chicane twice when I had already passed him. He was not told to give the position back but I managed to get alongside him again at Lesmo. He just didn’t give me enough room and put me all the way to the inside. In such a fast corner, there was always going to be contact and it ended up damaging my car badly. I had lots of understeer so it was a very difficult race. Despite these problems, we had strong pace and I was right behind Esteban in the final part of the race as we both tried to get ahead of Grosjean. We didn’t quite manage to be ‘best of the rest’, but all things considered we did a good job today. The results from the last two weeks show how strong this team is. We would be theoretically fourth in the championship and we are scoring good points. In Singapore we will get some upgrades, which hopefully means we can keep performing well in the final few races of the championship.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal and CEO
 
“Ten points from Monza represents a good reward for another massive effort by the team. The car has been strong from the start of practice and despite not maximising qualifying yesterday we recovered well to bring both cars home well inside the points. Esteban was very close to overtaking Grosjean in the final few laps and, despite having a quicker car, we just ran out of laps to make the move. Sergio was right behind Esteban, too, having battled back from P14 to eighth, which was a tremendous effort. The strategy calls from the pit wall saw us pit late in the race with both cars, which worked out well for us and ensured we had good race pace throughout the afternoon, and a relative tyre advantage at the end.”

Forceindiaf1.com 
 

‘We screwed up together’ – Perez on Monza Q1 exit

Force India had made no bones about targeting best of the rest in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. And while Esteban Ocon was at least P8 – albeit behind a Haas and a Renault – Sergio Perez ended up P16, missing out on a place in Q2 by just 0.001s...

Perez had posted what he thought was a good enough time to make it through into the next segment of qualifying, and had been sitting in Force India’s garage discussing his VJM11’s set-up when the times started tumbling in Q1 – a combination of the track evolving and runners using slipstreaming to good effect around the open, fast circuit.

Without enough time to get back on track and defend his position, the Mexican found himself out in Q1 for the second time in three races.

“I was actually speaking with the team about the balance and what we can do better,” said Perez of the moment he realised he was in trouble. “Then I was looking at a lot of people going green, green, green.

“I think we had a little miscalculation with the tow effect and the track evolving. I was two-tenths from P7, so the margin was pretty small. But at the same time, I should have done a better lap. We screwed up together, so I look forward for tomorrow. I hope that tomorrow we can minimise the damage and hopefully score some points. 

“We lost out by a millisecond. We were really unlucky today.”

Perez now shifts his attention to Sunday’s race, where he will be hoping to emulate his performance from 2012, when he drove his Sauber from P12 on the grid to the podium at Monza's Temple of Speed.

“Today was a massive blow for myself, for the team, given how strong the pace of the car was all weekend," added the Mexican. "We definitely had the pace to be best of the rest, and especially being in a good position for tomorrow. It hurts a lot and it's been a difficult afternoon. We have to digest everything and try and focus for tomorrow.

“Certainly the pace was very strong on Friday, so that should be a strong potential for us to do well in the race. I'm optimistic for tomorrow. I remember 2012, I started around there and I finished second, so we'll see what can happen.”

Over on the other side of the garage, Perez’s team mate Esteban Ocon was also disappointed, despite finishing eighth quickest, revealing that a fuel pump issue on his car might have made the difference in his own quest to head the midfield runners.

“The whole session, we were fighting for P6 and in Q1 we had a great pace and the beginning of Q2 as well,” said Ocon. “Q3 we had a fuel pump issue which cost us a couple of tenths, and that's probably what cost us P6 unfortunately.

"It's so close that anything can make the difference if we have these issues. The guys are working hard now to change that for tomorrow and hopefully the pace will be back and we'll be fighting hard tomorrow. But all in all, P8 is a great result still and we are in a good position to fight.”

Analysis of Force India’s long-run pace from Friday put them comfortably fastest of the midfield by over two tenths from Renault. Because of that, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer remained buoyant that his drivers could still enjoy a fruitful Italian Grand Prix – with the ‘new’ Force India team just one point off Sauber’s tally in the constructors’ championship despite having only started scoring points at the last race in Belgium.

“In Q1 we underestimated the track evolution and power of the slipstream, and simply got caught out with Checo,” he said. “We thought we had done enough to progress to Q2, but missed out in the very final moments.

"Esteban was able to better demonstrate the speed of the car and progressed comfortably through to Q3. We have a quick car and showed good pace over the long runs yesterday so I think we can be strong in the race and bring home some good points.”

Formula1.com 
 

Italian GP - Qualifying, Force India Quotes

Force India opted to leave Perez - lying 12th - in the garage at the end of Q1. An evolving track and improving times dropped the Mexican down the order and out of Q1, after he had looked a top 10 contender all weekend. Ocon did at least make Q3 to save the teams blushes, but couldn't match Grosjean or Sainz and wound up a slightly disappointing P8.


Sergio Perez, 16th, 1:21.888
“I am very disappointed to go out in Q1. It’s frustrating because we had so much potential to be right behind the top three teams this weekend and instead we are out after just one run. It’s very hard to digest: we thought we were safe but we underestimated how much the track would evolve in just a few minutes. We were only two tenths behind Esteban in P7, but with such a close field the margins are very small and we lost out by just one thousandth of a second. We have to admit we made a mistake as a team: the call not to go out was wrong, but I also should have done a better lap during my first run. I lost some time and that left us vulnerable. The plan for tomorrow is to minimise the damage we’ve done today. We’re still going to try to make it back into the top ten and bring home some points. Our car has pace, just like last week, but it’s going to be hard work to get through the field.”

Esteban Ocon, 8th, 1:21.099
“It was a very close session and I was actually hoping for a bit more than P8 because I think P6 was achievable today. Unfortunately I didn’t maximise the slipstream at the right moment on my final run and that cost me some top speed. Hopefully we can make up those positions tomorrow because our car pace is strong and there should be some overtaking opportunities.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal
“We didn’t maximise our performance today. In Q1 we underestimated the track evolution and power of the slipstream, and simply got caught out with Checo. We thought we had done enough to progress to Q2, but missed out in the very final moments. Esteban was able to better demonstrate the speed of the car and progressed comfortably through to Q3. We have a quick car and showed good pace over the long runs yesterday so I think we can be strong in the race and bring home some good points.”

Formula1.com
 

Italian GP - Practice quotes- Force India

Perez topped FP1 in some style, making the most of a drying track to produce an error-free lap when it mattered. Indeed it was a solid day all round for the team, with Ocon also quick and both drivers solidly in the top 10 in FP2. They look assured of a fourth row lock-out, but can they spring another surprise and upset the big three tomorrow?

Sergio Perez - FP1: 1:34.000, P1; FP2: 1:22.942, P8
“It was a good day and I am fairly confident about our performance level. Friday times don’t mean much but it’s still nice to finish the morning session as the fastest driver. In the afternoon we worked on our race set-up and we found a very good baseline. I am definitely looking forward to qualifying because we have a good chance to be the best of the rest no matter what the weather does. We were able to run on all compounds and in all conditions, so we are well prepared.”


Esteban Ocon - FP1: 1:34.593, P3; FP2: 1:22.930, P7
“It’s been a pretty solid day with good preparation for the weekend. Seventh and eighth in the second session shows we have strong dry pace, as well as in the wet, and I feel optimistic for tomorrow. The car has been quick all day, but there are some areas where we can improve and I think there is more to come. The second session was shorter than usual because of the red flag, but it’s the same for everybody and I think we are as well prepared as anybody.”


Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal
“It was an interesting day in changing conditions. The weather has been quite challenging so far this week, especially with the forecast evolving throughout the day. In the end, we were able to run a full programme on intermediate tyres this morning, gathering a good amount of data on a compound we may need to use in qualifying tomorrow. FP2 was fully dry and we could focus mainly on our set-up for the race. The red flag at the beginning of the session obviously cut into our time, but we still managed to catch up and both our drivers were quite happy with the balance of the car in the end. We still have some work to do, but we’re satisfied with a solid start to the weekend. The key for tomorrow and Sunday will be to adapt to a changing environment. Tomorrow is looking cooler than Sunday, so we expect different track conditions and temperature between the two days: the challenge will be to respond to these changes in the most effective way.”

Formula1.com 
 

Italy Preview quotes - Force India

Sergio Perez
“I’m feeling really positive after such a strong weekend in Spa. The points we scored are very important and our performance across the entire weekend shows what a great group of people we have in this team. The car was quick and I was happy with our race pace. I think we came away with our maximum result all things considered.
“I’m really motivated for the final eight races as well. I know we have new parts coming to the car and there is a feeling of excitement in the team. It’s going to be interesting to see how competitive we can be in Monza and whether we can continue with the speed we showed in Spa.
“Monza is always special and I love the old-school track. It’s high-speed and narrow, and it’s important that we keep coming back to these classic circuits. I’ve had good results in Monza in the past and I just love the energy and passion of the crowd. It’s always a really special race.”

Esteban Ocon
“I spent a lot of time in Italy when I was younger and I just love the country. I made a lot of friends so it’s always nice to see everybody again. Racing in Monza is something special because you can feel the huge love the locals have for motorsport. The atmosphere from the Tifosi is incredible – for all the drivers.

“The track is only made up of 11 corners, but there are a lot of places that can catch you out. Parabolica is a really quick corner and it’s very difficult to get it just right. The same is true of the Lesmo corners. With the modern F1 cars, the Variante Ascari is also very nice to drive – you are almost flat out and need to be very precise.

“We achieve some incredible speeds along the straights and I think the layout is going to suit our package. Last year I had a special race there: I was third on the grid and finished sixth, so I hope we can be in the points again this year"

Formula1.com 
 

Race quotes , Belgium GP , Force India

Ocon and Perez were feisty at the start, both sensing an opportunity when Vettel made his move on Hamilton. Nearly four abreast at one point, it was Perez who picked the better line to pip his team mate. The Mexican ran in third for a fair few laps before Verstappen and Bottas ultimately going ahead, but nonetheless fifth and sixth is a very solid result for a team starting on zero points in the constructors' standings before this race.

Sergio Perez, 5th
“It’s a great performance by the team today and I think we executed an almost perfect weekend. My only disappointment is from yesterday because I think pole position was within reach, but we can definitely be happy about the points we have scored. We just couldn’t have kept the top teams behind us in the dry so to be ‘best of the rest’, with Esteban right behind me, is the most we could have done. My start was really good and I was able to place myself in the right positions during the first few corners. After that, my pace was strong and consistent. I opened a gap and after that I was able to control my race. There was nothing I could do to keep Valtteri [Bottas] behind me - sometimes you just need to pick your fights and think of the bigger picture. I am happy with what we have achieved; we have scored some important points for the team and sent a strong message for the next few races. It’s a nice start of a new era for the team.”

Esteban Ocon, 6th
“I am satisfied with today’s race and I think we finished where we deserved to with the pace we had. I made a good start and I was on the inside of Sebastian [Vettel] at turn one. He had better traction, but I was very quick on the straight and tried to get the lead on the Kemmel straight. I had a good run down, slipstreaming both Vettel and Lewis [Hamilton] and I tried to find a way on the inside, but in the end I lost a place to Sergio. It was good, fair racing all around. It’s a good start to the “new” life of the team; we scored a lot of points which is important for our championship comeback. We showed good pace all weekend and hopefully this is going to continue in the final part of the season.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal
“To come away from Spa with 18 points feels pretty good. We have been quick all weekend and it was important to convert our potential into a strong result today. It was a very eventful first lap, but we stayed out of trouble in turn one and Esteban was even challenging for the lead on the approach to Les Combes. Once things settled down, both drivers delivered clean and tidy races, but ultimately we didn’t have the pace to race for the podium today. Picking up fifth and sixth is just what we needed and it’s a credit to all 405 members of staff who have showed great resolve in recent weeks. I congratulate them all and look forward to scoring more points in the races to come.”

Formula1.com 
 

Ocon hails ‘awesome’ P3

Title protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel may have locked out the front row in Spa, but it was Esteban Ocon who stole the show in Belgian Grand Prix qualifying. On a weekend of new beginnings for the Force India team, and with his own F1 future uncertain, the Frenchman duly delivered a superb lap to take third on the grid.

With a proposed move to Renault falling through and question marks over whether there’ll be space for him at Force India next season, Ocon said ahead of the weekend that he would focus on doing his talking on the track. And he did that in style on Saturday afternoon.

Both the Frenchman and team mate Sergio Perez had demonstrated Force India’s Q3 potential in practice, but after getting through to the top 10 shootout, they gambled on slick tyres in wet conditions and looked to have blown their chance of a high grid slot.
But after both drivers returned to the pits for intermediate rubber, Perez via a close shave with the barriers, their speed was impeccable, with Ocon setting the fastest first sector on his way to the third best time, one place ahead of his team mate.

“It’s awesome to be in P3 after such a difficult time with the team we had,” Ocon said, referencing Force India's recent spell in administration and subsequent emergence as a new entity. “But now we are starting afresh and definitely happy with that result, third wasn’t expected today.

“What I knew is definitely that when it’s damp conditions like this you have an opportunity and something to do. It’s always closer between the cars when the conditions are like that and today we maximised the potential of our car.

“Last time it rained I was also starting third [he qualified fifth but started third after grid penalties for both Red Bulls in Italy last year],” he continued.

“It’s the second time it rains and I’m starting third, so it’s a fantastic result. Great to perform like this after a difficult time for Force India.

“That’s totally behind us now and we are focusing on this weekend and the car has been strong, even in the dry this weekend, so hopefully we will get a great result tomorrow.”
It was the first time Ocon had qualified third in his F1 career, with Force India getting both cars into Q3 for the first time since Canada six races ago.

Both drivers retained their championship points amid the team’s rebirth. And it is now looking like there is a very good chance they could add to them on Sunday…

Formula1.com 
 

Perez ‘lucky’ to qualify P4 after Eau Rouge scare

Force India scored a fairy-tale pole at Spa in 2009, but their performance at the Belgian track on Saturday was only marginally less magical as Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez mastered the wet conditions to lock out the second row of the grid. However, it could have been all so different, with Perez admitting he was extremely lucky to avoid a big shunt at Eau Rouge early in Q3…

With the rain coming down heavily at the start of the top ten shootout, the Mexican had headed out early with the rest of the runners on slick tyres to try to get the best conditions.

But where the rest of the field quickly retreated to the pits for intermediate tyres, Perez and team mate Ocon soldiered on – and it almost ended in disaster for the former as he suffered a massive moment at the ultra-quick Eau Rouge.

“It was very chaotic,” admitted Perez afterwards. “We went for slicks trying to get a lap in when the track was not so bad. The last sector was quite bad but I felt that if we had the same first and second sector as on my warm-up lap, I could get away with it. But then it just got worse and the lap was just a disaster.

“In a way I’m quite lucky that I’m here [in P4] because the moment into Eau Rouge, not knowing what the track is like… You’re just there trying to feel the grip, and all of a sudden you lose the car. At Eau Rouge when you lose the car, you usually crash. I didn’t.
“It doesn’t look that bad on TV – it was a lot worse in the car! So I’m pleased to be here with this great result.”

That wasn’t the end of the drama for the eight-time podium finisher however.

“Coming back it was completely wet and I ran over the kerb coming back into the pits. Actually my back is hurting a bit from that one. I just lost the rear end. That meant we went out too late, and I only got one lap. But a massive result for the team.”

Perez’s result is his best qualifying effort of the season and equals the best grid slot of his career, the 28-year-old having started P4 on four other occasions. It comes at the end of a tumultuous month for the veteran of 146 Grand Prix starts, during which he played a key role in Force India ultimately emerging from administration as a brand new entrant in the championship with new owners in place.

“I hope we can have some rain tomorrow, because it’s a massive opportunity for the team, especially now the team has zero points,” a buoyant Perez added. "Maybe tomorrow we can get plenty of them!"

“No, I think we should not get too carried away. Tomorrow it’s important to perform. I think we have tremendous pace so we should be very strong out there.”

Formula1.com 

 

Belgium GP - Qualyfing quotes, Force India

Quite simply, a day to remember. After looking competitive all weekend, Force India got both cars into Q3 for the first time since Canada. As the rain intensified, they were the only team to opt for a lap on the supersofts but had to abandon that idea quite swiftly. It looked as if their chance had gone but instead they ended up perfectly placed on a drying track with both drivers delivering when it mattered to lock out the second row on the grid.
 
Sergio Perez, 4th, 2:01.894
“I am very happy about today’s result and what a tremendous qualifying it has been! So many emotions are going through my head – it has been a really difficult session, which makes the result even sweeter. It’s a great result for the team – for the new owners, the old ones who built the team to what it is now, and everyone who works so hard every day. The rain made things stressful and we had to take some risks. We chose to stay out on slicks because the track was dry in sectors one and two, but as soon as we did the rain picked up quickly. I had a massive moment in Eau Rouge and I was lucky to stay out of the wall, but I was really expecting the worst – there’s no small crash there. We had to come in for inters and I locked my rears at the final corner. I jumped on the kerb, damaged my front wing and the time we took to change it meant I only had the chance to do one lap on inters. Perhaps with one more lap I would have been able to fight for pole position, but we can still be very happy about P4. We are in a great position for tomorrow and we can put up a strong fight in the race. At the very least, we are targeting a lot of points – but you can never make predictions in Spa.”

Esteban Ocon, 3rd, 2:01.851
“It’s a fantastic day. After everything that has happened in the last few weeks it’s a special moment and we should enjoy the day. I’m very proud of the entire team because they kept up their motivation and worked really hard to give me a quick car today. Even without the rain, we looked strong and made it well into Q3 in the dry. When the rain started falling, we knew there was the chance to get an even better result, but it wasn’t easy. At the start of Q3 we tried to do a lap on the slicks, but it just wasn’t possible and I had a few scary moments getting back to the pits. When we switched to the intermediates, I knew I needed to get a perfect lap, but on my first attempt I made a small mistake. So on my final lap I tried to be safe as well, and we ended up in third place. I’m so excited for the race. We have a quick car, especially down the straights and we will race hard tomorrow.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal
“It’s a very positive result today although we got a bit lucky with some of the decisions we made when the rain came. We had a quick car, as we saw in Q1 and Q2, but it is also thanks to the good decisions of the engineers that we were able to place both cars so far up the grid. At first we gambled on staying out on slicks, hoping the track would be as dry as on the finish straight, but it quickly became obvious this wasn’t the case. We brought both drivers back in, had a good turnaround and we hit the best time to send them out, as the track was improving with every second at the end of Q3. Esteban and Sergio still had to deliver the good laps and they did. We are in a strong position for tomorrow’s race. We know there are some very quick cars behind us, but we are going to give everything to bring home a lot of points.”

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FIA clarify Force India engine allocation situation

Force India’s future was recently assured when the team’s new owners were granted an entry to the championship. However, it was unclear as to whether Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon would carry over their engine and gearbox allocations or, with the team reborn as a new entity - Racing Point Force India - they would start afresh. But on Saturday morning, F1’s governing body the FIA moved to clarify the situation…

In what the FIA describes as a “highly unusual” situation, they have ruled that while the team have had to forfeit the points scored so far this season (as a result of the team being a completely new entity), the fact that the drivers have kept theirs means it is “logical and fair” that their engine and gearbox allocations “should carry forward to the new team”.

They added in a statement: “Accordingly, we decide that the numbers of power unit elements and gearboxes referred to in Article 23 of the Sporting Regulations and used to date in 2018 by Sahara Force India Formula 1 Team shall carry forward to Racing Point Force India F1 Team.

“It is noted that the Team Principal of Racing Point Force India F1 Team [Otmar Szafnauer] publicly express his prior agreement with this.

“Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal the decisions of the Stewards (with the exception of those referred to in Article 12.2.4 of the FIA International Sporting Code), in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Article 9.1.1 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicate time limits.”
As it stands, Perez and Ocon have both used three internal combustion engines, turbochargers and MGU-Hs. They have also used two MGU-Ks, energy stores and control electronics. If either make any further changes, a grid penalty will be applied.

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Perez hails best Friday of season for Force India

After an uncertain period for Force India, they made an impressive return to action by securing consecutive seventh-place finishes on the opening day of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend – and Sergio Perez believes it is the best Friday performance they’ve delivered this season...

The Silverstone squad will now race under a new team entry - Racing Point Force India F1 Team - for the rest of this season, having come out of administration, and they began their new era with a positive showing at the power-sensitive Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

First it was Esteban Ocon to finish as best of the rest in the first session following the summer break, and then team mate Perez repeated those exploits in FP2.

Perez’s midfield rivals were some way behind, with nearest challenger Carlos Sainz in the Renault eight tenths slower than the Mexican – and it’s the perfect start to the weekend, according to the driver.

“I think it was quite strong, I'm very happy to be back,” Perez said. ”You forget, after a month, the sensation of driving. Once you go for the first time through Eau Rouge, I was so excited. It just comes to you, and I’m enjoying a lot to drive at Spa.

"I think we are quite competitive and probably had the best Friday of the season. I'm very happy and looking forward for tomorrow. We have to prepare urselves for tomorrow to be the best of the rest - and that’s our target.

“The car felt very good today and I’m happy with the balance. It’s probably the best balance we have had all year. So there is the potential for a strong weekend, regardless of what the weather does.”

His team mate Ocon was in a similarly delighted mood post-FP2, and the Frenchman is eager to deliver the goods when he returns to the track on Saturday.

“It's been a good day,” Ocon said. “Overall we arrive here fresh, and also with a competitive car. Sergio was 7th in FP2, and I was 7th in FP1, so pretty solid. Of course we have to keep working because the others are. We will have to keep pushing but we have a good base.
“I enjoy driving here, especially with these cars because they’re amazingly quick. It's always great fun. The car is performing well and I felt very comfortable in the first session.

“We tried a different direction in the afternoon, which didn’t really work and I also had a puncture which meant I had to do most of the session on one set of supersoft tyres. Even so, we have made some good progress today and I think we can fight for a place in Q3 tomorrow.”

Racing Point Force India is a completely new entity, starting with no points, with the former Force India entry excluded from the 2018 constructors’ championship due to its inability to complete the season. However, race drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon will keep their points in the drivers’ standings.

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Belgium GP - Practice Quotes, Force India

A good day for Force India, who had both cars in the top 10 in the first practice session, and Perez coming home best of the rest in FP2. Indeed the Mexican was a handy eight tenths quicker than the rest of the midfield pack, which bodes well for them on Saturday. Ocon was hampered in second practice by a suspected puncture.
 
Sergio Perez - FP1: 1:46.169, P9; FP2: 1:44.662, P7
“I love this track and I’ve really enjoyed getting back in the car today. When you spend a few weeks off, there is nowhere better than Spa to return to action. The car felt very good today and I’m happy with the balance. It’s probably the best balance we have had all year. So there is the potential for a strong weekend, regardless of what the weather does.”

Esteban Ocon - FP1: 1:45.786, P7; FP2: 1:45.935, P13
“It’s great to be racing again. The car is performing well and I felt very comfortable in the first session. We tried a different direction in the afternoon, which didn’t really work and I also had a puncture which meant I had to do most of the session on one set of supersoft tyres. Even so, we have made some good progress today and I think we can fight for a place in Q3 tomorrow.”

Otmar Szafnauer, Team Principal
"The conditions remained pretty consistent throughout the day, which is always a bonus here in Spa, and this helped us evaluate the different tyre compounds and rear wing levels. The first practice session was pretty straightforward, but in the afternoon we had a puncture on the out lap of our baseline run with Esteban. This means he only had one set of tyres available and put him on the back foot. Sergio, on the other hand, was able to carry on with the standard programme. We still have some work to do, especially on our long run pace, but overall it was a reasonable day and we were able to collect a lot of data for our engineers to analyse tonight.”

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FIA approve Racing Point Force India F1 entry

Force India's new owners have been granted an official championship entry by F1 governing body the FIA, with the team free to race in this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Earlier this month, a consortium of investors led by Canadian businessman Lawrence Stroll agreed to bring Force India out of administration. On Thursday the FIA confirmed that the joint administrators of Force India Formula One Team Limited have now completed the sale of the business and its assets to the consortium, now known as Racing Point UK Limited.
Racing Point Force India is a completely new entity, starting with no points, with the former Force India entry excluded from the 2018 constructors’ championship due to its inability to complete the season. However, race drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon will keep their points in the drivers’ standings.

The FIA said in a statement: “Following a disciplinary investigation and prosecution by the FIA under Article 4 of the FIA’s Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, the Sahara Force India F1 Team has accepted its exclusion from the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship with immediate effect, due to its incapacity to comply with Article 8.2 of the Sporting Regulations moving forward, and forfeits all Constructors Championship points under Article 6.2.”
 

Formula 1 Chairman and CEO Chase Carey commented: “We are very pleased that the situation around Racing Point Force India has been resolved and that the team will continue to race in Formula 1.

“It is also very gratifying that in partnership with the stakeholders involved we have been able to safeguard the livelihoods of the many hundreds of people working at its Silverstone base. It’s enormously important that we have a full grid of competitive, capable teams in Formula 1 and we are confident that Racing Point Force India will go from strength to strength in the future.”

FIA President Jean Todt added: “I am very pleased that a strong, positive outcome has been reached and welcome the mid-season entry of Racing Point Force India.

“Creating an environment of financial stability in Formula One is one of the key challenges faced by the sport, however thanks to the hard work of the FIA, the Joint Administrators, Racing Point and Formula One Management we have a situation now that safeguards the future for all of the highly-talented employees, and will maintain the fair and regulated championship competition for the second half of the season.”

Joint Administrator Geoff Rowley said: “This has been a complex process, but as a result of following a detailed and thorough procedure we have achieved a successful outcome. Under its new ownership, the team will now be able to operate to its full potential and its future is secured.”

Welcoming a new era for the team, Lawrence Stroll said: “On Monday I stood in front of the workforce at Silverstone and Brackley and applauded the achievements of this team in recent years. The strength of any company is the people that make it up and it’s a huge privilege to begin this exciting new journey with such a talented group of men and women. I’ve been fortunate to establish and grow a number of successful businesses, but the opportunity to take this team forward to the next level is perhaps the most exciting challenge yet.

"Together with my fellow shareholders, we will invest in new resources and bring fresh energy to empower the workforce to continue racing at the very highest level. We are all passionate about motor racing; we recognise the racers’ spirit in Force India, and we are extremely motivated to make this team even more special in the years ahead.”
Under Force India's new ownership structure the team’s Deputy Team Principal, Robert Fernley, will stand down from his role. The remainder of the senior management team remains unchanged with Otmar Szafnauer now the Team Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Racing Point UK Limited.

“This heralds a new and exciting chapter for us,” said Szafnauer. “Just a few weeks ago, an uncertain future lay ahead, with more than 400 jobs at risk; now the new team has the backing of a consortium of investors, led by Lawrence Stroll, who believe in us as a team, in our expertise and in our potential to achieve success on the track.

“We are grateful to the FIA, the Joint Administrators and Formula One Management for their support in helping us achieve such a welcome outcome and ultimately, we trust, for the sport and its many fans.”

 

 

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