Force India non-committal on upgrades

Force India team principal Vijay Mallya says the team will be evaluating new parts in Barcelona but is unsure if it will run them in the race.

Having started the season with a conservative approach based on reliability rather than ambitious design, Force India had been earmarking the Spanish Grand Prix as the race that it would bring a major upgrade. Mallya said that some updates were in the pipeline, but that it had been set back slightly by the reduced dry running in practice in Turkey.

"We have some upgrades to bring to the car in the coming races and I'm excited to see how things will unfold," Mallya said. "We started evaluating those changes at the last race in Turkey by running a new front wing during free practice. It was a shame that it was wet because it limited our test programme and we chose not to run those new parts for the race.

We are now analysing what we learned and hopefully we can add this new package to the car either in Barcelona or Monaco, depending on how things go. When our new aerodynamic developments are in place, I'm confident we can take a step forward in terms of performance."

Paul di Resta said that he was looking forward to the upgrade when it gets introduced, but warned that other teams would be doing the same.

"It's usually a race where all the teams bring upgrades so we will need to take a step forward if we want to stay in the mix," di Resta said. "We evaluated a new front wing in Istanbul and we hope to have more steps coming through in the near future. The team has been working hard on this new concept and everybody is quite upbeat about its race introduction, so that's something to look forward to.

The aim for the weekend is to hopefully get back in the points. We've been pretty close to the top ten in all the races so far this season, so hopefully we can stay in the hunt."

SUTIL: WE NEED MORE POINTS

After a battling performance to P13 in Turkey, Adrian Sutil looks back on his race and talks about the team’s prospects for Barcelona, where the team will introduce its evolved 2011 aero concept.

How would you sum up the Istanbul weekend?

We tried a new front wing on Friday that we will hopefully introduce in Barcelona, and we got some important data. But we put the car back to normal for Saturday, because it was still a better solution for Istanbul. In the end we knew that it was going to be another difficult one to score points in. Qualifying went well, and 12th position was not too bad. Before the race we knew we had to hope for a lucky race - maybe some retirements in front of us, and then we could score points. In the race there were no problems or mistakes from the team or myself, and we did the optimum strategy, but the pace was not there. That’s why I actually lost one place and finished 13th after Kobayashi came all the way from the back!

Would you have been better off with four stops instead of three?

I don’t think so. I think the strategy was the right one. Paul was actually trying a four-stop before he retired, and he would have been behind me by 10-15 seconds out of the pit. Maybe he would have gained a little bit back in the end, but I’m pretty sure my strategy was the right one.

We saw a lot of passing moves with the DRS. Did you have some fun with it?

I had a lot of fights, and that’s why I enjoyed my day! With both Sauber drivers I had a lot of fights. I was also chasing Rubens, and I passed Michael once. There were always some cars in front and behind, so you had to really attack and defend quite a lot. It was a good race, I really enjoyed it.

Are you pleased with reliability so far this season?

Absolutely, I’ve finished all the races. But now we need more points.

There will be some major changes to the car in the coming races. Are you confident that the team can make a step forward with the car?

For Barcelona I’m quite confident. It looks promising. It will be a big step if it works, and that’s what we need right now.

Are you starting to learn about the Pirelli tyres?

There are always some lessons, some learning curves that you go into. Turkey was again something different, with people doing four stops. The soft tyre was the tyre to be on; the hard didn’t really work for us. It was a bit slower on lap time and the drop-off was quite big, with a lot of understeer that made the car undriveable through turn eight. It all makes it very interesting, of course, and freshens up the races.

We’re off to Barcelona next. Is it a track that you enjoy?

It’s a nice circuit, but I’ve driven there so many times, it gets a little bit boring! But still Spain is not too far away from my home in Switzerland so it’s nice not to have too far to travel for once. Barcelona is a great city and I enjoy it. But as always the faster the car is, the more you enjoy the weekend. In the end it doesn’t matter where you are.

Source :f1pulse.com

DISAPPOINTING, BUT WE'LL MOVE ON

stanbul, Turkey: Sunday, May 8, 2011


Paul experienced the first DNF of his Formula One career when he was instructed to 'park' his Force India racer immediately after his final pitstop of the Turkish Grand Prix.

Ironically and frustratingly, the call came just as the 25-year-old Scot was about to start the final stint of the race on a fresh set of Pirelli tyres with another point-scoring finish a strong possibility.

"When I was leaving the pits after my final stop, the team came on the radio and instructed me to stop," Paul, who had run comfortably just outside the top 10 right through the opening 46 of the 58-lap race at the 3.3-mile Istanbul Park circuit, explained.

"I don't know what the issue was, but there was obviously a problem so I pulled up as soon as I could. It was unfortunate because the final part of the race would have been interesting on the fresh tyres."

While Paul was left to contemplate what light have been, Sebastian Vettel and his all-conquering Red Bull continued on his merry way by winning his third race in the opening four grands prix of the season.

The current world champion, who now leads this year's title race by 34 points from the McLaren of Lewis Hamilton, was never headed as he led from start to finish ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso was third.

Turkish Grand Prix - Force India driver quotes

Force India
Adrian Sutil (13th)
“My start to the race was not too bad: I kept my position and had some good battles with the cars around me. The three-stop strategy was the right choice today and the soft tyres felt like the better race tyre so I stayed on them as much as possible. In the final laps I was fighting hard with Perez and that was a lot of fun. Ultimately we didn't have the pace to race with the cars ahead of us and I think we got as much from the race as we could. The team is working hard to introduce a new aero package at the next few races, which will hopefully bring us a bit closer to the front.”

Paul di Resta (DNF)
“It was a tough start to the race, although I managed to hold my position on the first lap. However, as the race unfolded the pace didn't seem quite there and that's why we decided to change our strategy and make a fourth stop. When I was leaving the pits after my final stop, the team came on the radio and instructed me to stop. There was obviously a problem so I pulled up as soon as I could. It was unfortunate because the final part of the race would have been interesting on the fresh tyres.”

Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“It was a tough race for us today. We always knew it would be difficult to match the pace of the top five teams, but in race trim the Toro Rosso of Buemi and the Sauber of Kobayashi were a little bit quicker than us. Both our drivers raced hard and Adrian in particular had some good battles, especially with Perez in the closing laps. I think he got the maximum from his race and the strategy was spot on. As for Paul, he had some difficulties with the rear tyres and, with the benefit of hindsight, we probably should have switched him to a four-stop strategy a couple of laps earlier. Ultimately his race came to an end when we identified a fault with the car which meant he had to retire. After four races I'm quite upbeat about our start to the season. We were always on damage limitation until the new 2011 aero concept comes on stream in the next few races, but we're just four points behind Sauber and two points behind Toro Rosso. I'm hopeful we can haul them back in over the next few races.”

Dominic Harlow Q&A: “We’re understanding the new rules of the game”

Force India’s 2011 season got off to a good start with both Paul Di Resta and  Adrian Sutil scoring points in the opening races. We asked Circuit Engineering  Director, Dominic Harlow, for his thoughts on the season so far.

Dominic, how do you view the first three races of the season? We saw the first races as something of a preface to the season in that they’re  always quite unusual, and they usually feature a few more random factors than  when we get to Europe. We relied a little bit on that to get us some results before hopefully improving our car performance, because the gap was a bit too big to begin with.  But overall we were quite positive about the races. We got the cars home each time,  and we seemed to be in sixth position, team-wise, each time. That’s pretty much  where we belonged in the races, and we were quite satisfied with the job we did. As you said you got the cars home each time. Was it satisfying to have  that reliability? Reliability seems to get better and better for everyone, doesn’t it? It’s what we want,  but we shouldn’t be under any illusions. It’s always a close-run thing, as any incident  could take you out of the race. Adrian had contact with Barrichello in Malaysia and  Perez in China, and he might not have finished. We’re not complacent by any means.  Obviously, the aim is to get to the end and run reliably, and we managed that.  However we had a few problems in some of the free practice sessions, which we  understood and fixed. Can you give us an update on the development of the VJM04? We’ve got a couple of threads going on at both ends of the car. We’ve got some  parts to evaluate in Turkey, and there are some more in the pipeline, and it’s  obviously all very aero focussed. So will Friday in Turkey be busy in terms of understanding the new parts? Yes. Nico’s in the car again, and we’ve got the additional tyres as well, so there’s  plenty to do. And that will feed into the Barcelona and Monaco events and so on.  It’s a fairly busy programme from now up until Canada, where we’ll bring a  Montreal downforce package. Tyres have always been significant in Turkey. How big a story will they be this year? Obviously in previous years it’s been a challenge with the right front, and you do  see some problems if things are not quite right. I think it’s going to be one of the  challenges, tyre life and tyre management, as we saw in China. What you’ve got in turn  one and 13 in China is quite similar to what we’ll see in turns 8 and 9 in Turkey. I wouldn’t  be surprised to see quite a lot of stops! However, we’re quite familiar with the tyres in  terms of those two compounds. It’s just another different circuit. Pirelli have been doing  some of their testing there, so we have some data. Are you beginning to understand what works in terms of strategies? We’re understanding the new rules of the game, the things that you have to weight into  your whole strategy of tactics for the weekend. And all those weightings have changed.  Each time we raced we learned a little bit more, and filled in a few more of the blanks,  which helps with your forecasting and predictions for the next one. You seem to be doing some long stints. Is that something that works for your car? I wouldn’t say that it’s a particular tactic of ours to do those longer stints, but there’s an  appreciation that sometimes that might be possible, and it’s knowing when to do it and  on which of the tyres. That’s what we’re trying to understand. Finally, are you pleased with the way Paul has settled in? Yes, we’re very happy with the way he’s started the season. Outside of F1 he’s a very  successful racing driver already, and as well as the Friday sessions last year he’s also  done a good amount of simulator mileage and a reasonable amount of testing in the winter.   Source:forceindiaf1.com

Paul di Resta Q&A

BATHGATE'S PAUL DI RESTA heads to Turkey with Force India this week to begin his preparations for the latest round of the Formula One world championship in Istanbul. It will be the first time Paul has driven on the Istanbul Park circuit and before flying to Turkey he spoke to Jim McGill about his two-week break, coping with demands on his time … and Istanbul's famous Turn 8.

Q: You've had a decent break since you returned from Shanghai and the China Grand prix; what have you been up to?

Paul: It's been good and relaxing. When I came back from China I had a simulator session as part of the pre-race preparation for Turkey; then it was just a case of having a good time back at home at Monaco.

We had some family out for Easter, so I've spent the time relaxing, done a bit of training, just generally recharged the batteries and got on top of things after a pretty hectic five weeks.

We had a trip to India, then Australia and on to the double-header with Malaysia and China; so really it's just been a case of getting back in to the swing of things and getting myself ready for the next block of races coming up.

At the weekend I went to Hockenheim to see the opening round of the DTM Championship. It was good because want to keep a close partnership with Mercedes, who supply the engines in my Force India car, plus I have a lot of good friends there. It was be good to go back and see everybody after having such a successful year last year. And it was good to support all my former team-mates and friends at DTM.

We're already at the end of April, beginning of May and the last I really new it was the beginning of March.

Has that time passed in a blink?

It has. You just lose track of time, lose track of where you are; but I suppose that's the way it is in this fantastic Formula One environment.

Is it difficult to cope with at times?

Of course it's difficult to manage your time, but it comes with the job. I've dealt with it all, and it's not something I get stressed about. You just get on with it; it is what it is.

Is handling your own time one of the most difficult things?

I think it's about managing your training, managing your time, managing your rest; just making sure you're on top of it and ensuring you're as healthy as you can be. That's what I do; I've always looked after myself.

How did the simulator session go?

It went well. It was a general preview and gave me valuable information to help make decisions on set-ups, KERS and all the other various bits and pieces.

You didn't drive at Istanbul last year, so this is completely new to you?

Yup; another fantastic track to experience and learn. This is completely new. It looks an enjoyable circuit; every track has its good points and bad points, but I'm always very open and motivated, excited to drive a new track; it's another new experience.

And of course, it has the famous Turn 8

It does have the world famous Turn 8, which is something you definitely want to tackle. It's difficult to say too much about it until I get there. I think when I get a feeling for how the car is behaving into it, and generally how the car is performing, that will be a big influence on how I feel about it. I'm sure it can be a very easy corner, and at the same time be a very difficult corner.

What makes it unique?

The length of it and the speed. You're still under hard acceleration when you exit it, around 260-280km/h; it's quite a sensation. The car does go very light, plus the g-forces and the extreme load. We'll hit in excess of 5g.

Any new developments on the car?

We've a few wee bits and pieces? We'll be evaluating a new front wing design during practice as part of the VJM04's aero development programme with a view to racing it later in the season.

You've had a very positive and productive start to your F1 career, scoring in two of the three grands prix. What are the aims going into this weekend's race in Turkey?

I think it's important I don't go there with expectations. I need to just go there and build on what we've achieved so far. That's the approach we'll have.

We know we have work to do in terms of outright speed, but we've definitely maximised our strengths. We understand the car better now and that's where we have made big gains from winter testing.

The whole weekend we just need to maximise everything we can.

Source : pauldiresta.com

Force India 'well placed' - Mallya

Force India team principal Vijay Mallya has said that he feels the team are "well placed" for the European season.

Despite having looked slightly off the pace during pre-season testing, Force India have been consistent, securing a double points finish in the opening race of the season in Melbourne. Paul di Resta then followed up with points in Malaysia, before qualifying eighth in China. Mallya said it had given the team a solid platform to improve the car from, but that any upgrades would not be ready for the Turkish Grand Prix this weekend.

"I think that overall we can be pleased with our start to the season," Mallya said. "To have points on the board and a car that is capable of qualifying in the top ten means we are well placed to build on our competitiveness as we begin the European season."

"I'm very proud of both our drivers, too. Paul has driven superbly and has adapted very quickly to Formula One. Combined with Adrian's speed and experience, I see no reason why we cannot challenge for points at every race this year. Plus, we have some promising aerodynamic upgrades in the pipeline, which should make a significant difference to the performance of the car in the coming races."

Adrian Sutil admitted that the team had exceeded expectations with its competitiveness so far this season, but that it still had to look to improve the car.

"It feels like ages since the last race, but it was good to have a short break to think about our start to the season, to analyse all the data and to relax a bit. In many ways the first three races were better than expected: we scored points and were always quite close to the top ten. As a team I think we did a good job and we've shown we have pretty solid reliability.

The task now is developing the car and the updates we have coming look interesting so I'm excited to see how it goes. For this weekend, I'm looking forward to racing in Istanbul and I enjoy going there. I think we will be quite competitive and once again the goal is to score points."

Team-mate Paul di Resta agreed that Force India need to develop the VJM-04, saying that the team had been getting the best out of the car in its current specification.

"I think the season so far has gone pretty well - very positive in terms of our performance from a team point of view. We know that we have work to do in terms of outright speed, but we've definitely maximised our strengths. We understand the car better now and that's where we have made big gains from winter testing."