Malaysia preview quotes - Force India

Paul di Resta, Force India
2012 Qualifying - 14th, 2012 Race - 7th
“You never know what to expect in Malaysia! It could rain, or it could be dry. Temperatures are going to be high, degradation is going to be high, but I think our car is going to suit the warm weather. We’ve had a reasonably strong performance for the last couple of years in Malaysia, so I think we should go there feeling quite optimistic. We have a few days to conquer the jet lag and hopefully be fighting fit. I think it is probably one of the most complete tracks of the season. It was the very first of the new generation tracks and it has nice flowing sections, some slow bits, as well as high-speed chicanes. I think it’s one of the better tracks on the calendar. Along with the next one in Shanghai, it’s one of the tracks I enjoy.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“I finished fifth in Malaysia in 2010, so I have some good memories. It’s not my favourite track, but it depends on the car. If the car is quick and stable, you enjoy it more, but sometimes you really struggle with the balance, and then it’s a real challenge – the corners are so long, you need a lot of aerodynamic grip. It’s a track I like to drive, but it’s not like a Monaco or a Spa. I don’t really know what effect the high temperatures will have because we haven’t had them during testing. I think the weather in Australia suited us quite well, so let’s see how Malaysia is.”

Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“The first back-to-back races of the season mean we are already heading to Malaysia for the second round of the Championship. We have scored points in Sepang the last three times we raced there, including a double-points finish last year, and I believe we can build on the early-season momentum to bring home a valuable result. Last weekend’s race in Melbourne was a great demonstration of how far the team has come lately: to race against the established front-runners on merit shows the quality of our car, of our driver line-up and of the work everyone in the team is producing every day, whether at the factory or at the circuit. We have led the last two races and hopefully soon we will have a special result to repay all that effort. With improved results come increased responsibilities: the whole world of Formula One – our rivals, the media and the fans – now look at Sahara Force India as a competitor for points at every race. It is our duty to sustain this scrutiny by going out every day and performing to our best to keep challenging the top teams in the world. The 2013 championship is just at the beginning, and it is important not to get carried away with enthusiasm: we will need to channel this positive energy into consistently good performances and continue to improve. We are on a good road, and we must all keep progressing.

Source: Formula1.com

Sutil convinced there is more to come

Adrian Sutil thinks he still has plenty of room for improvement following his race-leading performance on his Formula 1 return in Australia.
 
The Force India driver led the middle phase of the Albert Park race, but lost places late on when he suffered high degradation on the super-soft rubber.

Having spent a year out of F1, during which he was convicted for his part in a night club brawl that took place after the 2011 Chinese Grand Prix, Sutil was surprised in the way he has got back up to speed so quickly.

When asked by AUTOSPORT if he had expected to get back into the swing of things so fast, Sutil said: "Normally you expect it takes a little while. Maybe a few races.

"But I still believe I can improve myself. Here in the rain I wasn't feeling so 
comfortable, and that's where you really need to be one with the car.

"In the dry it's a bit easier to adapt to it. So there's more to come. I've proved a little bit."

Sutil is convinced that being out of the sport for a season has actually helped improve him as a driver.

"I think my advantage is having been away a little bit, and lived a normal life," he said.

"It's such a stressful sport sometimes; you just have no time to learn.

"So I believe I learned a little bit more. I was able to come back at a good level and [I am] probably able to step up a little more."

Source: Autosport.com 
 

A perfect comeback - Exclusive Q&A with Force India’s Adrian Sutil

An adventurous strategy call combined with some superb driving made Australia a great weekend for Force India’s Adrian Sutil, back on the Formula One grid for the first time in 16 months. Starting 12th, he twice led the race en route to an eventual seventh-place finish. Now he’s hoping for more of the same in Malaysia next weekend…

Q: Adrian, a fantastic race after a season’s absence from Formula One competition. How does it feel, picking up your performance level where you left it in Brazil 2011?
Adrian Sutil: Thanks, yes it was great fun to come back with a perfect race like that. I enjoyed it a lot. Sahara Force India gave me this chance to come back. Without them I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to show such a performance.
Q: You twice led the race - how much hope was growing in your head that you could bring it home?
AS: It was great to lead an F1 race for the first time. I think it was 14 laps and I enjoyed each of them, but I was realistic and knew that a win or podium at this race was not realistic. But I fought hard to stay in front as long as possible… (laughs)
Q: How did that feel, being in the lead? You were almost an F1 ‘has-been’ and now you have bounced back in style…
AS: I just enjoyed having such a good car and being able to stay ahead of Sebastian [Vettel], Fernando [Alonso] and Felipe [Massa] for some laps.
Q: Much has changed with the tyres since you last raced and yet after only three days’ testing you seemed to manage the Pirellis as if you’d never known anything else. How come?
AS: I had a good feeling from the first test on in Barcelona and there is still a lot to learn and to improve. At the end of the race when I had to take the supersoft tyres I wasn’t sure for some laps if I could finish the race with this set of tyres. But after some laps with really bad lap times they came back and I could save P7, which was a great result for me.
Q: What can you tell us about the strategy you were on? Almost everyone else started on the supersofts whereas you finished on them - did that make all the difference?
AS: I was very lucky to have the chance to decide which tyres I will start with. And we decided to start on the medium ones. This choice was the right one and I could even have stayed out for some more laps on them. The car felt fantastic and so I was even able to take the lead as all the others ahead of me had to pit earlier to take new tyres.
Q: You said that the weakness of McLaren would play to Force India’s advantage. Was that what we have seen?
AS: This race in Melbourne was very lucky for us, but McLaren is such a strong and experienced team that I’m convinced they will come back soon. Our only chance is to take all the opportunities we get. This time it worked out perfectly for us.
Q: How long do you guess Force India can keep McLaren behind before the big team hit back?
AS: As I said, I fear McLaren will come back sooner than we would like.
Q: The VJM06 looks like a serious points contender. Where do you see the strengths of the car?
AS: Yeah, I’m convinced we should fight consistently for points. We need to improve and push hard, but this car looks great and gives me a lot of confidence that we will be successful. These guys in the factory and at the track did a fantastic job. Thanks for such a good car.
Q: Melbourne is one thing, but what about next weekend in Malaysia. The conditions will definitely be different. What’s your guess?
AS: We will see next week. Our goal is to score points with both cars. Ten points for the team at the first race makes hope for more. Now that I’ve led a race for the first time, there is still my dream to be on the podium for the first time, so let’s see what’s possible in Malaysia.

Source: Formula1.com

Sutil stunned by his comeback form

Adrian Sutil said he was amazed he could stay in the lead of the Australian Grand Prix, his first race since spending 2012 on the sidelines.


The German, back with Force India after not racing last year, benefited from being one of the few drivers who started the race on the medium tyre compound to move into the lead after the frontrunners had pitted.

Although he came under pressure from Sebastian Vettel, Sutil managed to stay ahead before he made his first pitstop.
The Force India driver then went on to finish in seventh position.

"I wasn't expecting that but I came back to do better and it was a great feeling to be straight up there," said Sutil. "So I just tried to keep concentrated and use my chance. I was amazed we could be competitive at the front.

"I gained first place back after the first pitstop so the pace was really there. Vettel was probably too close running behind [me and] maybe destroyed his tyres, but the pace was there and that was great to see.

"I knew we were going to lose a few places [in the final stint] because I was on an opposite strategy but nevertheless seventh in first race, to lead quite a lot, it showed what was possible. It's a sign you should never give up and always believe, anything's possible."

Sutil said he had to keep his emotions in check when he realised he was leading the race, but he insisted he was ready for it thanks to his new mindset in his second Formula 1 spell.

"It was nice to see P1 on my board, no question," he added. "But it's very important to keep your emotions under control in the sport. Emotions are not the best to have, when you want to race you want to be successful.

"I think I'm quite good at it now. I saw that as a big day, it was nice, but it's not that I wasn't feeling good in this position.

"When I came back into the sport I thought I'm just coming back if I can do better. I programmed my mind for this kind of position. I know it's just maybe only today, but maybe it will come again and I want to go to the front."
The German said he is now hungry for more.

"We showed we are absolutely strong enough to score points and I'm always aiming for my first podium," he said, "for a long time I've wanted to do that.

"Whenever it comes I want to be ready that's a good target for this year. Maybe it happens, maybe not, but I will push for that."

Source: Autosport.com

Race - Forceindia drivers quotes

Adrian Sutil (7th)
“What a fantastic race and a great feeling. I started on the medium tyres, a different strategy to most of the cars ahead of me, and I think this was the right decision. The pace was quick and the car felt very good on the medium tyres so I was able to keep up with the guys in front of me, who I knew were going to pit early. It was not long until I was leading the race – my first time leading in Formula One. After my second pit stop I was back in the lead once again, so I knew that it was possible to come away with a great result. My final stint on the super–softs was much more difficult because the tyres started graining and I lost a few places. I was thinking I might need to pit again, but fortunately the tyres came back to me for the final few laps so I could save the seventh place. This result for the team is a perfect way to start the season and I want to say a big ‘thank you’ to the team once again.”
Paul di Resta (8th)
“Seventh and eighth for the team is a great result and a great way to kick off the season. We’ve shown we have a car that is kind on its tyres and that helped us today by making less stops than some of our rivals. I feel I had a car that could have finished seventh, but I was stuck behind some of the three–stoppers at the start of my second stint, and that cost me quite a lot of track position. There are a lot of positives to take from the race, as well as some things that we can improve to make the car stronger, but we’re in a good position heading to Malaysia.”
Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
"What a great team performance to start our season. Ten points is a great effort and confirms the pace we have demonstrated all weekend. Adrian’s return to racing has been fantastic and it’s clear he has lost none of his speed or racecraft. He was on a different strategy to most of the front–runners, but made it work beautifully and showed strong pace throughout the Grand Prix – even leading for 11 laps. Paul was on the opposite strategy and finished just a fraction behind Adrian in the end. He probably could have passed Adrian in the closing laps, but he held station to ensure we brought home the strong team result. We said over the winter that we needed a strong start to the year, so hopefully we can build on this next week in Malaysia.”

Source: Formula1.com

Qualifying - ForceIndia driver quotes

Force India
Paul di Resta (9th, Q3 -1m 29.305s)
“We came here with intentions of reaching Q3 so it’s a good way to start the year. I think we got most things right today, especially the timing of the switch to a fresh set of intermediates towards the end of Q2. Ninth position is a good place to be starting and it’s on the cleaner side of the track too. It’s difficult to predict much for the race, just as it’s hard to predict the weather, but we’re in a strong place to start the race. Our long runs on Friday looked competitive and consistent so we will go into the race with maximum attack and aiming for points.”

Adrian Sutil (12th, Q2 - 1m 38.134s)
“The track conditions were much better this morning, but it was still tricky and I didn’t feel that comfortable on the damp track. The key to Q2 was the timing of your lap and we probably changed a bit too early to the new intermediates because there was only one quick lap in those tyres. I had time for another lap, but my tyres were going off and I could not improve. Even so, I’m quite happy with the session and it’s not bad to end up twelfth in my first qualifying session back with the team. I can feel there is more to come and I felt good in the dry conditions on Friday, so I hope we carry that into the race.”

Robert Fernley, Force India deputy team principal
“We’re feeling pretty positive with our qualifying showing this morning and our performance level is about where we expected. The conditions remained tricky with a damp and drying track, but we managed to get Paul through to Q3 and that was a clear objective. Adrian didn’t feel totally comfortable in the wet, but given that this was his first qualifying session for over a year, twelfth place is a good effort. The weather forecast for the rest of the day looks uncertain, but our strong showing on Friday gives us every reason to be optimistic this afternoon. Points should be in reach for both cars and will remain our objective

Source: Formula1.com

Sutil aims to benefit from McLaren woes

Adrian Sutil reckons McLaren's early season woes give his Force India team a proper chance of making it through to Q3 now.

McLaren is bracing itself for a difficult start to its campaign as it struggles to get its MP4-28 up to speed.

Its form is a bonus to Force India, though, which emerged in Friday practice as the nearest challenges to the pacesetting Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes and Lotus teams.

When asked by AUTOSPORT if he felt McLaren's struggles would give Force India a genuine shot at a top ten place on the grid, Sutil said: "Yeah, I believe we can make it into Q3 definitely.

"Our focus is to the front, and after that we confirmed we are strong, and competitive in the front of the midfield.

"So we have to take all the chances we get. Everything is possible. Tomorrow there is rain expected so it will be pedal to the metal and to the front."

Sutil said that his Friday programme had been encouraging, which gave him confidence for the team's chances over the rest of the weekend.

"I am quite happy," he said. "Everything went very well. I had good work with my engineer. We did several runs on different tyres, but we didn't change much on the set-up."

Source: Autosport.com