Italian GP - Qualifying - Force India Quotes

Force India continued their recent run of form, with both drivers making it to the final part of qualifying for the third race in a row. It was a tight battle between the team mates for bragging rights, with Perez shading Hulkenberg by two hundredths of a second. The main worry is the form of chief rivals Williams, with Perez admitting the latter's race pace looked 'extremely strong' during Friday simulations.

Sergio Perez, 8th, 1:22.814
“I think we can be satisfied about today’s result. We have been struggling all weekend, but we worked really hard last night to improve the car balance and made a step forward for qualifying. Some of our rivals seem to have very strong pace, but I think we maximised our qualifying effort with both cars in the top ten. In Q1, it was crucial to put together the perfect lap on my first run; that gave me a bit more freedom in Q2, with an extra set of new tyres available. All in all, it was an exciting session and I had a very intense battle with Nico. The strategy options for the race are quite limited and will depend on what happens during our first stint on the supersoft tyres, and how things go on lap one. Our long run pace looked better than our one lap speed, so hopefully we can match the cars ahead of us and get a good result.”

Nico Hülkenberg, 9th, 1:22.836
 “I’m as happy as I can be with ninth on the grid. For some reason we’ve struggled to find the harmony and balance with the car this weekend, so it’s a good result to see both cars through to Q3. We’ve tried a lot of things with the set-up and made some small improvements, but I’m still not entirely happy with the balance. Tomorrow is another day - tyres will play a big role and it’s going to be interesting to see how things play out. When the middle of the grid is so close we need to make sure we make the correct strategy calls because the final results will be decided by some very small gaps.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“Getting both cars through to Q3 was the goal today and we are pleased to achieve that objective. Eighth and ninth is a good effort and probably a fair reflection of our pace this weekend. We should have a good race car tomorrow, but getting a strong start will be the priority because we know how tough overtaking is around this circuit. The calls from the pit wall will also play a pivotal role in our final result. At the very least we need to hold position and put pressure on the cars ahead to come away with some points.”

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italian GP - Friday - Force India Quotes

Neither Hulkenberg nor Perez was happy with the balance of their cars, and the missing lap time was critical in the hyper-close confines of the midfield. So there’s work to be done tonight. Celis, however, achieved his aim of doing a good, clean job in Hulkenberg’s car in FP1.
Sergio Perez - FP1: 1:24.650, P5; FP2: 1:24.653, P13
“I don’t think today went as well as we thought it would. The balance of the car is still not where I want it to be so we need to understand why that is the case. There are still a couple of tenths we can find and that should be a good starting point. The times show the battle in the midfield is even closer than usual, so we need to keep pushing to come out on top. In the morning session I had a chance to try the Halo for the first time. It was just an installation lap, but I didn’t feel it gave me any problems with visibility. Getting out of the car is a bit more of a struggle, but it will be interesting to see how this technology develops over time.”

Nico Hulkenberg - FP2: 1:24.587, P12
“It’s been a relatively short Friday for me, being in the car for FP2 only; but the afternoon went to plan and it was interesting to see our pace during the long runs. We managed some good runs and the team should have plenty of data to work with tonight. At this stage, I am not as happy as I would like to be with the car: I am still struggling a bit with the balance, so we need to improve things. We need to find some more harmony in the car to get us in better shape for tomorrow.”

Alfonso Celis - FP1: 1:25.367, P12
“I am really happy about how the day went. It was an honour to be able to drive in Monza - it’s a place with such an incredible history. The most important thing, for me, is to keep showing the team that I am progressing and not making mistakes. As always, the priority is to bring the car home in one piece, but every time I get in the car my confidence increases and I can push a little more. Monza is not an easy track to drive, even though the car is very good, especially if you are not in the car every other weekend. You have very high speeds, especially on a light downforce set-up, and trying not to lock the brakes at the end of the straights is a challenge. Every time you go out it’s a compromise between pushing hard and looking after the car, but I am happy with my performance and I am pleased the team is satisfied with it.”

Robert Fernley, deputy team principal
“We always see a very tight grid in Monza and today’s practice times suggest the same will be true this year. There is very little to choose between the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh fastest teams, so there is a lot riding on the qualifying session tomorrow. Today was fairly routine: we worked through our programme, gathered the tyre data we needed on all three compounds and have to make some important decisions tonight on how to approach the weekend. We ran Alfonso in place of Nico this morning and he did a very good job once again. Nico and Sergio were not especially happy with the car balance this afternoon, so we made a few set-up changes to resolve those issues - but, as often happens, to improve one area involves a compromise somewhere else. That said, we will do our homework; make the changes required to improve, and we will be working hard to secure our place in Q3 tomorrow.”

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Exclusive Nico Hulkenberg Q&A: Fight for fourth will go to the wire

Mercedes may have a firm grip on P1 in the constructors’ championship, but elsewhere the battles are raging, with Force India’s scintillating form in Belgium last weekend helping them leapfrog rivals Williams for fourth place in the standings. But can the Silverstone-based team maintain that historically high position until the end of the season - and more importantly, can they do so without harming their 2017 chances? Nico Hulkenberg, fresh from a season-best fourth place finish in Spa, has his say...

Q: Nico, you had an incredible race in Spa. Again you could almost smell the podium, but yet again it didn’t happen. Can you talk us through your race?
Nico Hulkenberg: To be honest, yes it looked promising, but that podium smell was strong only until lap six! (Laughs) So I told myself not to waste a thought on a podium - there are still 38 more laps to go - because when the safety car came out the advantage I had went up in smoke. The gap that I was able to build in the first six laps simply vanished and the red flag reset the race. It was a fresh start from there and it helped for example Daniel (Ricciardo), who got a pit stop for free. And then suddenly there was Lewis (Hamilton) right behind me - and I didn’t have that 10- or 15-second cushion to keep them behind. So yes, at first it was a bit disappointing after I’d had a super start.

Q: Were you surprised that Lewis was able to snatch your place and pull clear by seven seconds?
NH: Actually I was not too surprised by his race - I was expecting that from him. And the safety car and the red flag pretty much played to his advantage as well. So in a way I was a bit disappointed that it was only P3 for him and not the very front, as my guess is that people got out of his way as he moved through the field
. 

Q: Along with your team mate’s fifth place, Force India bagged 22 points last weekend - following on from that record 23 the pair of you secured in Monaco. It means the team is now fourth in the table - but are you really the fourth best team on the grid?
NH: The numbers don’t lie! (Laughs) Yes, we have to confirm that in eight more races. Yes, Sunday in Spa was a super day for us: we did a great job - the whole team. Everything worked smoothly. But we also must not forget that Ferrari and one Red Bull was struggling - and we were right there to pick up the pieces. We got the job done and got rewarded with 22 points. I have no illusions that the three front-running teams have disappeared into the distance - quite some distance - but that is not our competition. We focus on Williams and McLaren. McLaren is coming closer and closer. Their engine upgrade in Spa was a pretty good step forward and Fernando (Alonso) had some pretty good moments. He really had good pace. So right now I think it is close between us, McLaren and Williams. But I am also convinced that we can consolidate that fourth place. But that means producing eight more very good races - no mistakes and no glitches!

Q: Team principal Vijay Mallya said some weeks ago that the team is already deep into development of the 2017 car, so the current high is not a case of you forsaking the future for a good 2016 result. By contrast, Felipe Massa said recently that Williams have been working on their 2017 car for two months - and it shows in their current results. Why are Force India suddenly doing so well now?
NH: It’s not suddenly. Since Barcelona - since we brought that huge upgrade - our form has skyrocketed. I deliberately used that word! (Laughs) Monaco was really good, Montreal was good, Baku was good. We had a lot of good races ever since Barcelona. Yes, the beginning of the season was tough, but that was only the first four races. After that we’ve managed to turn things around. That Barcelona upgrade really delivered.

Q: Are you surprised that Williams are struggling so much - that there is the impression that they are slipping back?
NH: I don’t think that they are slipping back. It is more a matter of us catching up. Maybe they are just standing still - but then standing still in F1 means going backwards! But my guess is that some of the remaining eight tracks will play to their advantage - and some to ours. So I think for P4 overall it will be a race down to the wire.

Q: Twenty-three points in Monaco and 22 in Spa: that means Force India have made it big on two completely different tracks. Is that a good sign for this weekend in Monza - and in two weeks’ time in Singapore?
NH: I have big confidence in our car, in our package. In the end I believe that we will be competitive on all the eight tracks that we are going to. We have developed that car into a really good ‘all-rounder’. We are competitive on street circuits and low-downforce tracks - and last year we have also been competitive here in Monza. So there is no reason why we shouldn’t be competitive this weekend. We are well equipped.

Q: You’ve already committed to Force India for 2017. Checo [Perez] hasn’t - yet. Is he your preferred team mate?
NH: Yes, I would want to see him stay. We are a good ‘couple’ - probably the best ‘odd couple’ in F1. (Laughs) It is fun with him - and he is a big challenge. We are pushing each other hard all the time - that also makes for a good team mate. He has developed pretty well in the last couple of years and is now a very serious competitor. So yes, I would like to him stay.

Q: So if a driver’s not going to Mercedes, Red Bull Racing or Ferrari, then Force India seems the next best place to be?
NH: Yes, it is a very good place to be. Obviously 2017 is a bit of an unknown territory. It’s some sort of lottery as to who’s got it right and who hasn't, so it will have to be seen who’s got the lucky punch and who’s a complete failure. I am happy where I am, because I also think that the drivers have contributed to the journey of this team - to where we are now. So I am happy to stay on board.

Q: Right now Force India are on a high - but what about next year? How much have you already seen of your 2017 car?
NH: To be honest, not much. I have seen pictures, so visually I have an idea of how it will look. The engineers said that we will definitely go faster. From an aero point of view there will be much more downforce - and the big question for me right now is the tyres. My guess is that we drivers will have to reset our reference points a bit. The car will be so much wider at the back. Just take Monaco: Right now we all have a good idea of how close you can go to the barriers - with the new wider cars it will be a completely new learning curve. We have to readjust.

Q: So on tracks like Monaco and Singapore will overtaking be even more difficult?
NH: Yes, it will be harder.

Q: The car will be pretty different, the tyres will be different - and the winter testing is limited to the same amount as this season. Is that enough?
NH: It is never enough! So it will be learning by doing - work and progress. (Laughs) The learning process with these cars will go far beyond just winter testing. 

Q: Looking at this weekend, you and Checo were both in the points here last year, and you have both have traditionally done well at Monza with other teams - does that point towards another points bonanza on Sunday?
NH: I think so - at least I hope so! Sure, what we’ve earned in Spa cannot be translated to here – we still have to earn it again. But our package should also be competitive here. And between last weekend and this, there was little time to make leaps forward - for us, and more importantly, for the others. The aim is to leave Milan on Sunday still being in P4.

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Italian GP - Force India preview

Nico Hulkenberg
“Monza is a great place to go racing. There are so many different destinations on the calendar and there is something special about each one of them, but Monza is legendary. It’s a unique track, with very high speeds and low downforce. The setting in the park of Monza is beautiful: the moment you drive through the gates, you feel all the history of the place coming at you. The tifosi, the Italian fans, add to this combination and create a fantastic vibe.
“Monza is just on the outskirts of Milan, which is a very interesting place, but during a race weekend you’re just too busy to go and explore. The parties on Sunday night are not too bad, though! We go to Italy at the end of the summer and the weather is usually still quite hot. Great weather, great fans, great food - it all adds up to make a very cool race.
“Few tracks push the car to the limit as Monza does. There is no margin for error in the braking zones and every mistake costs you time. In terms of set-up, you need to strike a balance between high speed on the straights and downforce in the corners, but the focus is firmly on top speed. You also need good traction, to make the most of the long straights. We have been doing well on these sort of tracks, so I expect us to be competitive and fighting for points.” 


Sergio Perez
“Italy is one of my favourite places: the people are very warm and welcoming, and they’re absolutely crazy for Formula One. The passion you see from the Italian fans reminds me of the atmosphere we saw in Mexico. There’s so much support; everyone is chanting and waving flags and there are so many people asking us for a photo when we arrive at or leave the track.
“I have great memories from Monza and it’s where I’ve had some of my best races. When I was racing in F3, I had the best weekend of my career there: I started 14th in both races and went on to win both. I scored a podium there in Formula One and I’ve always had a special relationship with the track. It’s not just what happens at the venue - I have a lot of good friends living nearby and it’s just a very enjoyable experience.
“As a fan of our sport, I know Monza has a special place in the history of Formula One. It’s one of the circuits where Formula One should always race. It’s so incredibly fast and the key to a quick lap is to be good under braking and have good traction out of the corners. You brake really hard at the end of the straights and the car moves a lot: you run with very little wing and having a good balance is very important.
“You feel the lightness of the car in every corner because you’ve got so little aero load and it’s even hard to keep the steering wheel level on the straights. The two Lesmo corners are crucial: you need to be stable under braking and control your traction - get wheelspin out of the corner and you’ll destroy your tyres. Then you have the Parabolica: it lost a little of its challenge with the tarmac run-off but you still need to be very precise and use the very last inch of track in this interesting corner.”

Vijay Mallya, team principal
“The Italian Grand Prix is one of the best races of the season. It has all the ingredients that make Formula One special. We saw a huge turnout of fans in Belgium last week and I’m sure the tifosi will help create a fantastic atmosphere this weekend too. Monza is a track that rewards top speed and pushes the engine to its limit. Given our competitive form in Spa, I’m confident we can keep up the momentum this weekend.”

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Belgian GP - Race - Force India Quotes

Force India were chasing a good points haul to overtake Williams in the constructors' championship, and their drivers duly delivered. Hulkenberg was running second before the safety car period, and after the race restarted was unable to keep the quicker Mercedes of Hamilton behind. Perez dropped places at the start but made his medium tyres work well in the closing stages to overtake Alonso and grab fifth place.

Nico Hülkenberg, 4th 
“Today is a massive result for the team and I’m feeling very happy with fourth place. There were some unusual circumstances, but we were there to take the opportunities and pick up some very important points. At the start of the race things worked out really well for me. The first lap was great; I was up in second place following Nico [Rosberg] and pulling away from the group of cars behind me. Unfortunately, the red flag proved costly because it neutralised things and bunched everybody back up again. The restart was clean and the rest of the race was quite controlled – just managing my pace and looking after the tyres. There was a battle with Fernando [Alonso] coming out of the pit lane, but we managed to stay ahead and keep the fourth position. Maybe if things had worked out slightly differently, we could have been on the podium, but I’m satisfied with the fourth position.”

Sergio Perez, 5th
“It’s been a great day for the team and I am very pleased to finish fifth, but it was quite a tough race from the start. I chose a wide line going into turn one, but had to go far on the outside to avoid the first corner accident and that cost me a few positions. I dropped down to ninth and that compromised my race. I managed to make some good progress early on, but every time I switched to new tyres I found myself having to put a lot of stress on them as I needed to attack Felipe [Massa] then Fernando [Alonso]. I still managed to make my way through and bring home a good result for the team. Moving to fourth in the constructors’’ championship is a fantastic achievement for us, but we can’t get carried away because there’s still a very long way to go in the season. Hopefully we can keep our momentum going and keep scoring strongly.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“We can rightly be proud of a great team result – the first time we’ve put both cars in the top five since Bahrain 2014. It was a fantastic weekend, one that highlights once more the special relationship we have with Spa-Francorchamps. Everyone in the team did a great job and we can now celebrate a very strong race. We can even be a bit disappointed, too, because without the Safety Car and red flag, Nico could well have been on the podium, but considering how the race turned out, we feel pretty content with the result. We are now fourth in the championship, having scored 89 points since Monaco, but we won’t let our guard down. There is still a long way to go and the battle in the midfield is just going to get closer. We will continue to work hard and hopefully bring home more special results between now and the end of the season.”

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Belgian GP - Qualifying - Force India Quotes

Force India seem to be continuing the momentum gathered before the summer break, with both cars comfortably making Q3. Qualifying sixth and seventh, it was Perez who just had the edge over his team mate by one tenth of a second. A good result here could close the gap in the constructors' standing to Williams, who currently lie fourth, 15 points ahead of Force India. 

Sergio Perez, 6th, 1:47.407
“I think we are in a really strong position for the race and I am really looking forward to tomorrow. We got as much as we could out of the session: I made a small mistake at the end of my lap and I could have been about a tenth faster, but that’s all we lost. Some of the cars ahead of me are starting on the soft tyre compound, which should be a big advantage for them, but we are still in good shape to get a strong result. There will be a variety of strategies at play and I hope we can move forward, enjoy the battles and bring home some points. The hot weather is making it really difficult for everyone – you reach a point where you can’t go any further with the tyres. Strategy and making the right calls at the right time will be very important: you don’t want to be on the wrong tyres at the start of such a long lap because it’s going to cost you.”

Nico Hülkenberg, 7th, 1:47.543
“I’m reasonably satisfied with our performance today. Q1 and Q2 went to plan, but I had an issue with the power unit during Q3 and that cost me some time down the straights and proved quite costly. We’ve got to start the race on the supersoft tyres, but I think we made the right decision to use them in Q2 because it would have been difficult to make Q3 on the softs. It’s certainly going to be a challenging race if the weather stays this warm because Spa is already a demanding track on tyres in cool conditions. We need to explore our options tonight and make the right decisions tomorrow.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“It was satisfying to see our strong form in free practice carried into qualifying with both Sergio and Nico delivering some excellent laps. Nico had a sensor issue, which cost him a few tenths on his runs in Q3, but overall we can’t be disappointed with sixth and seventh on the grid. Tomorrow’s race will be dictated by tyre strategy so we need to wait and see if the high temperatures continue for the race. We’ve shown that we are competitive and we are well placed to pick up some good points tomorrow.”

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Belgian GP - Friday - Force India Quotes

Hulkenberg was very happy with a day which started well and got better with every move he and the team made. Perez was a little less effusive and said there were lots of little things to do, but overall this was a tremendous start for the team fighting for fourth in the world championship for constructors.

Nico Hulkenberg - FP1: 1:50.088, P8; FP2: 1:48.657, P3
“It was a good start after the summer break. We didn’t have any issues and we were able to work through our programme as planned. We collected the usual data and we made some very good steps between the sessions. I wasn’t too happy with the balance in the morning, but we were able to improve it for the afternoon: it’s still not perfect, so there’s a bit of work to do overnight, trying to use the information we got today, but it’s a decent starting point.”

Sergio Perez - FP1: 1:49.274, P4; FP2: 1:49.100, P5
“The first indications are positive, but there’s still a lot of work to be done on the car to solve a few little issues. We need to understand the car balance a bit more and develop our set-up from there. The weather is going to play a big role: it will affect tyre degradation strongly, but I am sure we will be able to make the changes we need for the race.”

Robert Fernley, deputy team principal
“It’s only Friday, so there is no getting carried away with the practice results. It’s not easy to read the relative performance levels of the teams around us, especially when teams are experimenting with different wing levels or running development tyres. Today we simply focussed on our work: we collected all the data we needed and we got some good feedback from the drivers. They are happy with the car balance, but there is still room to improve. We will need to make some adjustments based on the weather, which is unexpectedly warm, although the forecast for the weekend is a bit cooler. It’s been a productive day, but what really matters is our performance tomorrow and on Sunday.”

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