Austrian GP - Preview - Force India Quotes

Sergio Perez
"I am still smiling about the podium we scored in Baku. It was an amazing weekend for us. We got the calls right; we executed our race plan perfectly and we finished in the top three on merit. I feel very proud of my team and I think it was one of my most competitive races in Formula One. It wasn't a completely smooth weekend with the gearbox penalty pushing us backwards on the grid, but we were able to overcome the difficulties, which made it an even sweeter result.

"I travel to Austria on a high and determined to deliver another strong result. This race is one of my favourites because the track is nice to drive and I enjoy the atmosphere with the fans camping around the circuit. There are lots of elevation changes and some challenging corners: you cannot make mistakes in any of them or it will cost you a lot of time on the straights. It's also a short lap so the gaps between the cars are always very small and that makes for a very tight grid. 

"We've made a lot of progress with the car since Barcelona and I expect us to be competitive this weekend. There are a few decent overtaking opportunities, especially the big braking zone at turn two, so there should be some good action in the race."

Nico Hulkenberg
"I love racing in Spielberg and it's a great addition to the calendar. The backdrop to the track, with the Alps, is spectacular, and there is an old school vibe to the circuit, which I enjoy. The atmosphere is very relaxed and lots of German fans make the short trip over the border so it almost feels like a home race for me.

"We look strong coming to Austria but we're not taking anything for granted. The track is fun and it has a very nice flow, but it can easily catch you out, especially the last few corners, which are quite technical. I had a great race in Austria last year and have a good feeling about this weekend. The car is working well and we've taken a big step forward since the start of the year so there is the potential for another good result."

Vijay Mallya, team principal
 "Seeing our team on the podium for the second time in less than a month makes me incredibly proud. The result in Baku was achieved completely on merit and everybody in the team deserves credit for helping make these results possible. We are experiencing the best run of form in the team's history and we are enjoying the moment.

"There has been a lot of talk about the team switching focus to 2017, but this doesn't mean we won't be strong for the rest of 2016. There is a lot of performance still to be extracted from our current package and I am confident we can put on a good show in the races to come. Having scored two podiums in three races, we've got a taste for success and I would like to see us pick up more silverware before the end of the year.  

"The races come thick and fast during July with four races in the space of a month. The next race in Austria is a venue we enjoy and we expect to be competitive once again. It's a great moment for the team and there is a special atmosphere back at our Silverstone base. We've shown that we can give the leading teams a run for their money and that's a huge motivation for everyone at Force India."

Formula1.com

Force India switches focus to 2017 car

Force India has shifted the majority of its resources to its 2017 Formula 1 car with the focus for '16 now on getting the most out of its current package.

Teams face a challenge to divide budget between 2016 to maximise their championship position and prize money and '17 when new rules offer a chance to mix up the order.

Force India introduced a big update for the Spanish Grand Prix last month, which has since yielded podiums in two of the last three races courtesy of Sergio Perez.

The plan is now to fully utilise that package but further developments for 2016 are now unlikely as the team looks to get ahead next term. 

"Like everybody, the switchover will have already started but I don't see us putting an awful lot more effort into this car," deputy team principal Bob Fernley told Autosport.
"There's more that we can get out of the current set-up."

When asked if the switch of the majority of resources has already happened, Fernley said: "Yes, more or less.

"We have to develop what we have.

"The opportunity for next year is a complete new set of rules and a great chance for an incredibly good design team we have.

"You certainly don't want to give up the opportunity to start with a clean sheet next year."
Despite the shift in focus, Fernley said Force India's goal remains "to secure fifth" in the constructors' championship again this year.

It is 27 points clear of Toro Rosso and 31 adrift of Williams in fourth after Perez's third place in Baku.

"We've helped ourselves in Baku with that and Toro Rosso not scoring has helped us again," said Fernley.

"We've got to try and chase Williams.

"Toro Rosso are a strong team, so we've got to keep ourselves honest in that sense.
"Fifth is where we need to be.

"If we can get an edge on Williams we will go for it, but as long as we hold fifth it's a good season."

Autosport.com

European GP - Race - Force India Quotes

For the second time in three races, Sergio Perez bagged Force India a podium with a tenacious drive from seventh on the grid that saw him both hold off Lewis Hamilton and overtake Kimi Raikkonen. By contrast team mate Hulkenberg failed to capitalise on his car’s inherent pace after starting on softs and then having to run 31 laps on the supersofts – a strategy that left him vulnerable in the closing stages.

Sergio Perez, 3rd
“I knew that the podium was possible today, but we really had to work hard for it. The key to my race was the great start I made to get around a Williams [Massa] and a Toro Rosso [Kvyat]. Then, in the first stint I was suffering with graining of my supsersoft tyres and we had to decide whether to wait for it to improve or to make an early stop. In the end, we stayed out longer, which was the right decision, but when I came out of the pits I struggled to warm-up the soft tyres and I was under big pressure from Lewis [Hamilton] behind. I pushed as hard as I could and opened up a gap, and then I focussed on looking after my tyres. I closed in on Kimi [Raikkonen] and I knew he had a penalty, but on the final lap I got very close to him and saw the opportunity to overtake him, so I took it. To be on the podium for a second time this year feels fantastic. The team has done a brilliant job and we are having an amazing year.”

Nico Hulkenberg, 9th
“It was a fairly tough race for me. The start was ok, but coming into turn one someone [Gutierrez] hit me from behind. I lost a couple of positions trying to control the car and that put me a bit on the back foot. Getting through traffic in the opening stages was not very easy and it cost me a lot of time. Then, for the early part of the race, I was struggling with oversteer and in general I couldn’t find the same harmony with the car that I had in practice. Making the supersoft tyres last as long as I did - 31 laps - was not easy and by the end of the race I had very little left, but it was a risk I was happy to take to make our strategy work. The car had great potential all weekend long, but I feel I paid for the mistake I made yesterday in qualifying. However, I am pleased for the team’s result: it means we bring home a bunch of points which is a boost for our season.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“What a fantastic result from a weekend where we looked strong from the start. It is a success for the whole team: from the crew that repaired Checo’s damaged car after FP3 and produced two brilliant stops at a crucial time, to the guys on the pit wall who made the right calls, and of course everyone back at base. We knew we had the pace to fight at the front, even if we were starting further back than we wanted, but we delivered the result in the end. Checo drove well and a second podium in three races shows that he is getting the potential out of the car. Nico was unlucky to be hit at the start by Gutierrez, which ultimately compromised his race. He lost a few positions, but was able to keep the car facing the right way. Starting in P12, he had a different strategy and he was only a couple of laps away from finishing seventh, but he still claimed some important points. Today’s result strengthens our fifth position in the championship and moves us closer to fourth . I have no doubt there will be celebrations tonight!”

Formula1.com

BAKU GP - Qualifying - Force India Quotes

Perez hailed his Q3 effort as 'one of his best in F1', and coming so soon after his confidence denting crash in FP3, it would be hard to argue with that. A gearbox change following that crash means he'll drop from his front-row slot to P7, but a podium place isn't out of the question. In contrast, Hulkenberg failed to cash in on his car's inherent pace, with a mix up on his final Q2 run contributing to his elimination.

Sergio Perez - 2nd, 1:43.515
“That was a special qualifying session. In Q3 I did one of my best laps in Formula One - maximising every corner and kissing the walls. As a team it’s been a very strong performance. At the same time I’m still angry with myself because of what happened at the end of final practice and the grid penalty for the gearbox change. I should be starting from the front row of the grid, but I now have to drop back to seventh. Tonight I need to try and clear my mind, put that frustration behind me, and focus on moving forward in the race. I need to say a big ‘thank you’ to my team for the amazing job they did to fix my car in time for qualifying. I hope I can give them a special result to celebrate tomorrow. It’s not going to be an easy race because the track is so challenging and it’s easy to make mistakes, but at the same time this can open up opportunities to make up ground. I still have a good feeling about the race.”

Nico Hulkenberg - 12th, 1:44.824
“A very disappointing qualifying session for me. The car has been quick this weekend, but starting from P12 means we’ve got a big job on our hands tomorrow. The main problem in Q2 was spinning on my first run because I was on a mega lap that would have easily put me through to Q3. I just lost the rear at turn 16 and spun. Because I had not set a time yet, it meant I was under pressure and it all came down to the final few minutes. Unfortunately I had some traffic on my second run and I just didn’t feel the same grip with the car - and that’s how quickly things can slip away from you. It’s very frustrating and annoying because the car has good potential and we should have been much higher up. So it’s a bitter feeling, to be honest, but I’m determined to make up the lost ground tomorrow.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“It’s definitely a case of mixed feelings today. We’ve shown great pace in all practice sessions and we should have realistically aimed to have two cars on the front two rows, but for various reasons we will be starting in P7 and P12. Sergio’s performance in qualifying was spectacular. He delivered strong laps when it mattered; didn’t put a wheel wrong and finished the session up front. Unfortunately, the penalty we will suffer for the gearbox change shuffles him back to seventh, but I have no doubt he will make up positions during the race. It was very disappointing to lose Nico in Q2. He made a mistake on his first attempt, spinning when he was on a very good lap, and sadly he wasn’t able to make it into the top ten with the final run. It’s a big missed opportunity for us today, but Nico has been quick all weekend and can make up ground tomorrow. The important thing will be to keep out of trouble in the first few corners and make the right calls to make sure we finish where we should.”

Formula1.com

European GP - Friday - Force India Quotes

Force India had their tail well and truly up after strong performances in both sessions. Both drivers said they were happy with the set-up they arrived at, and that they loved driving the track. After one of their strongest Friday showings, optimism is very high for the rest of the weekend.
 
Sergio Perez - FP1: 1:48.922, P6; FP2: 1:45.336, P3
“I knew when I walked the track yesterday that it was going to be good fun to drive - and today didn’t disappoint. It’s an amazing circuit: really challenging, no margin for error, and a real pleasure to drive. I kept things tidy today, but it’s easy to make a mistake and we saw that when cars do run wide they really pay a high penalty. It’s been a very positive day for us. The car felt good as soon as we started the first session and we were up there straight away with competitive times. That’s a good sign for the rest of the weekend and I’m feeling optimistic about our performance.”

Nico Hulkenberg - FP1: 1:49.301, P10; FP2: 1:45.920, P5
“Coming here to Baku has been great fun and the track is very cool. It’s got a bit of everything, with long straights, big braking zones and some exciting high-speed corners, which all the drivers enjoy. So, overall you have to say they’ve done a really good job with the circuit and it makes a nice change to come here and try something that is so different. In terms of our performance, I’m pleased with how things went today: the car feels well balanced and we made some improvements between the two sessions. We have good speed in the car and we are on the pace with some competitive lap times. It’s a good starting point heading into the weekend.”

Robert Fernley, deputy team principal
“Congratulations to everybody involved in bringing this race to the calendar. The city of Baku has given us an extremely warm welcome and they’ve delivered an outstanding circuit. Both our drivers love the layout and managed to get up to speed quickly during the opening session. Our performance looks promising at this stage and we also showed good consistency during the long runs. Of course, heading into qualifying there will be some fine-tuning to ensure we find some more speed, but we’ve had a successful first day on track and have a good understanding of the car.”

Formula1.com

European GP - Force India Preview

Sergio Perez
“The last weekend in Canada was not one of the easiest for me, so to come away from it with a point was a good result. I have now been in the points for the last four races on a range of very different tracks: this builds our confidence and makes us believe we can challenge for a place in the top ten in every race.

“To prepare for Baku I have watched the onboard video that was circulated and the first impression is that the track is going to be really challenging. There are a lot of tight sections, as you would expect from a street track, but it looks more high-speed than Monaco: it’s the kind of circuit I enjoy driving and it should make for a good show.

“I’ve never been to Azerbaijan, so it feels like an adventure. It’s always interesting to explore a new place for the first time and take in the sights of a new city. It’s great that our sport keeps going to new countries and reaching out to new fans. Once we get to the track, though, it’s business as usual. It’s important to learn the circuit quickly, so the track walk with the engineers and the first practice session are crucial. You need to get up to speed within a handful of laps.”
Nico Hulkenberg
“Canada was a positive race as we were able to get the most out of a relatively straightforward weekend. To finish eighth in a race with such low attrition was a very good result and it showed we can fight for points everywhere. There is every reason to believe we can continue this run as we approach the summer break, and this obviously spurs us on.
“I’m massively excited about the race in Baku, actually! New venues are cool; everything is fresh and everyone welcomes you. I have to admit I don’t know a lot about Azerbaijan, so it will be exciting to get to know this new place. I like to arrive in a place and get out to discover it: it’s one of the perks of our job, being able to see so much of the world.
“Learning the track is crucial. I haven’t had a chance to try it in the simulator yet but I saw the video on YouTube earlier last week. In any case, it really is all about getting there, getting into the car and finding out about the track in those first few laps. The layout looks fast, especially for a street circuit: there is a massive straight, with just a few flat-out kinks, and some more twisty sections which will require a compromise in terms of set-up. I am a big fan of street circuits: they provide you with unique thrills, you drive close to the walls and it’s much more of a challenge to push your car and yourself to the limit”

Vijay Mallya, team principal
“The race in Canada was another strong indication of the good steps forward we have been taking since the start of the season. We showed good pace all weekend and delivered a solid performance in the race. This result increased our advantage over our direct rivals in the constructors’ championship and consolidates our fifth position. We now have a very quick turnaround to get ready for Baku – a big challenge, especially as it’s a new addition to the calendar.
“Formula One’s arrival to a new country is always a positive sign: it shows there is a lot of appetite for our sport in new markets, which is not something we should underestimate. Some of the recent additions to the calendar, like Austin, Mexico and Russia, have proved to be very successful and there is no reason why Azerbaijan shouldn’t follow this trend. Hopefully, we will have a very interesting race to mark the start of this new venue’s history.
“The track is a mix of long straights and sharp corners and reminds me of the layout in Singapore. It has the characteristics of a street circuit, but it looks like there are some wide corners that offer overtaking opportunities. The way our car and the tyres will behave is still an open question as nobody has any data about the track, but it’s a challenge to which we look forward. We come to Azerbaijan in high spirits and we look forward to another race where I’m sure we can be competitive.”

Formula1.com 

Canadian GP - Race - Force India Quotes

Two different strategies and two cars in the points marks another good race for Force India. Perez opted to start on the soft compound but was unable to make it last as long as needed and switched to a two-stop race. This proved to be a good move as, armed with fresher rubber, he made some late overtakes on Alonso and Kvyat to steal the final point.

Nico Hülkenberg, 8th
“I’m happy to score points, but at the same time I was hoping for a bit more from the race because I really believed we could challenge the top six. For some reason the car didn’t feel as good today as it did during practice and qualifying. Maybe it’s because the conditions were so cold and windy, which meant we lost the sweet spot and the car was not easy to drive. That’s something we need to look at in more detail and understand. At the start I didn’t get off the line very well, but I had a great first lap and recovered some positions. Then, the story of my race was simply tyre management. I think we made the right calls with the tyre strategy because even though we wanted to try and one stop it just wasn’t possible in the end.”

Sergio Perez, 10th
“It was a difficult race and looking back I don’t think we chose the optimum strategy. We tried to go down a different route compared to everyone else, but the cooler track conditions didn’t help: it was very difficult to get heat into the soft tyres during the first stint and that cost me a few positions at the start. I got stuck behind the two McLarens and that hurt my race. I lost a few seconds at the final stop when I briefly stalled the car and that dropped me behind Kvyat, but I managed to get the position back with an overtake going into turn one. In any case, to bring both cars home inside the points is a good result for the team, especially when the weekend doesn’t really go your way. We gave it our best and we have come home with points in the bag.”

Robert Fernley, Deputy Team Principal
“To come away from Montreal with another double points finish is a very good effort which consolidates our fifth place in the championship. We started the race hoping we could pull off a one-stop strategy with both cars, but with lots of tyre graining and high wear rates we opted to switch to a two-stop race. Most of the cars around us did the same, so it was the sensible course of action to cover our bases. Nico’s race was pretty non-eventful and he did well in the opening few laps to recover the ground he lost when he bogged down at the start. Sergio’s race was compromised by the slow warm-up of the soft tyres, which dropped him behind both McLarens and cost him quite a bit of time. To recover and score the final point was a good effort. After the chilly conditions of Montreal, we look forward to the weather that awaits us in Baku next week.”

Formula1.com