Force India are eyeing up a strong finish at this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. In the race, the team are hoping for a large haul of points in order to cement their position in fourth place in the Constructor's Championship.
Force India come off a disappointing race weekend in Azerbaijan, which saw Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon collide with one another, costing the Silverstone-based team what could have been its first podium of 2017 and a potential race win.
“I’m still feeling disappointed about the lost opportunity in Baku, but at the same time I’m feeling positive about the performance level we showed," said Perez. "We were fighting at the front and the car was working well. It’s just a shame my race ended early because there was a great chance of finishing on the podium. I think we can be just as competitive in Austria and pick up some good points this weekend."
Ocon also remained upbeat and seemed confident going into the race: “Austria is a track I know much better than the previous ones on which we have raced so far this season. I drove there a lot in the junior categories and I tested for Sahara Force India there in 2015. It’s a great place and the altitude makes it a challenge for the engine and the brakes."
Due to the Red Bull Ring being a power reliant circuit, Force India should benefit around the track through its Mercedes power, giving it an edge over the rest of the mid-field teams on the grid while a potential challenge towards Red Bull Racing could materialise due to its less powerful Renault engine.
“This weekend in Austria will be another opportunity to show the speed of the VJM10 and continue our run of points finishes," said Force India team principal, Vijay Mallya. "We need to keep up our momentum and scoring points consistently to maintain our fourth place in the championship. There is no room for complacency and we will keep pushing and trying to maximise every race.”
Chris Soulsby
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Replies (2)
Login to replyf1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
No reason why they can't trump Red Bull this weekend
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
I doubt they will, this track is more to Red Bull's liking. But I would like seeing them challenging RB.