Saturday: Force India and Sutil are delighted with their home performance
The Indian team can take pride in being at the forefront thanks to Adrian Sutil's good qualification, who will start eighth on a circuit he seems to have fallen for. Less on form than during free practice, Paul di Resta struggled with the balance of his car and has to settle for thirteenth place at the start.
Adrian Sutil – 9th and 8th:
« Since the beginning of the weekend, we have been saying that it’s a special race for us, so I’m happy with our performance in qualifying today. We are so determined to do well here and I think today’s result is a first step in that direction.
The eighth place is one of my best results in qualifying this season and I think it was the maximum we could achieve. The car’s balance was excellent and I really enjoy this track which seems to suit my driving style.
But tomorrow is the most important day, and now we must firmly think about the strategy we will implement. I feel very comfortable with the car, and I think we can be more competitive than we were in South Korea.
Paul Di Resta – 7th and 13th:
« Starting twelfth* is really a bit of a disappointment because we seemed quite solid this morning, but I was suffering from a bit of understeer in the fast corners and we couldn’t solve it during the session. I think the conditions cooled down a bit, which maybe didn’t help us because I couldn’t get the balance I wanted.
I think points are still achievable tomorrow and we seem quite strong on long runs. The task ahead of us is tough, but I will stay focused and try to do the best possible job for the team’s home race.
Dr. Vijay Mallya, Team Principal:
Another excellent day at the Buddh International Circuit, and I am delighted to see a Sahara Force India starting from one of the top four rows for the very first Indian Grand Prix. The entire team has worked very hard to bring our latest upgrades here this weekend, and I think it showed in our performance today.
Adrian clearly loves this track and was at the top of his game this afternoon. Paul was also very solid but unfortunately lost the good feeling he had with his car this morning and missed the chance to reach Q3.
The fact remains that we know we have a solid car for tomorrow and I am confident that our two drivers can be in the fight for points. It’s our home race and I hope all the fans will be behind Sahara Force India for what will be a spectacular and historic moment for India.
* Di Resta gains a position following the penalty given to Vitaly Petrov after his accident in South Korea.
