Force India aims to score new points in Spain

After finishing the last Grand Prix in Bahrain in sixth place, Paul di Resta approaches the Spanish Grand Prix quite confidently: «I probably know Barcelona better than any other circuit on the calendar. We did two testing sessions there this winter and I drove for four days, so I already feel well-prepared, but it’s the same for everyone. I expect the field to be very close once again.»

Force India team did not run much during the Mugello private tests, but initial functionality checks were still able to be conducted, as the Scottish driver explains: «We did not complete many laps (at Mugello) but it was an opportunity to begin evaluating some developments. There is still a lot of work to be done during the tests to be performant, but at least we were able to do the basic checks.»

Vijay Mallya, the boss of the Sahara Force India team, believes that the new developments will allow for a performance gain, but he remains cautious because he knows that Force India’s rivals will also have new developments in Barcelona: «Now that the European season is ahead of us, we should be able to bring more updates to the car. This will start this weekend with parts evaluated during the Mugello tests last week. However, we must keep in mind that most teams will bring new developments to Barcelona, so we will have to wait before seeing the impact on our performance.»

The Circuit de Calanuya is a track that Nico Hülkenberg appreciates and which has rewarded him with strong performances in recent years in Barcelona: «It’s a circuit I enjoy and where I’ve had quite a bit of success in the past. It’s very fast, there are many right-hand corners, and it’s physically demanding, especially on the neck. As for the city of Barcelona, I love going there because it’s a pleasant place with always a good atmosphere. The stands are also always full on race day because the Spanish fans love Formula 1.»

Even if the German driver knows the Spanish circuit well, it presents challenges that must be tackled each time: The first sector with turns 1, 2, and 3 is tricky and you must approach them as a single corner. A mistake in turn 1 or 2 will affect turn 3 and cause you to lose time. It’s really satisfying when you manage to take them well. The last sector is very technical: it is slow and winding, especially the final chicane, so it’s easy to lose time at the end of a lap.

Hülkenberg had a rocky start to the season, but he hopes to return to his best level in Spain and fight for points: « I’m comfortable with the team and really enjoying this season. Some races haven’t gone very well for me, but I’m looking ahead and not behind, and I’m determined to achieve good results for the team. I work well with my mechanics and engineers, and we’re working hard, and we’ll try our best to be back in the points this weekend. »

Seeing at least one of his cars finish in the points is also Vijay Mallya’s goal: Just like with the developments on the single-seater, we are working hard to maximize strategies and our drivers are delivering top-notch performances during the races. This is even more important this year with the gaps between the teams being so small. If we can continue as we did in Bahrain, then we should stay in the fight for points this weekend.