Saturday: Disappointment is the order of the day at Force India
As the Force India drivers aimed for Q3, issues at the final chicane prevented them from reaching the top 10.
Nico Hülkenberg – 11th and 14th [13th on the grid]
The qualifying session did not go very well for the German driver who will start from the thirteenth position on the grid. It will be difficult and will make the race even more challenging. But the Force India driver takes the blame for this session: We lost a very good lap when I locked up the tires at the last chicane, so I only have myself to blame. I think we could have been in Q3.
But Nico Hülkenberg is not defeated and will take advantage of every opportunity: « Suzuka is one of the trickiest circuits, so tomorrow, there will be everything to gain. With the threat of rain, anything can happen. »
Sergio Perez – 13th and 12th [11th on the grid]
Despite qualifying ahead of his teammate, the former McLaren driver is disappointed: « When the track was improving on my second attempt in Q2, things didn’t go my way. I had to slow down at the last chicane of my out lap, which caused my tires and brakes to cool down. » In these traffic conditions, the Mexican therefore lost grip for his flying lap, greatly hindering him.
« It’s a shame not to have done better, especially since we managed to improve the car before the qualifiers. » And just like his teammate, Sergio Perez is looking forward to the race, hoping for a breakthrough for his team: « I hope better things will happen tomorrow. »