Force India

Formula 1 Team reports for the 2009 F1 season includes race previews, reports and reviews
Ed
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Post by Ed » Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:39 am

2009 European Grand Prix Qualifying and Final Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP3: 1st 1:39.143 (12 laps)
Q1: 11th 1:39.145 (11 laps)
Q2: 12th 1:38.846 (7 laps)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP3: 6th 1:39.764 (12 laps)
Q1: 16th 1:39.531 (11 laps)

22 August 2009 - The Force India Formula One Team will start tomorrow's European Grand Prix at Valencia from 12th and 16th positions with Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella respectively following a strong day of running at the Valencia Urban Track.

Adrian got the day off to a perfect start when he finished FP3 on top of the timesheets. He then followed up with an encouraging performance in qualifying, easing through to Q2 for the fourth time this year. The 26-year-old German set the 11th quickest time in the opening segment and pushed hard into Q2 to record the 12th best lap, just one tenth from the top 10.

Giancarlo similarly had a strong start to the day, setting the sixth quickest time in the earlier practice, but just missed out on a Q2 slot on his last, and potentially fastest, lap. He will start the 57-lap race from 16th.


Adrian Sutil (car 20)
We've been quick here all the weekend and everything is working very well. I'm really happy about the upgrades we've put on the car, the team is doing a great job. We've made a big step forward in the last couple of months and I'm really enjoying every session now. This morning was the best way to prepare for qualifying, but we knew it was not going to be possible to replicate this position. Conditions for qualifying were actually pretty tough with quite low grip and high temperatures but the lap times are very close - it seems to be a characteristic of this circuit. We were just a few hundredths from Q3 so we just missed out in the end. We are in a good position now though so it's a reasonable goal for us to say we want to score our first points here.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
I am very disappointed with this result as I felt I could have easily got through to Q2 today. Unfortunately on the last run I got caught in traffic on my first lap and then lost about six or seven tenths in the last sector on my second lap, otherwise I really feel we could have got through after the weekend we've been having so far. It's going to be a tough race.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
Realistically Adrian was about where we expected to be in qualifying today and we are pleased that it's demonstrated again our continued improvement of pace. It's frustrating for Adrian to have just missed out on Q3 by the smallest of margins especially after getting P1 in FP3 on a reasonable fuel load, and equally for Giancarlo at the Q1 cut-off. There's no doubt though that the car has enough performance here to race with the top ten and there's a chance of points tomorrow.

Ed
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Post by Ed » Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:22 am

2009 European Grand Prix Race Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
10th +47.935secs

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
12th +63.614secs

23 August 2009 - The Force India Formula One Team has finished a sweltering European Grand Prix with Adrian Sutil in 10th and Giancarlo Fisichella in 12th position. Adrian's result is Force India's fourth top 10 finish this season, and his best result since the season opening Australian Grand Prix, while Giancarlo's is his fifth top 12 position this year.

Adrian used a two stop strategy to move up two places on his grid position and enjoyed a race long battle with the two BMWs, passing Heidfeld on his first stop on lap 22 and putting pressure on Kubica on his second stint. On his third run Adrian then chased the Red Bull of Mark Webber for ninth position, matching the Australian's lap times, to finish just three seconds away at the flag fall.

Giancarlo made a good start off the line and finished the first lap in 13th position, three places up on his grid slot. Using a one-stop strategy he was able to safeguard this position and move up a further place midway through the race. Despite pressure from Jarno Trulli's Toyota in the closing laps, Giancarlo held on to the finish to claim a strong 12th place.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
Today was a good performance with no mistakes, good lap times and we showed a clear step forward. I think tenth was the maximum we could do from 12th position on the grid. It was a very tough race, very hot, but everything worked perfectly. I was behind the two BMWs for my first stint and couldn't get past on the track but the team did a really good stop and I could pass Heidfeld in the pitlane. I'm really looking forward to Spa now - I love the track and with the pace we've shown this weekend it's looking promising for a good result there.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
It was a difficult race as the grid position was not as good as we had hoped so we used a one-stop strategy, which gave us an opportunity to gain some positions. I made a very good start, keeping clear of the collision and was running in 13th at the end of the first lap, right behind Adrian. The first stint on the hard tyres was very consistent with a good pace. Then we changed to the soft tyres and it was a bit tricky as there was some graining. I could keep a good pace though I had to watch the tyres to keep them until the end. Twelfth is a good result for us. We made a few positions and now seem to be ahead of Toyota and some other cars. We need another step like we made this weekend and we can easily score points.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
Overall it's been a strong performance for us all weekend and probably our most competitive race in two seasons. The upgrades we introduced this race have clearly given us a big step forward and we're now really mixing it in the midfield positions. I'd like to say thanks to all the team back at Silverstone who have worked very hard to get the development through, and to the drivers for doing it justice. I can't wait to get to Belgium now

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Post by Ed » Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:43 pm

Belgian Grand Prix Preview
28 - 30 August 2009

The next round of the FIA Formula One World Championship, the Belgian Grand Prix, will take place just one week after last weekend's European Grand Prix in Valencia. Held at the 7km Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the heart of the country's Ardennes Forest, the Belgian Grand Prix is famed for its dramatic undulation changes and challenging corners that generally produce close, exciting racing.

The Force India Formula One Team looks forward to Belgium following a competitive weekend performance in Valencia where new upgrades saw the team secure a slot in Q2 yet again and a promising double top 12 finish in the race.

Team Q&A
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
Were you pleased with the results of Valencia?
I was really delighted with the entire weekend performance from the team, right through from practice. Going into the weekend we anticipated a step forward of over half a second with the new aero package, but you never know what the other teams will be bringing with them and how our performance will translate. I think we can all be very proud of the progress we made. From the off we were quick and we really achieved the maximum we could do. Two top 12 finishes might seem frustrating as we're still outside the points, but when you look at the people in front of us and then behind we can't be disappointed at all. I don't think I've looked forward to a race quite as much as I am looking forward to Spa!

Driver Q&A
Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01)
How would you review the Valencia weekend?
I feel we did the maximum possible performance in Valencia. It was a tough race in very, very high temperatures but the whole team did a fantastic job. Our stops were great so we could jump Heidfeld in the pits and then in the final third of the race I was just behind Webber, which was very encouraging considering how well the Red Bulls have been performing this season. Getting P1 on Saturday in practice was a real bonus but top 12 is where we are at the moment. This is itself is a real boost for everyone after so long being at the back.

What are your thoughts looking forward to Spa?
Along with Monaco, Spa is one of my favourite tracks. It's a real nature track through the forest where you really get into the rhythm of the corners. It also gives very interesting racing - last year the race was dry until two laps from the end, then it all changed suddenly. This year I think we are looking good. Our new aero package gave a very good step forward and we've been quick at lower downforce tracks so far this year so I'm very confident of getting another good result. I hope top 10 or even better.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04)
Looking forward to Belgium, it's a real drivers' favourite. What makes it so special?
Every driver loves Spa and, for me, it's the best circuit of the year. It's 7km long so you get a lot of different corners, from hairpins to fast sections and then obviously the best corner of the year, Eau Rouge. Actually this corner is not as exciting as it was a few years ago when you only took it flat in qualifying. Now we have more downforce and a bit less power with the V8 so you are usually flat out every time you go through. Even though it's not as challenging now, it's still very exciting. There's a lot of compression when you go down and then you have to jink left and right - it's a complete corner. The weather in Spa is always unpredictable as well. You can have rain in sector one and then it could be sunny in sector three so anything could happen. We are going there at the end of August this year, but we could have any type of weather!

You've had some good results at the circuit - what have been your high points?
My first appearance at Spa was in 1997 with Jordan and I had a great result. I finished second, just behind Hakkinen - at the time it was my best career result. Then I went on to have some more good results and was third in 2001 with Renault. At the time the car was not too good but the team brought some new upgrades to Spa. I made a great start from eighth on the grid and going into the first corner I was fourth. For the rest of the race we were very competitive and I finished third, which was a fantastic result for the team.

What would the aims this year be?
Valencia was a great result for Force India. We could really race in the midfield and seemed to have an advantage over quite a few teams and drivers now. The upgrades made a big difference and the car was nice to drive. Spa is a bit different to Valencia but it's still very quick so I hope we can transfer the performance this week. My aim will be to qualify well so we can start a bit further up the grid, have a strong race and finally score some points.

Force India Belgian Grand Prix points of note:

Force India will be using a new low downforce rear wing in Spa to cope with the lower drag levels needed as it's the first true low downforce circuit of the year and something of a build up to Monza, which will be the lowest level the team runs. The new upgrades debuted in Valencia will be used yet again but there is a new front wing to match as the one used in Valencia will be too powerful to balance the reduced rear downforce.

Adrian was perhaps not surprisingly the most improved driver in Valencia compared to 2008. He managed to go eight tenths quicker than in '08, when the average performance was six tenths slower. He even bettered the improvement shown by Barrichello and Button who were in last year's Honda. He is now the only driver to have improved in every qualifying session so far '08 compared to '09.

Post Spa the team will be conducting yet another aero test: its third of the year. Tonio Liuzzi will be driving at Kemble airfield, UK, on 3 September.

Both drivers returned to their respective homes (Adrian near Zurich in Switzerland and Fisi to Rome) between Europe and Belgium. The team's mechanics and truckies travelled directly to Belgium to begin set-up for the race. At over 1,600km distance this is the longest European double header in recent memory.

Force India's predecessors Jordan Grand Prix scored its first-ever win at the Belgian Grand Prix in 1998 with Damon Hill. Ralf Schumacher, also driving a Jordan, was second for a 1-2 result.

Giancarlo Fisichella scored his second-ever podium at Spa in 1997 (second, driving a Jordan) and has finished on the podium again in 2001 with Renault.

Adrian Sutil set the Euro F3 lap record round Spa in 2005 when he was team-mate to Lewis Hamilton. When the series visited the track that year he won one of the two races and finished second in the final round.

Belgian Grand Prix: View from the pit wall with Force India's chief engineer, Dominic Harlow:
Spa is a classic circuit and motorsport in its purest form. The Spa-Francorchamps track incorporates three of the most challenging high speed corners on the calendar and these combine with nearly 7km of flowing corners and elevation change starting at the first gear La Source hairpin and ending at the new Bus Stop chicane.

One thing we can be sure of is that it will almost certainly be wet at some stage, although the race is slightly earlier this year so not in the wetter conditions of autumn. The team has a good history at this event and it should suit the VJM02 technical package well. This race will see the introduction of a lower downforce rear wing that will allow speeds of up to 330km/h. With these long straights the engine is given its toughest work out of the year in terms of inertial loading in Spa and so we will carefully manage the use of our Mercedes Benz engines.

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Post by Ed » Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:03 am

2009 Belgian Grand Prix Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP1: 16th 2:05.839 (10 laps)
FP2: 13th 1:47.790 (29 laps)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP1: 11th 2:03.972 (11 laps)
FP2: 6th 1:47.506 (27 laps)

28 August 2009 - The hills and valleys of the Ardennes forest reverberated with the sound of Formula One engines as practice for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix got underway today at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

After rain blighted the morning session, most of the Force India Formula One Team's job list was condensed into the dry afternoon practice. With no further heavy showers predicted over the weekend, Adrian and Giancarlo ran just three laps on intermediate tyres and one later lap on extreme wets in the morning, Giancarlo being the quickest driver in the wet.

For the later practice the rain cleared, allowing an abbreviated programme of both long and shorter runs, tyre evaluation, gathering information on different wing levels and the handling of the VJM02 in low downforce configuration, which has not been used so far this season. Giancarlo recorded a quickest lap of 1:47.506, which placed him 6th fastest, while Adrian was two tenths slower in 13th.

The team will use tomorrow's final practice session to fine tune balance before qualifying takes place at 14:00hrs local time.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
It's great to be back at Spa this weekend. I really enjoy driving here, even in the wet. I'm quite happy with today. We had a lot of work to get through in the afternoon and trying to get the balance and the tyres to work took some time. We had quite a lot of understeer but when we understood it I felt much more comfortable in the car and with our pace. Unfortunately I got traffic on my last lap so the time isn't a true reflection of what we could do but I'm confident for tomorrow and maintaining our recent performance.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
We had a lot of understeer at the beginning of the afternoon but we improved the balance of the car and made a good step forward for the last run of the day. My last lap was good and I'm happy I could record a quick time. We still need to work on the amount of understeer we have but apart from that today was not too bad. It's difficult to say where we will be tomorrow, but top 15 is realistic and of course we will try our best to get in the top 10 but it is going to be very difficult.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
It wouldn't have been Spa without the wet session, and that meant our afternoon practice was slightly condensed in order to try and fit in all the work we had planned. Obviously here we need to evaluate wing levels and the effect that this has on speed and set-up, and also the Bridgestone medium and soft tyres that are available. The drivers reported some understeer, and there is still a bit of work to do on setup. It looks close again, and we will have to work hard to maintain our level of competitiveness from Valencia.

Ed
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Post by Ed » Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:44 am

2009 Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying and Final Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP3: 3rd 1:45.677 (20 laps)
Q1: 4th 1:45.239 (10 laps)
Q2: 11th 1:45.119 (8 laps)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP3: 8th 1:46.114 (21 laps)
Q1: 1st 1:45.102 (11 laps)
Q2: 4th 1:44.667 (8 laps)
Q3: 1st 1:46.308 (4 laps)

POLE!!!

29 August 2009 - Giancarlo Fisichella has secured a spectacular first pole for the Force India Formula One Team, marking the first time that an Indian team has been on the front row of the starting grid for a Grand Prix. The 36-year-old Italian will start from pole for the fourth time in his career after an unbelievable qualifying session.

Giancarlo led the field throughout the hour, setting the fastest time in Q1 to ease into Q2. The fourth best time in Q2 then followed before a nail biting Q3 that saw him trade fastest times with the Toyota of Jarno Trulli. His best lap of the session, a 1min 46.308, which came just seconds from the end of the hour, could not be bettered and he held on for his first pole since Malaysia 2006.

Adrian Sutil had also looked strong throughout the day and narrowly missed out on a Q3 slot for the second time this year by just one tenth of a second. The German will start the race from 11th position.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
This is an unbelievable day for the team. Congratulations to Giancarlo: it was an amazing result for him and such a good boost for the team. We've worked hard so the guys really deserve it. For me, it was quite a good session but I'm still a little bit disappointed as I couldn't use the soft tyre set effectively. The hard set was much better on my car - we don't know why but we will look into it for sure. Normally we should have been Q3 - as Giancarlo showed - but from 11th I still think points are possible. We are quite good on the long run pace, the car feels good and it was from this point of view I am quite happy.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
This is one of my favourite circuits, I did well in the past and I was sure we would be competitive again this year. I didn't expect to be on pole though! It feels just great, like a dream. I am so happy for myself, for the team, for the mechanics, the engineers, who have done a fantastic job. They did a great step forward for Valencia for the last race considering our budget and our resources. This morning we had a small accident when I hit a rabbit, but my engineer said it would be lucky and it was ! What a result. I am now not only looking for points, but for more. We've got this far we need to finish the job!

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
Simply an incredible result today and full credit to Giancarlo on a series of fantastic laps. We started today a little unsure of our performance, and knew we had to work on the understeer that was in the car yesterday. The engineers worked on it, tried a few things in FP3 and found the right direction. From there both drivers were much happier. For Adrian the two tyres seemed closer in performance in qualifying, and somehow he just missed out on Q3, Giancarlo concentrated on the soft tyre in Q2 and I think the track improvement came in that direction. I want to say thanks to the tunnel, the factory and to the team and hope that tomorrow we convert this qualifying result to solid points.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and managing director
What an unbelievable result we have had here. I am so proud of Giancarlo, the team in the garage and the factory and also for the entire Indian nation. There is nothing more to say: we've done both ourselves and the country proud.

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Post by Ed » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:32 am

2009 Belgian Grand Prix Race Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
11th +42.636secs

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
2nd +0.939secs

30 August 2009 - Giancarlo Fisichella has finished a nail-biting Belgian Grand Prix in second position - just one second from first place - marking the Force India Formula One Team's first-ever World Championship points. The eight points now bring Force India to ninth position in the constructors' championship and Giancarlo to 14th in the drivers'.

Giancarlo started from pole position, making an excellent start to lead the field through the first hairpin turn and round the first lap. An accident further down the field called for a safety car to be deployed and, despite strong defence on the restart he was unable to hold off the KERS-equipped Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen. Giancarlo then matched Kimi's lap times lap after lap until they pitted on exactly the same lap (lap 14). Rejoining just metres from Kimi, Giancarlo continued to shadow the Ferrari until his second stop, which again came on the same lap (lap 31). Giancarlo was generally quicker than the Ferrari but Kimi's use of KERS kept him ahead, leaving Giancarlo just 0.939secs away from scoring an unprecedented win.

Adrian Sutil had started from 11th position but was unfortunately a victim of a start line accident that cost him his front wing. The German was forced to pit and rejoined far down the field. A strategy adjustment to a one-stopper gave him opportunity to move to 9th position, pulling off some spectacular overtaking maneouvres in the process. He again finished a strong race within sight of the points in 11th position.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
It was a great weekend for the team, particularly for Giancarlo. He did a great race today, second position, which is a big achievement for everyone. We have clearly made a very good step and I think today anything was possible and we can look forward to the next race. Personally I am a little disappointed as someone crashed into me at the first corner and the race was over at that point. I think it was Alonso, who went straight into my rear and turned me around and destroyed my front wing. In the end it was disappointing as the car had the speed and I tried to get back in the race but it was frustrating. I am still very happy with the car and for the team as second place is still a very good position. I hope I can get a similar result in Monza.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
It's been another great day and it was an amazing result today. Before coming to Spa if you had asked all the team if we would have been happy to finish eighth we would have said it was a fantastic result but second is a dream, just great. Actually if I can be honest I am a little disappointed as I felt we could have won the race. I was unlucky with the safety car when Kimi came past me at the restart and overtook me with the KERS. Actually behind him I was quicker but with the KERS I couldn't get past as it was impossible to be quick on the long straight. But we can't take it away from the fantastic result, both at the track and in the factory to get this result. After yesterday I was pretty confident to score points, it's positive for the championship and for the coming races. A big thank you to everyone.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
What a result. I am so proud of this race, which will ultimately go down in the history books as India's first-ever World Championship points. It's been a fantastic Saturday, fantastic race and to get our first podium and championship points is just unbelievable. We've worked so very hard to get this with a solid plan of upgrades coming through on the factory. Giancarlo drove a truly outstanding race. We can all be so proud of the entire effort.

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Post by Ed » Thu Sep 10, 2009 11:08 am

Italian Grand Prix Preview
10 - 13 September 2009

Following its inaugural points and podium at the Belgian Grand Prix two weeks ago, the Force India Formula One Team goes to the next round of the FIA Formula One World Championship, the Italian Grand Prix, in a buoyant mood.

The team this time out will have a different look, with Tonio Liuzzi joining Adrian Sutil in the driver line-up following Giancarlo Fisichella's switch to the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro team.

Team Q&A
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
Spa was obviously a great race for the team. Are you confident this is a genuine reflection of the team's performance right now?
We went to Spa with a continuation of our Valencia upgrade, which we knew would give a big step up. We genuinely believed we would get two cars into Q2 and be at the top of this session, but pole was beyond even our hopes! But after that we set the bar very high and the podium was just a dream. I think we will be hard pushed to repeat this in Monza but we certainly will go there confident we can surprise a few people. I don't think anyone would count us out now.

How will Monza suit the VJM02?
If you are quick in Spa generally you will go well in Monza so I would hope we would be again top of Q2 and in the hunt for points. I do think KERS will play a big part this time in Monza so, as Kimi showed in Spa, it may be difficult to run ahead or stay ahead of the KERS-equipped cars. That's not to say we won't give it a good shot though.

You have a new driver line-up this time out - how do you see this pairing?
We obviously have a new race driver pairing in Adrian and Tonio, but the two of them have been team-mates for the past one and a half years. They know each other well, they know how the team operates and they know the cars so we really should be able to pick up where we left off last weekend. I expect Tonio will take some time to get up to speed on Friday but I think he will be on it pretty much by qualifying. I am sure that's his goal as well.

Driver Q&A
Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01)
How are you looking forward to Monza?
I can't wait for Monza. Giancarlo had such a good weekend in Spa, with pole and then the podium, that it's really made me want to get in the car and do the same. For various reasons I didn't feel like I personally got the results in Spa I felt we could have so for sure I will want to go better in Italy. We've got a good car, I feel very confident in it and in the team and our top speeds have consistently been amongst the quickest in the field so I think we have a good shot at getting another good finish.

What is special about Monza for you?
Monza is one of those tracks that have so much history about it. Even coming into the circuit in the morning you see the old banking, the grandstands and think about how much racing has gone on here. The crowds are just incredible too. You can sometimes hear the crowd even over the engine so the atmosphere is always amazing. The track itself can be quite tricky to get right, particularly under braking into the chicanes, so everything about the event is interesting for me.

In Monza you have a new team-mate - how do you feel about this?
I think it's a great opportunity for both Giancarlo to go to Ferrari and achieve a dream and also for Tonio to finally get some race mileage in the car. Of course it's a shame it happened because of Felipe's accident but it's an opportunity for both Giancarlo and Tonio as well. Having a change mid-season isn't a problem for me - I've had this situation once before in 2007 - and I know Tonio very well now we've spent two years together in the same team. He's a good guy and we work well together, he's always been very open with information and he's done a great job in the testing and development. Together I think we can carry on the progress we've made so far and get some good results.

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21, VJM02/04)
Tonio, it's the eve of your first race with Force India. How do you feel?
I'm really looking forward to it. I was hungry to be back in the race seat again as it was my aim for the future and it's happened in a good way - for Monza, my home race and this year. I think it will be a big test for me to show what I can do. It's a good opportunity for me to show what I can do after one and a half years of being a third driver.

What have you been doing between Monday, when your seat was announced, and now? How have you been preparing?
Of course I've kept myself fit and I've been trying to get closer to the team and get closer to the routine a race driver does, getting used to all the procedures of a race driver; so the starts, steering wheel, seat position, and so on. For sure I've been giving it more than 100% on the fitness side as I need to be ready and fit for Monza.

Do you feel any extra pressure making your F1 comeback after a year and a half away from racing?
There will be pressure but I am confident I will get back into it quickly. I am just one and a half years out of racing and in 2008 I did a lot of mileage with Force India as they gave me the chance to do more than 15 test days. I am also fully involved with the team in the development of the car. For sure it won't be easy but I think Monza is the best place to restart. It's smooth, really fast with lots of straights and not too many corners and I'm pretty confident that we will be straight away setting a good pace.

Do you have any aims for the race and the rest of the season?
For sure to give the best to the team and to try and bring as many points as possible. After Spa we set big aims for the future but it won't be that easy to finish on the podium for the remaining races. My biggest dream will be to get a podium, but being objective the most important thing is to score as many points to bring the team up the team championship order.

Force India Italian Grand Prix points of note:
Tonio Liuzzi will be taking over car number 21 following Giancarlo Fisichella's switch to Ferrari. Tonio has been the team's test and reserve driver since the start of the 2008 season. He last drove the VJM02 in a straight line aero test at Kemble airfield, UK, on 3 September where he tested the Monza downforce configuration.

Tonio's last F1 race was the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix with Toro Rosso. To date he has contested 39 Grands Prix, with a career-best result of sixth coming in the rain-lashed 2007 Chinese Grand Prix. He has scored a total of five points, including one point on his race debut.

Adrian and Tonio have both driven in two Italian GPs; Tonio in 2006 and 2007 and Adrian in 2007 and 2008. Tonio is actually a race winner at Monza, having taken victory at the Italian round of F3000 in 2004.

Force India achieved its first-ever Q2 result at Monza last year when Giancarlo Fisichella started in 12th position. At the time it was the team's best starting position.

Italian Grand Prix: View from the pit wall with Force India's chief engineer, Dominic Harlow:
Monza is a great way to round off the European season. It's the oldest permanent Grand Prix circuit still in use, and the cars still run on the original road course main straight. The length of the straights means the teams run their lowest drag and downforce configurations, only about 70% of what is possible at a slower circuit. This in turn results in the highest top and average speeds and hence the shortest race time.

Over 200mph is commonplace in Monza with cars approaching this velocity three times a lap. The track is hard on brakes with three chicanes interrupting the flow and the chicane kerbs are always taken very aggressively. From an engineering perspective it will be a challenge to optimise the cars for this unique environment without the traditional pre-race test.

Of course you can't fail to be moved by the atmosphere and history of the place combined with the parkland setting at the end of summer.

Ed
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Post by Ed » Sat Sep 12, 2009 1:54 am

2009 Italian Grand Prix Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP1: 3rd 1:24.471 (24 laps)
FP2: 1st 1:23.924 (28 laps)

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP1: 16th 1:25.689 (29 laps)
FP2: 12th 1:24.921 (39 laps)

11 September 2009 - The Force India Formula One Team today had a strong opening day of practice in advance of Sunday's Italian Grand Prix, the final race of the European season. Adrian Sutil recorded the fastest time of the day in the afternoon's second free practice session after setting an encouraging third quickest lap in the morning. His programme focussed on evaluating the VJM02 in low drag configuration, completing back to back tests of different wing levels and assessing the tyre options available this weekend.

Tonio Liuzzi, making his Force India race debut this weekend, completed 68 laps over the two sessions as he quickly got to grips with the VJM02 under racing conditions. His morning's best time, a 1:25.689, was the 16th quickest time of the morning while he finished the session with the 12th best lap following steady improvement over the day.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
Everything went well today. The car was working perfectly and we can be very happy about the result. It was a very, very good time that came as a result of some good work, a great set-up and getting the tyres to work well. We didn't try specifically to go fastest but if you are on top of your game and the car is working well there's no reason why you couldn't be P1 at the end of the session. It was a very productive day on a very cool track and it's good to have some fun right now.

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21)
Today was much better than the straight line testing! It's a completely different approach as you get used to the rhythm, the braking points and I think it's a great challenge. We went for longer runs and covering a race distance and everything is going in the right direction. For now I am taking it a bit easy as I want to get used to the tyres and the car and tomorrow we will work on the lap time for qualifying. We knew we would have a competitive car and I felt the balance was good, and there is still at least half a second more as I had some traffic on some of my fastest laps. It's just the beginning of the weekend but I am really happy about how it went. I think the car is responding really well and we are optimistic for tomorrow.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
A very good first day back in a race seat for Tonio, and a productive programme from Adrian. We lost some time with Adrian's car at the start of FP2 following a planned engine change, but once back on track he made good progress. The car seems to be performing well at lower downforce in race trim, but as usual at this demanding circuit there is plenty of work to do to prepare for qualifying.

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Post by Ed » Sun Sep 13, 2009 1:30 am

2009 Italian Grand Prix Qualifying and Final Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP3: 1st 1:23.336 (21 laps)
Q1: 7th 1:23.576 (10 laps)
Q2: 4th 1:23.070 (9 laps)
Q3: 2nd 1:24.261 (5 laps)

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP3: 7th 1:23.849 (21 laps)
Q1: 8th 1:23.578 (12 laps)
Q2: 5th 1:23.207 (9 laps)
Q3: 7th 1:25.043 (5 laps)

12 September 2009 - For the second consecutive race, the Force India Formula One Team will start from the front row of the grid as Adrian Sutil put in a superb performance to secure second position for Sunday's Italian Grand Prix. Tonio Liuzzi, racing the VJM02 for the first time this weekend, will start from an impressive seventh position, marking the first time the team has achieved a double top 10 start.

Adrian had started the day strongly with the fastest time in the morning's free practice. He then followed this with a solid Q1 performance, securing the 7th fastest time. He made just two runs in Q2, finishing with the fourth best lap to ease into Q3 for the second time this year. Adrian completed just three laps in Q3, setting his quickest time on his final lap to secure a career-best second position and an all Mercedes engine front row.

Tonio progressed to Q2 thanks to the 8th quickest lap. His best lap of Q2, a 1:23.207, was just shy of Adrian's best for 5th position - and allowed Tonio through to Q3. A great performance on his debut then enabled the 28-year-old Italian to capture his highest-ever starting position of 7th.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
After the results yesterday and this morning, we wanted to fight for the pole position. We knew the car was up to it and that's what we showed in qualifying today. We have a great package, this circuit suits us very well as we have an incredible top speed and also a good downforce package so the efficiency of the car is really good. I'm starting on the front row with Lewis for the first time since F3 and I'm really happy he is next to me, he's a good friend but we will fight hard for it. I have a lot of respect for him. It's going to be very difficult start with the KERS cars around me but the race is long, I'll do what I have to to defend my position and have a good strategy. If the race pace is OK we can gain positions and even if they get past me I have a good, fast car on the straights so it's going to be tight.

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21)
Two weeks ago I didn't expect to be on the grid so this is a fantastic result - better than we expected. The team made a great effort and gave me a lot of support to reach this target. They never gave up and we had a great Friday and Saturday. The race will be difficult physically and mentally but I like the fight, the team are fighters and we will give the maximum in tomorrow's race. I'm definitely looking forward to racing in front of my home crowd.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
Today's Qualifying session showed that Spa was not merely a one-off but that we are genuinely competitive. Both drivers and everyone in the team have done a really excellent job so far this weekend and have put us in a strong position for tomorrow's race.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and managing director
I'm absolutely delighted with this weekend's performance so far. We've been very strong all weekend and both drivers have been outstanding. Adrian has really showed a great maturity to achieve his best-ever starting position, while Tonio has been a revelation on his debut. Although qualifying is just one part of the equation we are feeling quite upbeat about tomorrow's race now.

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Post by Ed » Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:05 am

2009 Italian Grand Prix Race Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
4th +31.131secs

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21, VJM02/04):
DNF Lap 22 Mechanical

13 September 2009 - Adrian Sutil has secured another points finish for the Force India Formula One Team in today's Italian Grand Prix. The 26-year-old German finished in a fighting fourth position, under half a second from the podium, marking his highest finish to date and his first points since the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix. To compound this success Adrian also posted the fastest lap of the race.

Tonio Liuzzi, making his Force India race debut this weekend, was running in sixth position at the start of the race, however his race was cut short when his car developed a driveshaft problem.

Adrian's five points bring Force India's total to 13 overall, just seven points from BMW and Renault.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
It was a great race and the car was performing really well. At the start we knew it would be really difficult to defend our position against Kimi and his KERS button and then I was stuck behind him the whole race. I was really quick but I just couldn't find a way past him as the KERS had such a big effect on the circuit. Going into my second stop we had a chance to overtake him in the pit lane and I was pushing really hard but I was a bit late on the brakes into the box. I think I have to say sorry to the mechanics for going a bit wide! But still they did a great job there. The race pace overall was very good but finally the one-stop strategy worked better than the two stop. All the same we scored a lot of points and I am really, really happy for myself and all of the team at the track and back in the factory and wind tunnel.

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21)
Finally, I am racing again and I gave it 100%. We didn't make any mistakes and everything was perfect until we were in a great position, but that's racing unfortunately. I had an unusual problem, the transmission started making a strange noise and then I lost drive and couldn't push. That's racing it was just a shame as we didn't have a reliability problem until now, but that's how it is. We won't give up though until the end of the season, we want to get lots of points and I am sure we will make it.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
It's been another great weekend for Force India. We thought the podium would be a dream here going into the weekend and at the end of the race we were less than half a second away. Adrian drove a fantastic race and richly deserved those points. Tonio too almost had a perfect start to his Force India race career, but unfortunately we couldn't give him the reliability he deserved. Nevetheless he has marked himself out as a real star and I am sure that he will get his own points opportunities further down the line. We can go to Singapore on a real high now. We know the car is good and with more to come development-wise for this race we can be very confident of continuing this form.

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Post by Ed » Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:13 pm

Singapore Grand Prix Preview
25 - 27 September 2009

The Singapore Grand Prix from 25 - 27 September will be the next stop on the F1 calendar for the Force India Formula One Team and the first in a sequence of four flyaway races that culminates with the season finale in Abu Dhabi. The team heads to this event eager to add to its points total following on from its first podium finish in Spa and a fourth place finish at the Italian Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Team Q&A
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
How satisfied were you with the results of the Italian Grand Prix?
Overall we are very satisfied that we've proved we are a competitive team and we can race with the best. Spa wasn't a one-off. We still have four races to go, and I'm pretty confident that we'll put on a good show. Japan and Brazil will probably suit the pace of this car, and we have an upgrade coming for Singapore, so let's see how it goes. We have every reason to be pleased about the progress, but there's a still a long way to go.

What did you think of Tonio's performance, bearing in mind he stepped in with no proper testing?
Outstanding. He was hungry, and he really wanted to prove himself. He had 500% commitment. I was impressed and I think we made the right decision because in qualifying and in the race he did very well for us. I have every confidence that he will score points. He's quick and he'll only get better from here.

There's a strong Indian influence in Singapore and you have connections there. Is that a race where you'd like to make an impact?
It would be very nice to perform well in any race where there's a large Indian population. That would go for Abu Dhabi as well for sure, and definitely Singapore. The feedback in India has been absolutely brilliant. There's been a lot of excitement, not just with the number of messages, but in the Indian media. And of course the Force India website has been flooded with messages from all of our fans. It means a lot to them, and they're really proud now.

What will the aims be in Singapore?
I'd hope we could be again in Q3 and racing for points. We have a new upgrade coming, which features some modifications to the bodywork, the diffuser and the front wing. Every upgrade we've introduced so far this year has really given us a step forward so I am hopeful that we will be able to maintain our recent run of form. We do know however that it's going to be tough as Spa and Monza were low downforce tracks and Singapore demands higher levels but we've set the bar high now. We need to keep pushing until the end of the season.

Driver Q&A
Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01)
Italy was a great weekend all round for you. How would you review it now?
I went to the race in Monza really determined to do well. I felt like I had missed a chance in Spa and, seeing how good the car was, I thought we could be on for a good finish. All weekend the car performed outstandingly and when it got to qualifying we knew we could do very well. We were a little surprised to be on the front row, but that's what happens when you've got a good team working flat out as a tight unit - you just find that little extra. The race was amazing, it felt so good to be back in the front and finally getting those points.

How did it feel to get points after so long?
I was so happy for myself and for the team. We've been in points-scoring positions before but then never actually got them, so to finally get a points' finish, and a good one, felt like we had got a good reward. It was getting a little frustrating for everyone but now we can really start putting that energy into moving forward. When I visited the factory last week it had made such a big difference to everyone. They were all smiling and even though they worked hard before, it was 110% effort now as they can see how everyone makes a difference.

What will your aims for Singapore be this year?
The track is quite challenging, with lots of corners and changes of direction but it's also quite fast, like a cross between Valencia and Monaco. I enjoy street racing and Singapore has that same feeling so I'm looking forward to it. Last year I didn't have such a great race but this year we are in a very different situation. My goal will be to be focussed from the start of the weekend, do some solid work in practice and qualify well as a good grid position is very important here. For sure it's then to get some more points. I feel we can definitely add to the total.

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21, VJM02/04)
You had a great weekend in Monza, although sadly it ended in retirement. How would you sum up your feelings about your comeback race?
Of course, it was not easy going into the weekend with very little testing, but the support I had from the team and belief from them helped me to feel comfortable. From Friday onwards I didn't want to exaggerate, trying to learn everything about the car in two corners. I think we did the right step forward, lap after lap, run by run. Our target was to get a good Q2 position and then try to score points in the race, or get into the top 10. After that it went so well that we finished seventh in Q3, which was more than expected. And in the race it was awesome. When you come back after over a year and a half anything can happen, but I think we had a really strong race until the point when we stopped.

Do you feel you can improve on your performance this weekend?
I don't think I'm yet at the pace where I was two years ago, when I was completely confident about the car. I think there is still a lot to come. It was a big shame for the team that we couldn't score points in Monza, but I feel happy because fortunately I saw that once the car is fast and competitive I can give a good performance and I can fight with the big guys in the World Championship.

You can probably drive around Monza with your eyes closed, but will things be harder in Singapore?
I don't know about with my eyes closed, as it was only the fourth time I raced at Monza. I started my racing career in Germany, so I didn't do my scholarship in Italy! For sure Singapore will be much tougher. We've been working in the simulator to get to know it better, but it will be a much tougher event. We'll have to see how the car is there because it's a completely different circuit, with really high downforce, so everything can change.

Force India Singapore Grand Prix points of note:
Force India will be running another upgrade for the Singapore GP. This is the latest stage in development (following on from the Valencia upgrade) and features a new front wing package, bodywork modifications - including changes to the mirror mountings - bladed rear wheel spinners, front bargeboards and a diffuser and an engine cover update.

The team will gradually acclimatise to the time zone, starting work during the day and gradually coming into the track later throughout the week to be on European time. There are no special preparations for the night race since the lights in Singapore are brighter than daylight in some countries so Force India won't be using reflective paint or extra markers, the only difference will be on the pit wall where some extra lighting will be used due to the shadows thrown by the floodlights.

Adrian's weekend performance in Italy was his best F1 performance to date. He started from second position - his best qualifying performance and first front race row start since the final round of the Japanese F3 championship at Motegi in October 2006. It was also the first time Adrian had started alongside Lewis Hamilton since the Euroseries F3 race at Zandvoort in 2005. The fourth place finish was also his highest in F1 to date.

Adrian has historically performed well on street circuits. In 2007 at Monaco he secured the quickest time in free practice and was running in 4th position in the 2008 race until Kimi Raikkonen ran into the back of the car. Adrian is also the F3 lap record holder at Monaco and finished third at the 2006 Macau Grand Prix.

Tonio's Italian Grand Prix qualifying was also his best F1 starting position. His performance in the race was also his most competitive yet until a driveshaft failure led to his retirement on lap 22. Tonio has never raced at the Marina Bay Circuit as he was the team's test and reserve driver last year, but he has approximately 50 laps of the track on the simulator.

Singapore Grand Prix: View from the pit wall with Force India's chief engineer, Dominic Harlow:
As the only F1 race to run almost all sessions at night Singapore is definitely one of the more demanding and spectacular circuits.

The layout is anti-clockwise around the city's waterfront and, because it uses public roads, includes bumps, kerbs, man-hole covers and extreme cambers. It's subject to a lot of improvement and rubbering in, and is very tough for the drivers. The car's cooling system and brakes are worked very hard, and of course the ability to deal with the road undulations is important.

There have been some changes to the circuit since last year's inaugural event, which could change the pitlane time loss and therefore race strategy. Getting a handle on this as well as setting up our car with some revised high downforce aerodynamic components will form part of our programme for the practice sessions.

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Post by Ed » Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:58 am

2009 Singapore Grand Prix Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP1: 12th 1:51.544 (14 laps)
FP2: 12th 1:49.710 (31 laps)

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP1: 18th 1:52.905 (23 laps)
FP2: 18th 1:50.605 (28 laps)

25 September 2009 - The lights of Singapore's Marina Bay circuit were flicked into action today for the opening day of practice ahead of Sunday's Grand Prix.

Tonio Liuzzi used the two 90 minute sessions, which both experienced red flag periods, to familiarise himself with the twists and turns of the 23-turn, 5.067km circuit, which he had never driven before today. He steadily bettered his times over the day as he got to grips with both the track and the VJM02 in high downforce configuration. The Italian posted the 18th quickest time in both sessions.

Adrian Sutil used the morning to evaluate the new aero upgrade package available this weekend, which features floor, diffuser and bodywork modifications, however he was frustrated by traffic on his flying laps and finished a disapppointed 12th quickest. The afternoon proved a little more rewarding as he was able to complete his practice programme of long and short runs and tyre evaluation, but he still lost out to traffic to finish the afternoon in 12th position.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
I was quite pleased with the car but it is difficult to judge the rear grip as we are still having some problems with graining, particularly on the soft tyre compound. We still have a lot of work to do but it's only Friday. I think we can do much better and get a bit closer to the front. I feel I could definitely have done a quicker lap time as the traffic was really bad and I always lost my first and second laps. I still believe we can get into the points and we would still like to be in the top 10 in qualifying; that's obviously our goal for the weekend.

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21)
It was quite OK today. The most important thing for me was to learn the circuit and get used to the track, the bumps and the kerbs and I think we are going in the right direction. We struggled a little with the balance, which didn't help, but we did a lot of tests and tried to understand the tyres. I think we were on a good learning curve and tomorrow will be much, much better. We have a lot of work to do as we are not spot on with the balance just yet, but we have all night to think about it!

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
For the start of Friday practice today the track here in Singapore was quite green and dusty. It was therefore low grip with a bit of an oversteer balance and this was the target for initial set-up work, as well as stabilising the various car systems for race conditions. Tonio used the first session for some familiarisation, as he had not driven here before today, and Adrian looked at some development components. In the second session our tyre comparisons and set-up work continued. There is still plenty of room for improvement, but our performance in race trim already looks promising.

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Post by Ed » Sun Sep 27, 2009 4:35 am

2009 Singapore Grand Prix Qualifying and Final Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP3: 17th 1:49.122 (17 laps)
Q1: 16th 1:48.231 (10 laps)

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP3: 16th 1:49.055 (16 laps)
Q1: 20th 1:48.792 (8 laps)


26 September 2009 - The Force India Formula One Team endured a disappointing qualifying under the lights of Singapore's Marina Bay circuit as neither Adrian Sutil nor Tonio Liuzzi made the cut for Q2. Hopes had been high for the team to enter into the second segment following the outstanding results of Spa and Monza, however a combination of traffic and the tricky high downforce configuration saw this ambition confounded.

Adrian will start from 16th position and Tonio from 20th for tomorrow's 61 lap race.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
As we can see, we are still very quick on the straights and on the high speed circuits such as Spa and Monza, but here it is all about downforce. It's a very similar configuration to Monte Carlo, but about twice as long with twice as many corners and that's why we lost so much over one lap. We have had a problem with the grip level the whole weekend. I did expect us to be a little bit more competitive, but the field is very tight and if you lose out a bit in the traffic suddenly you are at the back. I lost some time on my fastest lap when Giancarlo [Fisichella] was in front of me in the middle sector and I finished 16th. It's going to be difficult but let's see what we can do. It's a long race and anything is possible and we will still be giving it our best.

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21)
We knew we would struggle more on this type of circuit compared to the low downforce tracks such as Spa and Monza but we didn't expect it would be this much. We were suffering with a lack of traction and weren't able to find the right balance - Adrian and I seem to have the same problems. My quickest lap was quite clean, perhaps there were a couple of tenths more in it, but to get through to Q2 this time would have been quite difficult. With more fuel on board we are quite competitive but from this point on the grid it will be tough. However at a circuit like this anything can happen and if we have a good pace in the race and a good balance we could still get some points. Street circuits are always a bit crazy so we won't give up just yet.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
After the outstanding performance in Spa and Monza we were expecting more of a challenge this weekend for sure. We feel we have a car that is now amongst the quickest in the field but unfortunately in high downforce trim we are not seeing a reflection of this performance as teams that were behind us in Spa and Monza are ahead of us here. There are however only two extraordinarily high downforce tracks on the calendar - here and Monaco - so we cannot trade this improvement in performance for just one race. We are still looking forward to the Grand Prix, which is sure to be eventful, long and challenging and will try our best to continue our current run of points' scoring finishes. We are however anticipating a better performance at the more traditional tracks of Suzuka and Interlagos, which will be sure to suit us a lot better.

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Post by Ed » Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:46 am

2009 Singapore Grand Prix Race Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
DNF Accident Lap 23

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21, VJM02/04):
14th +93.502secs

27 September 2009 - Tonio Liuzzi has secured his first race finish for the Force India Formula One Team in today's Singapore Grand Prix. The Italian raced from 19th on the grid to 14th at the chequered flag after a race-long battle with former team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella. Tonio used a two stop strategy and stayed with the Ferrari, matching Giancarlo's lap times, until his third and final stop for supersoft tyres. This final set of tyres produced excessive graining in the closing stages of the race and Tonio dropped back a little but he nevertheless pushed until the final corner to achieve his first race finish for the team.

Adrian Sutil was a premature retirement from the tough, humid race. Adrian moved up one place at the start and was bottled up behind Jaime Alguersuari. After his first pit stop Adrian saw an opportunity to pass into turn 10 but spun off line while trying to overtake. When he tried to rejoin the track, Nick Heidfeld - unsighted by Adrian - was exiting the previous corner and had nowhere to go except into the nosecone of the VJM02. Adrian's brake system was damaged in the secondary impact and he returned to the pits to attempt repair, but ultimately was forced to retire.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
It was quite frustrating at the start as we knew with the one stop we were very heavy, but Jaime [Alguersuari] was very slow and really fighting with the car. He was holding me up a lot and I tried a few times to pass him but I finally saw a chance. I tried and it wasn't enough - I was a little late on the brakes, spun and that's it. Then Nick came around the corner and hit my front wing as I was stuck in the corner. I didn't see him coming as I was on the move already and couldn't react to it, but I'm sorry for it. It was a race incident. After the accident I then had a problem with the brakes and lost all the rear pressure and I had to stop as it was too dangerous to drive. We should be much better in Suzuka - I really can't wait for it. It's one of my favourite circuits and I have big hopes for a better result.

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21)
It has been an ultra difficult weekend and race for us. The conditions are very difficult from the beginning as we were starting on the last row and trying to get some points was always going to be tough. Also having two cars with KERS in front of me didn't help. I couldn't overtake Giancarlo [Fisichella] even though I was quicker on my first two stints. On the third stint we started to have a lot of graining with the rear tyres with the soft compound and I just couldn't catch him. In the end it was a difficult race but we are more optimistic for the next races.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
We thought this was going to be a difficult race with the high downforce configuration and it indeed proved to be true. We tried all we could to gain some places but ultimately it was too big a challenge to score some points today. I am however very pleased that Tonio has achieved his first race finish for the team and again trailed home a Ferrari. Adrian tried to make up places but it just didn't work out for him. But it was a racing incident and these things happen when you are pushing hard. We are now looking forward to Suzuka where we hope we will see a truer reflection of our performance.

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Post by Ed » Fri Oct 02, 2009 6:25 pm

Japanese Grand Prix Preview
2 - 4 October 2009

Just one week after the Singapore round of the FIA Formula One World Championship the Force India Formula One Team will be back in action, this time at the Japanese Grand Prix, held from 2 - 4 October at the legendary Suzuka track.

The circuit, close to the fourth largest city in Japan, Nagoya, is almost 6km long and features just about every type of corner, from slow chicanes to the awesome 130R - a sweeping left hander where cars reach up to 300kph in seventh gear while pulling 4 g. Since the track demands a medium to low downforce aero configuration, Force India is hopeful of a return to the strong form shown in the Belgian and Italian Grands Prix that required a similar set-up.

Team Q&A
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
How would you review the Singapore race - was it as expected?
We knew that after the results of Spa and Monza we had set a high expectation for ourselves, but we were realistic that we would find it more difficult at Singapore. I was nevertheless a little disappointed that we struggled quite as much as we did and we didn't get into Q2 as expected. That said, we do understand the reasons why - Singapore is an exceptionally high downforce track and we have found this configuration difficult. Singapore is however the only type of track in the second half of the season like this so we had to make a decision to focus on the events where we could be competitive rather than putting resources towards just one event.

With this in mind, are you expecting a more competitive showing in Suzuka?
Yes, definitely. Suzuka is more low downforce and should suit the car well. Plus both drivers know and enjoy the circuit so their confidence will be high. Tonio is now fully up to speed and has completed perhaps the most physical event of the year in Singapore. Adrian too has driven the circuit extensively so I would say we are feeling positive. I'd hope to see another Q2 and then let's see about points in the race. That's got to be our goal going forward for the rest of the season now.

Driver Q&A
Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01)
The next race on the calendar will be the Japanese Grand Prix. What are your thoughts ahead of this race?
I'm really looking forward to this race. I lived in Japan for a year in 2006 when I was competing in Japanese F3 and I know the track very well as we often raced there. It's a brilliant drivers' track, quite difficult to learn, but very rewarding when you get it right. I think our car will perform well there as well - as we've seen, we are very strong on the low and medium downforce tracks and Suzuka should suit us well. I feel very confident on the track and in the car and I am positive this combination will bring us some good results.

Were you disappointed with the performance over Singapore?
We knew Singapore would be difficult but we struggled a little more than we expected as we just couldn't find a set-up that worked well enough with the tyres. We didn't qualify as well as we wanted to and that really just compromised the race. I was very heavy at the start, trying to take any opportunity that came about, whether a safety car or rain, but then I got caught behind Alguersuari. He was very slow and I guess I just got frustrated and tried to find a way through. I'm sorry that Nick got caught up in the accident as well.

Tonio Liuzzi (car 21, VJM02/04)
It was always going to be hard for the team to follow Spa and Monza, but were you surprised how hard Singapore was?
It was a really tough weekend for us. We could aim for a top position in Monza, and in Singapore we had to wake up, and there was no passing into Q2 with both cars. I had a lot of problems with oversteer in qualifying and I lost a lot in the last four corners, otherwise I should have been really close to Adrian. We've struggled with such high downforce levels since the beginning of the year, and a lot of teams brought big updates for this configuration. That's why we had a lot of problems, and we were never so competitive, but for us it was good to finish the race. For sure it's the most physical race of the year, so it was good for me to complete 61 laps. It was important to get myself back to speed and back to physical condition.

Do you think you are now back up to speed personally?
I think for Suzuka we will be in better shape. Singapore was a circuit where it's difficult to get the feeling back, because the concentration is so high, and you have to try and stay away from the walls. It's not a normal situation. But doing the whole race helped me a lot. I think we are getting close to my optimum speed. Now I think we are ready for Suzuka. I've been there once in 2006 and it's a circuit I like. I'm more optimistic for there, because the configuration for our car is somewhere in between Spa and Singapore, so we should be more competitive. This year has been a bit of a crazy year but we cannot complain because we had two good races, Spa and Monza, and there are tracks coming up that will suit us more as well.

Force India Japanese Grand Prix points of note:
Although Adrian has never raced an F1 car in Suzuka, he has a lot of experience at the Japanese track after having raced four times at Suzuka in 2006 while competing in the Japanese F3 championship, which he later won with five victories. That same year he also made three appearances as Midland F1's third driver, one of which came at Suzuka.

Singapore was Tonio Liuzzi's first race finish for the team. He raced from 19th on the grid to 14th overall following a tough battle with Giancarlo Fisichella for the majority of the race. Tonio Liuzzi has raced at Suzuka once in F1, in 2006 with Toro Rosso. He finished the race in 14th position.

Between the Singapore and Japanese Grands Prix both Adrian and Tonio visited Tokyo, Japan, before heading up to Suzuka on Wednesday. The team arrived in Japan on the Tuesday after Singapore to turn the cars round, rebuild the garage and prepare for the Japanese Grand Prix. The turnaround will be a challenging one - after working on European time throughout Singapore the team will now have to switch to Japanese time, with only one day in between to acclimatise.

Japanese Grand Prix: View from the pit wall with Force India's chief engineer, Dominic Harlow:
A welcome return of possibly the best 'drivers' circuit' in F1. The Suzuka layout is unique in that it is a figure of eight, and the Esses and Dunlop corners as well as the awesome 130R give a real roller coaster lap.

It's been partially re-surfaced since we last raced there, so it will be interesting to see how the tyres behave in what has traditionally been a challenging event for them. It's important to have good aerodynamic efficiency and a stable platform to get the best of this track but we expect it to suit our package and drivers well.

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