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Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2009 7:34 am
by Ed
2009 British Grand Prix Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/03):
FP1: 11th 1:20.913 (22 laps)
FP2: 3rd 1:20.141 (41 laps)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP1: 10th 1:20.838 (25 laps)
FP2: 19th 1:21.413 (40 laps)

The Force India Formula One Team had a promising start to preparations for its 'home' Grand Prix at Silverstone, UK, today. Both Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil put in a productive day's work, with the 10th and 11th fastest times respectively in the morning, and 19th and 3rd quickest in the afternoon. Adrian's afternoon position is the team's highest-placed Friday classification so far this season.

The team used the two 90 minute practices to evaluate its major new aero package unveiled at Silverstone, which included a new front wing, bargeboards, bodywork and modifications to the floor. In the morning's session the drivers focussed on evaluation of the VJM02 with the new upgrades while in the afternoon continued with tyre comparisons and longer run simulations.

With a further one hour's practice remaining tomorrow before qualifying, the team has high hopes of achieving a Q2 position for the third consecutive event.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
Today went well as I was happy with the car the whole day. It was a bit surprising to be third in FP2, but it was a really good session, the best position so far this year on a Friday. We ran through our programme, doing a lot of tyre work and the long runs seem to be quite OK. The soft option goes off a little in the rear but should be fine on Sunday, so no real worries there. I don't think it's realistic to expect us to be third for qualifying, but everything is working really well and I am quite confident about making it through to Q2 again. If we can do this again we'd be quite satisfied.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
This morning was OK and we had some good runs, and the lap time was not bad. This afternoon however I was suffering with oversteer and we made some small changes, but in the end with the new tyres I was suffering with understeer. It wasn't such a great FP2 but the potential is there as Adrian has set a really good time. I think tomorrow we should go in the top 15 in qualifying.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
It was nice to see Adrian close to the top of the times this afternoon, and we've generally been pleased with today's sessions. The team has worked very well today and being so close to the HQ really spurs us on. It was very windy, and that affected the cars' balance this afternoon with a tendency to oversteer being the result. We ran our usual programme to understand the tyre behaviour and we will have to analyse the data thoroughly this evening. The cars ran reliably through more than two race distances over both sessions and we're looking forward to another good qualifying session tomorrow.

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2009 12:25 am
by Ed
2009 British Grand Prix Qualifying and Final Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/03):
FP3: 15th 1:20.548 (15 laps)
Q1: 18th 1:19.909 (10 laps)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP3: 16th 1:20.572 (17 laps)
Q1: 16th 1:19.802 (10 laps)


The Force India Formula One Team had a dramatic and disappointing qualifying session today at Silverstone Circuit, UK. Adrian Sutil's car developed a brake problem in the final minutes of Q1 going through the ultra-fast Becketts complex, pitching Adrian into a backwards spin off the track and into the tyre barriers. As a precautionary measure Adrian was taken to the circuit's medical centre and was soon cleared for release with no injuries. The team's spare chassis will now be prepared for tomorrow's race.

Giancarlo Fisichella had high hopes of making Q2 for the second time this year and was looking set to achieve it on his final lap of Q1 until the red flag caused by Adrian's accident made him abort his lap and return to the pits. He will start the 60 lap race from 16th position.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
Firstly, I think we have had a good weekend in general and until the accident quite a good qualifying. I had a brake problem and then had no brakes going into the complex. I pushed on the pedal but there wasn't anything. I tried to avoid a big accident but it was impossible so I crashed really hard. I'm completely OK, I was just taken to the medical centre for some checks as it was a big crash. We've now got a lot of work to do on the car. Of course it's disappointing as both cars lost their positions and definite possibility to go into Q2.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
We made an improvement but unfortunately on the last set of tyres, Buemi was in front of me and I slowed down on my first lap. Then on the second lap there was the red flag due to Adrian's accident and I couldn't improve. I was looking at a top 12 start so it's a shame, but it's just too bad this time. Tomorrow I want to get to the end of the race and it would be nice to score a point but it will be difficult.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
Fortunately Adrian is okay, and we take any potential car problem that could cause an accident like that very seriously. We will fully understand what happened and ensure that it is addressed. The cars were clearly fast enough for top 15 and unfortunately both traffic and Adrian's shunt meant we were denied our deserved starting positions. We can however look forward to a competitive race were we will try to convert our improvement in pace to points

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:12 am
by Ed
2009 British Grand Prix Race Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
17th: 1:23:53.434 (+ 1 lap)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
10th: 1:24:00.850 (+71.522)

21 June 2009 - Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella put in a faultless drive to tenth position in today's British Grand Prix. An impressive early stint, bold overtaking moves and an aggressive pit stop strategy moved the Italian six places from his starting position to end the race under two seconds from a points-scoring eighth position.

Giancarlo gained two positions on the first lap and overtook two further cars in Stowe corner on his second. He then lapped at the same pace as the top ten, right on the tail of Toyota's Timo Glock. A long first stint gave Giancarlo a chance to put in a series of quick laps and he was fourth by lap 19 after the first round of pit stops began. When he eventually pitted on lap 21, Giancarlo was able to leapfrog Glock for tenth. A second stop for hard tyres on lap 45 allowed him to take Nakajima as well, but he unfortunately lost a position to Glock when rejoining the track. Giancarlo closed the gap back to under a second but couldn't find a way past in the closing laps, finishing the race yet again within sight of the points.

Adrian Sutil started the race from the pit lane following yesterday's qualifying accident. The team elected for a one-stop strategy and Adrian was able to reclaim three positions to finish 17th overall. For a second race in succession he enjoyed a close battle with Lewis Hamilton, finishing just over a second from the reigning world champion.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
We rebuilt the spare car after the crash yesterday caused too much damage to my race car, but then we had a problem on the formation lap with the fuel pressure. We could fix it and at least start but it was really disappointing today. We missed a big opportunity to qualify well because of the crash and the race was not spectacular as a result. I was really just driving around without much chance of overtaking anyone so it was a little boring, but it's another finish at least. Let's move onto Germany where I hope I can really take advantage of the new parts we had this weekend.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
A top 10 finish was our target this weekend. We thought it would be difficult but actually today was a very good race for me and we achieved the maximum we could do. It was a fun race. I had a good start and then on the first lap I overtook many drivers and even on the second lap I overtook Kubica and the two Renaults, so I was very focussed at the beginning. It was very important with my strategy to do this as we didn't have such a great starting position because of the red flag yesterday in qualifying. Perhaps we could have scored points if we'd started higher as eighth was just in front of me and at the end I was quicker than Kimi (Raikkonen) and Timo (Glock). It's a great step forward and I'm really looking forward to the next races now. The team did a fantastic job so we need to continue this.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
It was a very impressive race performance today from Force India. We had our fair share of bad luck in qualifying yesterday with Adrian's shunt, which unfortunately ruined Fisi's lap as well. Who knows, if we had started further up the grid as we had hoped maybe points would have been in reach today. Nevertheless I am very happy both cars finished: reliability is good, we're competitive and keeping pace with all the others and we beat some top teams as well. Obviously I am delighted that we are getting there, slowly but steadily. I'm very hopeful for the next few races.

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:01 pm
by Ed
German Grand Prix Preview
10 - 12 July 2009

For the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship the German Grand Prix switches back to the Nurburgring in the heart of the Eifel Mountains to the west of Germany. The event, held from 10 - 12 July, will be the ninth round of the 17-round series and the home event for Force India's engine partner, Mercedes-Benz.

Following a competitive British Grand Prix that saw Giancarlo Fisichella race to tenth overall, just under two seconds from eighth and the last point-scoring position, the Force India Formula One Team has high hopes of opening its point-scoring account this weekend. The team has used the extended three-week gap between races to hone the new aero package debuted in Silverstone and finalise smaller modifications that will be introduced in Germany.

Team Q&A
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
The team introduced a new aero package at Silverstone. How pleased were you to see it work so well?
We were constrained by time in designing and building the initial version of the VJM02, and we had very little pre-season testing time. We knew we had to introduce a significant upgrade in Bahrain, then a more comprehensive upgrade at Silverstone. I think this upgrade showed that the car is now a true, strong midfield competitor. The bottom line is that we're there, and all that I had programmed for the team in terms of gradual improvement in 2009 is happening. Given our relatively small size, this is a great achievement and we'll keep going flat out up to the mandatory August break. I hope that we will score some points during the remainder of this season. Otherwise I'm more than just optimistic - in fact I'm pretty confident - that from 2010 onwards we will be in the points on a regular basis. And that leads me to believe that my often stated objective of being on the podium in 2011 isn't a pipe dream anymore!

How satisfying is it to now see the team running in the midfield?
To be beating cars like the McLarens, the BMWs, the Renaults says a lot for a small team like Force India. In Silverstone there were no luck stories, like it rained or some extraordinary event happened. This is pure racing and that's what gives me the confidence that we'll get there. I can only really say more when we actually get points in our pocket. The commitment of the team and the guys in the factory is fantastic. And not only are we running well, our preparation is also top notch. Adrian's car was a wreck after qualifying but in effect they built up a new car overnight and Adrian took the start. It was a great effort. The entire team is so motivated now, they're going that extra mile. Everybody was pleased with the Silverstone performance, and I think this gives them the confidence that they can actually do it.

What can we expect from the team in Germany?
As we have had a longer gap between Silverstone and Germany the team back at the factory has been working very hard on consolidating the step forward we made at the last event. We will have a continuation of the new front wing assembly we used in Britain and a new detail on the floor. The upgrades in Silverstone gave us extra performance and we'd all like to convert this into a points-scoring position in Germany. Giancarlo was so close to getting them and as I've said, if we had qualified higher perhaps it could have been our race. I know Adrian was frustrated by the Grand Prix and, with this being his home event, he will want to put on a good show in Germany.


Driver Q&A
Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01)
It's just over the midpoint of the season. Looking at your season so far, has it been as expected for you?
I think it's been a good season so far. We have been able to finish a lot of races and in the last two or three events it was possible to go into Q2, which was a big success for us. For sure the last race in Silverstone was a bit disappointing as it was an important race with our new updates and we had an incident in qualifying. Without this I think we could have been really close to the points, or even in the points. But overall we are consistently making progress and that's the most important.

Have you had any ill effects from the crash in Silverstone?
No not at all. I'm completely fine now and looking forward to Germany!

What can we expect in Germany from you?
Q2 would be very nice and hopefully it would be enough for some points. It's definitely time to get a few. Let's see what the other teams have update-wise as I expect maybe one or two to move a bit to the front and we don't have a major update this time round. But we were pretty strong in Silverstone and I expect to be similar in Germany.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04)
Silverstone was a very competitive race for you. Do you feel the team had made some good progress in the last few events?
Yes, for sure - the races we've had in Monaco and now Silverstone clearly show this. Last year we were struggling at some of the tracks to race with other teams and sometimes I would have very lonely races, but this season we've been right there fighting. It's very encouraging. Every part we've put on the car this year has made a difference in performance so we're clearly going in the right direction. It's very motivating for the team and for me personally as a driver. When you're in the hunt you want it so much more.

Are you looking forward to Germany?
The Nurburgring is a great track. There's lots of camber and gradient change and you can overtake in a couple of corners, which is obviously going to be good for us if we are midfield again. This time out I want to get into Q2, which I think should be possible, and then with a better starting position hopefully we'll be able to finish higher. We're so close to the points I want to finish the job now!

How much would it mean to get those points?
For the team it would be a huge boost. Everyone works really hard and to be this close is actually a bit frustrating. To get this weight off our shoulders would really set us up for the rest of the season.

Force India German GP points of note:

The German Grand Prix is obviously Adrian's home event, although his family are based some 550km away in the south of Germany. Twenty-six year old Adrian was born in Starnberg, just outside Munich.

Since 1996 Giancarlo Fisichella has raced at the Nurburgring in Formula 1 12 times. However before he made his F1 debut, Giancarlo also raced at the circuit on two occasions when he was part of the Alfa Romeo DTM squad (1995 and 1996).

Force India's predecessors, Spyker, had an encouraging race during the last F1 event at the Nurburgring. Heavy rain fell just before the start and Markus Winkelhock, making his Grand Prix debut, pitted on the formation lap. Markus found himself at the head of the field, more than 30secs ahead, when the race was suspended. His lead evaporated at the re-start behind the safety car and he later retired with hydraulic failure.

German Grand Prix information
The modern Nurburgring first hosted an F1 race in 1984 and again in 1985 but it did not return to the calendar until 1995 at the peak of Michael Schumacher's success. At the time, the Eifel track's event was called the European GP as Hockenheim hosted the German Grand Prix, however in 1997 and 1998 it was renamed the Luxembourg GP to leave Jerez access to the European mantle. From 2007 the Nürburgring and the Hockenheimring have alternated years as the host of the German Grand Prix and and it's the latter's turn this year.

The old Nurburgring-Nordschleife sends a shiver down every Grand Prix driver's spine, however the newer incarnation is decidedly tame by comparison to its historic and intimidating 14 mile, 174 corner predecessor. The new, purpose-built track was completed in 1984 to meet the highest safety standards and further changes came in 2002 when the former 'Castrol-chicane' at the end of the start/finish straight was replaced by a sharp right-hander to create an overtaking opportunity. Also, a slow section was inserted, on the site of the former kart track, thus extending the track.

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:59 pm
by Ed
Q&A with Adrian Sutil

The next Grand Prix takes place on your home soil in Germany. What does it mean to race in front of your home crowd?
The German Grand Prix is always a special event for me and to race at the Nurburgring has a great feeling. The atmosphere is really special there as the big Nurburgring, the Nordschleife, has so much racing history, it's perhaps one of the most famous circuits in the world. Everywhere around the circuit is just about racing - go into a restaurant and you see a lot of pictures of cars or drivers. It's a great place to be, and to race there as a German gives a special feeling, like you're stepping into the history.

The old Nordschleife was a fearsome track, have you driven it?
I've driven round the Nordschleife a few times: normally you go on the Wednesday before the race in a normal road car. It really opens your eyes as it's just an incredible circuit. It gives you ultimate respect for the people who did drive it. You can really compare it to a rollercoaster going up and down - it's just unbelievable. It doesn't matter which car you use, the track is just really impressive. Unfortunately we only drive on the small circuit now but still there is a special something you can feel even on this version.

How is the new Nurburgring for you personally?
I like it a lot. It's a good circuit that can be quite tricky to get right. There's a lot of banking and the corners make it difficult to find a good set up as the car behaves differently in different corners, it surprises you. This circuit flows up and down and when you go to the Dunlop corner it's steep downhill with camber, so it's interesting in this way. Of course the track is much more modern than the Nordschleife but there are still famous and tricky corners so it remains a challenge.

Have you raced at the Nurburgring many times in your career? What's been the best memory so far?
I have a lot of memories from the track. It's where I did my racing licence, and one of the first circuits I drove on with a racing car. I've raced there in nearly all the categories I've done in my career, so Formula BMW, F3 and now F1 of course, so nearly every step up the ladder has been at the Nurburgring.

There's five German drivers in F1 at the moment - do you think there's a big culture of motorsport in the country?
There are quite a lot of different championships you can start in and you can do several young driver programmes so there are opportunities if you want to start out. But if you are brought up in Germany you're very aware of motorsport and motoring. There's very historic car manufacturers, Germany has always produced a lot of race drivers in the past and you can go on the Nordschleife - everyone can drive it, so many people go there and just do a couple of laps. In this respect it's easy in Germany to get close to motorsport and have a taste of it. Of course the long era of Michael Schumacher also made Formula 1 headline news, which has encouraged a lot of drivers.

Was Michael an influence for you?
Yes for sure. When I started racing he was at the highpoint of his career so I always saw him winning. He was a really impressive driver, a complete package, and is still a hero for a lot of drivers in Germany. He was really pushing the sport up there. I've been lucky enough to meet him a few times now but it's always a special thing to meet him.

Looking at your season so far, it's just over the midpoint of the season. Has it been as expected for you?
I think it's been a good season so far. We have been able to finish a lot of races and in the last two or three events it was possible to go into Q2, which was a big success for us. For sure the last race in Silverstone was a bit disappointing as it was an important race with our new updates and we had an incident in qualifying. Without this I think we could have been really close to the points, or even in the points. But overall we are making progress and that's the most important.

You and Giancarlo have been very evenly matched this year. How is he as a team-mate?
It's really good to have him as a team-mate. Last year I learnt quite a lot and this year we are still very close to each other, which is what you want in a team-mate. Looking at the other teams I think we are the closest to each other in times and qualifying position: we are generally always one position in front of each other. In some other teams you don't have that - sometimes one guy is in the top 10, the other is last and then it changes the next race, so there is much more offset. With us we're pushing each other all the way. It's a strong team, both of us are doing well and the competition is good.

What can we expect in Germany from you?
Q2 would be very nice and hopefully it would be enough for some points. It's definitely time to get a few. Let's see what the other teams have update-wise as I expect maybe one or two to move a bit to the front and we don't have a major update this time round. But we were pretty strong in Silverstone and I expect to be similar in Germany.

And a busy programme for you in Germany?
I expect it will be fairly busy. I have some personal sponsor appearances I will make and then there's always a lot of German media to speak to. But it's all part of the job!

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:11 am
by Ed
2009 German Grand Prix Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP1: 20th 1:35.092 (6 laps)
FP2: 6th 1:32.585 (32 laps)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP1: 5th 1:33.839 (26 laps)
FP2: 20th 1:38.877 (3 laps)

10 July 2009 - The Force India Formula One Team had a promising start to this weekend's German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. Giancarlo Fisichella was fifth in the morning's 90 minute practice while Adrian Sutil was sixth in the afternoon. Giancarlo was just 0.7secs from the session's best time, while Adrian was four tenths off, marking the team's most encouraging Friday performance so far to date.

The pair's programme included mandatory system checks and verification of the aero configuration over both long and short runs, plus tyre comparisons.

Unfortunately both drivers' running was limited by separate issues, as Adrian suffered a mechanical problem in the morning that brought his session to a premature end after just six laps. Later in the day Giancarlo was also caught out by the tricky track conditions early on in the second session as he slid wide in sector two and damaged the front of his car in the impact.

With a further one hour's practice planned pre-Qualifying the team will continue its programme tomorrow.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
It was a good Friday for us that showed some real improvement from previous weekends. Sixth was a good effort from the team and it felt quite good. I think it will be difficult to get into the top 10 tomorrow but I do feel a good Q2 performance would be realistic. Today started off quite difficult when I had a problem in the morning and couldn't get much running in and in the afternoon I also had a small issue with the steering that took a little while to get sorted. We could test a few items though, including the range of tyres here. It's difficult to say at the moment about their performance as it's good at the beginning of the run and then goes a little off in the end so we will see. Plus it's very difficult to judge the weather conditions - it's been typical Eifel weather! It changes every hour, going from very cold to sunshine. As such it's difficult for the hard tyres to warm up but we'll play with the strategy tomorrow to try and make it work for us.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
I think it was about right for the team today, with both drivers in the top six in either session. The first session for me was quite good with a promising position, but it was quite disappointing in the afternoon. I caught a kerb that was still wet and just spun into the barriers. I think I could have done well in the second session, but it looks encouraging for tomorrow for another Q2.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
A very cold day here with a constant shower risk and both sessions declared wet, which is quite unusual in July. The car balance was good but the grip on the track was quite low in general. Adrian suffered a couple of unrelated mechanical issues disrupting both sessions but recovered well to carry out some thorough tyre evaluation. Giancarlo had a good FP1 and also showed that the car has some good potential this weekend. Unfortunately he was on track just as a shower wet the track and he had a spin at T10-11. We will now prepare for whatever the Eifel weather can throw at us over the coming weekend!

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 3:44 pm
by Ed
Force India Formula One Team statement

The Force India Formula One Team today received a visit from legal representatives accompanied by uniformed personnel who demanded that the team's motorhome be vacated as they wished to seize the team's property.

This dispute with the contractor has been on-going since last season and pertains to the quality of construction of the motorhome and its functionality. The contractor decided to take matters into their own hands without due notice and process and approached a local German court who were presented with highly disputable facts.

Force India will resolve matters during the weekend with the contractor but will fiercely contest the wrongful claims made by them before the local German Court if no amicable settlement is achieved.

Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 1:16 am
by Ed
2009 German Grand Prix Qualifying and Final Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP3: 13th 1:32.104 (20 laps)
Q1: 14th 1:32.015 (8 laps)
Q2: 3rd 1:36.740 (8 laps)
Q3: 7th 1:34.316 (4 laps)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP3: 15th 1:32.135 (21 laps)
Q1: 18th 1:32.402 (11 laps)

11 July 2009 - The Force India Formula One Team will start the 2009 German Grand Prix from seventh position following a stunning performance from Adrian Sutil in today's qualifying. The grid slot is the 26-year-old German's highest to date and marks the company's best starting position since Hungary 2002. Unfortunately Giancarlo Fisichella endured a more difficult session and will start the 60 lap race from 18th.

The Eifel weather was at its mercurial best today with rain alternating with sun at close intervals. Q1 started dry, allowing Adrian and Giancarlo to complete early runs. The pair stayed on the Bridgestone supersoft dry tyres for a second outing, with Adrian setting his fastest lap of the session, 1:32.015, which placed him 14th. Giancarlo tried a third outing, but ultimately traffic and rain hampered his chances of progressing into the second session.

Showers between Q1 and Q2 called for a change to intermediate tyres, but as the track started to dry out Adrian made a call on his second lap to change to dry tyres. It was a lap earlier than other cars and he was able to set the third quickest time of the session. The rain then played beautifully into the team's hands, allowing Adrian to ease into Q3 for the first time in his F1 career.

Adrian took a gamble on the dry tyres for Q3 and as the track dried he steadily lowered his lap times to 1:34.316, enough for seventh position.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
I'm really happy, for sure one of F1's happiest guys today! It's my home race and my best qualifying position so far in F1, so it was a great qualifying for us. It was very tricky with the weather but our decisions were very good and on time, particularly in Q2 with the rain. We took a risk on the dry tyres and we did it a lap earlier than all the others and got the third fastest time. Finally, even with the fuel on board Q3 went really well and we got into seventh. I am very happy for everyone on the team. We've worked really hard in the last months. Now we just have to score some points!

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
First of all I am very pleased for the team and for Adrian to have had such a great qualifying. It was an incredible result and hopefully we'll be able to have a good race tomorrow. For me it was a bit disappointing. We went out early in the first session but unfortunately I got caught in traffic on both my fastest laps. It was a real shame as with the weather conditions I think we could have done really well. But it could be mixed weather tomorrow so you never know what's possible.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
P7 after Q3 for Adrian was a fantastic performance and a reward for the team's efforts recently. The weather played its part, but he secured the position on merit. It was an exciting session and I think that we got the calls right today. Giancarlo was unfortunate in that his second outing in Q1 was affected by traffic with so many cars on the circuit and with things being so tight he didn't make the cut. Otherwise I'm sure that he too could have progressed to a strong qualifying position. Our goal of course has to be putting those first points on the board in the race.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
Needless to say I am absolutely delighted with the team's performance today. We came to Germany hoping to get to Q2 and we got to Q3 thanks to a superb team performance and a stunning session from Adrian. To do so on his home soil will no doubt make it extra special for him. We are now in a good position for tomorrow's race and I hope we can finally get those much longed-for points.

Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:48 am
by Ed
2009 German Grand Prix Race Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
15th: 1:37:55.251

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
11th: 1:37:45.637

12 July 2009 - The German Grand Prix demonstrated the much-improved performance of the Force India Formula One Team with both Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella racing competitively with the sharp end of the field. Ultimately the results of 15th and 11th respectively betray the increased competitivity as Adrian was able to race within the top five for one third of the race distance while Giancarlo fought his way up six places from his starting position.

Adrian had started from seventh, his highest-ever grid slot, and had moved into second place, just 1.2secs behind the leader Rubens Barrichello by the time of his first pit stop on lap 27. Sadly he was unable to capitalise on this as he clashed with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen on the exit of the first corner, causing damage to his front wing endplate that forced a return to the pits for a nose change. Relegated to 17th Adrian nevertheless pushed hard to claw back to 15th overall.

Giancarlo Fisichella made a good start from 18th and had scythed through the field to ninth by his first stop on lap 18. On his second stint the Italian lowered his lap times almost every lap until he had moved back into tenth by his second stop. On rejoining he hunted down the pack of Kovalainen, Glock, Heidfeld and Nakajima to sit just three seconds from a points-scoring position. On the penultimate lap of the race Giancarlo was able to take Nakajima to secure 11th overall, seven positions up on his starting slot.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
We shouldn't be that disappointed with this result as we have had a good weekend and the next one will come very soon. All our development shows we are on the right track and that we are much more competitive. It was a good race for me: the start was a bit difficult but I lost just one position. In the first stint I did really well and it was looking very promising as I was up to second by my first stop. When I went out of the pit lane I saw Kimi coming on the outside of the corner and I just tried to hold my line but he went to the outside and I touched him and lost part of my front wing. That's really when I thought the race was over for the points as I had to come back in. I kept pushing hard though as you never know what will happen. Overall I think we've learnt a lot; it's the first time starting in the top 10 and it's a different race up there! It's been a good push for everyone in the team to get some more development so we can finally get some points.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
After the qualifying I had yesterday, I thought it would be a difficult race but I really enjoyed it and again got close to the points. I had a good start and overtook a lot of cars in the opening laps. I could catch and pass people quite easily, although I started to get a lot of graining on the softer tyres near the end of the first stint. On the second stint it was again quite good and then right at the end of the race I was really catching the group in front. Perhaps with a few extra laps I could have found a way past a couple more to try and challenge Kovalainen for eighth. I think we can be quite happy with this weekend, even if again we didn't get any points. We've taken a step forward and with some more developments coming through I think we could really have some more great races.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
It's been largely all good this weekend and again I am very proud of the team and both our drivers. From free practice onwards we have shown a big step forward and our performance has been very competitive. It's just a shame that after such a great weekend performance that we don't have any points to show for it. But that's motorsport - these incidents happen. The next race is only in a couple of weeks so we'll refocus on this and try to finish the job in Hungary.

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:57 am
by Ed
Hungarian Grand Prix Preview
24 - 26 July 2009

The Hungarian Grand Prix will be the tenth round of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship and is held at the tight, twisty Hungaroring on the outskirts of Budapest from 24 - 26 July.

Following a competitive weekend performance in Germany where it achieved its highest-ever qualifying position and finished within sight of the points, the Force India Formula One Team heads to Hungary keen to finally open its scorecard.

Team Q&A
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
In Germany the team had a very encouraging weekend. What are your views on this?
I am confident that Germany was not just a one-hit wonder for us. We always said the first few races would be compromised by the late signing of the McLaren and Mercedes deal but since then we've been introducing new upgrades and each one has been a step forward. We had hoped that this progress would be reflected in Silverstone, but due to events on track, we couldn't show the full potential. In Germany this is what you saw. Over the course of the season so far we've calculated we've improved by something like 1.7seconds, which I don't think any other team has done. It's been done by solid hard work and not just getting lucky.

And this time the weather conditions had nothing to do with it.
No, because everyone else had the same opportunities to make those calls. Adrian had a superb qualifying and, as we saw in Q3, even on a very heavy fuel load, he was one of the quicker cars. In the dry race both Giancarlo and Adrian were able to lap quickly and keep pace at various times with the Ferraris, Renaults and McLarens so we're not just competitive in the wet, we're genuinely on the pace now.

How disappointed were you to lose the points that looked so certain in the first part of the race?
In that split second when Kimi and Adrian came together of course the whole team was disappointed and of course those memories of Monaco 2008 came forward. All the same I don't think we can be downhearted about the weekend performance and dwell too much on that point. We qualified in the top ten, we raced in the top five and we went some way to shirking off this reputation of being the backmarkers who only get seen while being lapped.

Can you do the same in Hungary?
I genuinely think that we are Q2 contenders for the rest of the season, and with Hungary being a circuit where qualifying is so crucial, we're in with a shot of a good finish. We're so close to points we can almost touch them. It has to be soon.

Driver Q&A
Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01)
You had a very promising weekend in Germany. What are your views on this now, one week on?
From free practice on we could do some good work and could see the car was performing well. We had a really good qualifying, the best performance so far this year, and the only disappointing point was this incident in the race. The pace was good, particularly on the first stint as I was really in the front where the action was, so it was a different type of racing experience. You have to push all the time and it's so close that you need to fight for the positions. That's one way of seeing the crash: if we hadn't pushed we would have lost our position straight away. But I am fine with it now, I've looked at the footage and learnt from it, so let's move on.

What are your thoughts on the Hungaroring?
It's a good track, one of the smaller circuits, with a lot of corners so in some respects it's a bit like a kart track. It is actually challenging as each of the corners are different, some 180 degrees and some long, some in third gear. It's very bumpy in places, which also makes it a bit more difficult to drive, but overall there's a good flow to it.

What will the aims be in Hungary?
Our goal has to be in Q2 again and then I would say get as close as we can to the top 10. We want to stay in the midfield where we are right now. We are always waiting for the points now and we are nearly there. This has to be the goal for the season and the few last races.


Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04)
Giancarlo, you finished the German Grand Prix three seconds from the points again. This was obviously a good race for you?
Germany was obviously very positive for the whole team. Yet again we raced very well and got a good finish, coming from 18th to just outside the points. But when you look at the last two races we're really improving - I came from 16th to 10th in Silverstone and then moved up another seven positions in Germany, not because of the weather but because the team is now genuinely competitive.

What are your feelings about the Hungaroring?
I feel pretty confident as we're just getting better and better. We can see our pace is much more competitive and we are really racing. I enjoy driving the car and I'm looking forward to this next race. As our qualifying pace has really made a step forward and the Hungaroring is all about where you start and the strategy so I'm very positive of a good finish.

Force India Hungarian GP points of note:

Adrian's German Grand Prix qualifying position was Force India's best-ever starting slot. The company's previous highest qualifying came under the Jordan regime in Hungary 2002 when Giancarlo Fisichella qualified in fifth.

After the Hungarian Grand Prix the team and trucks will return to the UK. From 3 - 16 August the factory will then be closed in line with FOTA's guidelines to cut costs. All production, design and build will cease and, aside from security and maintenance, the factory will be shut.

In Hungary the team will have a couple of new items on the car, inclduing some tweaks on the front wing and brake ducts and some minor changes on the mechanical side. Apart from that there are a couple of measures to address the likely cooling demands of Hungaroring.

Giancarlo Fisichella has raced at the Hungaroring 12 times, with a best result of sixth coming in 2002 with Jordan. Adrian has raced there twice in his F1 career but has only seen the finish once - in 2007 when he came home in 17th.

Hungarian Grand Prix information
The Hungaroring is set in the countryside just outside the vibrant Hungarian capital, Budapest. It first made its F1 debut in 1986 - at the time, a pioneering venture into Eastern Europe, which was then under Communist rule.

Much has changed in the city since that first edition, as has the track. Since its calendar debut, the circuit has been extended and repeatedly modified, yet its character has still remained: a high downforce, low-speed, twisty, undulating ride through a dusty landscape. With its tight corners and short straights, it ranks next to Monaco as the toughest place to overtake. Sand from these outlying lands often blows onto the track, making grip levels low and any off-line excursion potentially risky.

This, combined with the event taking place in the height of summer, makes it one of the toughest tracks of the year for drivers and teams.

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:17 am
by Ed
2009 Hungarian Grand Prix Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP1: 18th 1:23.845 (18 laps)
FP2: 16th 1:22.978 (28 laps)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP1: 16th 1:23.484 (20 laps)
FP2: 17th 1:23.029 (39 laps)

24 July 2009 - Searing ambient and track temperatures plus dusty, windy conditions combined to produce a tough opening day of practice for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, the tenth round of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship.

The Force India Formula One Team's Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella nevertheless completed a solid day of work at the twisty, 4.381km Hungaroring. The morning was dedicated to establishing a good baseline set-up on the soft Bridgestone tyres and evaluating some of the cooling aids brought specifically to cope with the high ambient temperatures of the Hungarian summer. In the afternoon both drivers moved to comparing the soft and the supersoft tyres and conducting longer run simulations.

Giancarlo's quickest lap of the morning, 1min 23.484, came on his final run and was the 16th quickest time. Adrian's best was similarly recorded in the closing minutes of the session, 1min 23.845, the 18th fastest, both within 1.5secs of the quickest lap. The pair were within a second of the fastest time in the afternoon, with Adrian posting a 1min 22.978 and Giancarlo a 1min 23.029, the 16th and 17th quickest times respectively.


Adrian Sutil (car 20)
Today was quite a tough day. The grip level was so low on the circuit and it was hard to judge the tyres. The balance in general is hard to get and the car is difficult to drive. We're getting some oversteer and then understeer in the mid corner with a lot of snaps over the bumps. It is made harder as the grip levels are changing constantly, but we've got lots of data to work on so I'm confident we'll find some more tomorrow.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
Everything went reasonably well today as we went through the programme. The balance for me was not too bad, particularly on the longer run I did in the afternoon, but the circuit is still quite low on grip. Unfortunately on my last run with the new tyres I had some traffic on the first lap so couldn't warm the tyres adequately and I locked up into turn one and got a flat spot and some vibration. I couldn't improve my lap time with the new tyres in the end, but we do know that there is more to come.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
During FP1 both cars carried out some structured tests whilst the circuit improved and most of the work was about gathering data. It was quite tricky to balance the cars this afternoon, with the wind and warm temperatures adding to the mix. Nevertheless both drivers worked diligently and aside from a minor issue that delayed Adrian's baseline outing there were no serious problems. As expected the closer tyre compounds available here have produced some interesting data for us to analyse as we prepare a strategy for the race.

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 1:11 am
by Ed
2009 Hungarian Grand Prix Qualifying and Final Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP3: 20th 1:23.231 (16 laps)
Q1: 18th 1:21.868 (5 laps)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP3: 19th 1:22.684 (23 laps)
Q1: 17th 1:21.807 (12 laps)

25 July 2009 - The Force India Formula One Team will start Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix with Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil in 17th and 18th positions respectively following a disappointing qualifying session.

Adrian's qualifying was compromised following an accident in this morning's free practice session in which he damaged his front wing and nose and lost vital running time. His VJM02 was only repaired in time to allow Adrian to complete two flying laps.

Giancarlo had a solid session, completing his first run on the soft Bridgestone tyres. The Italian bettered his times by one second on his second run, this time on the supersoft option, and was able to put in two further flying laps on his third outing, also on supersofts. His fastest lap, 1min 21.807, looked set to ease him into Q2 but with the track quickening with each car he was just knocked down into 17th position in the closing seconds of the session.


Adrian Sutil (car 20)
First of all, I really hope Felipe is OK. I'm really thinking of him now. For us, unfortunately the qualifying wasn't as good as we hoped. In the morning I just made a mistake and went off line and lost some grip and went into the barriers. The guys did a great job to get the car ready but there was only enough time at the end of the session for two flying laps. All we needed was an extra couple of tenths that would have helped us go into Q2 so without the accident I think we could have been quite good. At least in 18th we have a couple of cars behind us but it's going to be a tough race.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
I'm really thinking of Felipe right now as he's a good friend. I hope he's doing OK. Personally we knew it was going to be difficult today with the low grip but to just be one or two tenths from getting into Q2 is a little bit frustrating. The only problem was the lack of grip and it was difficult to do a good lap. It's going to be a tough race, but I would still like to get a good finish to take us over the mid-season break and into the next race where we have a lot more development to come.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
It was very concerning to see Felipe Massa's accident in the second part of qualifying today and the team sincerely hopes that he is OK. For us today we missed the cut by a tenth and a half, in what is probably one of the closest F1 qualifying sessions ever front to back. It shows that with another step in car performance at the next event we will again be back amongst the pack in qualifying. Adrian had a small off this morning, and to get the car back out for Q1 stretched the team, and I have to congratulate them on their effort and teamwork in so doing.

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:18 am
by Ed
2009 Hungarian Grand Prix Race Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
DNF Mechanical (Lap 1)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
14th +1 lap

26 July 2009 - The Force India Formula One Team has finished a tough, hot Hungarian Grand Prix with Giancarlo Fisichella in 14th position. Giancarlo used a two stop strategy to move three positions up on his starting slot and produced a particularly strong second and third stint when fighting with the BMW of Robert Kubica and Rubens Barrichello's Brawn GP.

Adrian Sutil's Hungarian Grand Prix unfortunately came to an end after just one lap. His VJM02's water temperature had rocketed on the formation lap, causing the engine to run very hot. Adrian returned to the pits to attempt a solution, however when it became clear no immediate fix could be found Adrian was retired from the event to save the engine from damage.

The team now looks to the next event in Valencia where a major new aero upgrade package is anticipated.

Adrian Sutil (car 20)
We had a problem with the water temperature so after one lap it had climbed to the maximum so the engine was running very hot. We had our first suspicions on the way to the grid and after a few corners it was clear that there was no way we could do the race. I had to retire to save the engine. It's been a difficult weekend overall but I'm looking forward to Valencia now where we have a big upgrade package coming through.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
The race was quite tough for us. The grid position wasn't great and in the beginning we struggled a little bit with the grip. On the second and third stints though the car balance was actually pretty good and I was quicker than Barrichello and Kubica so I could push quite hard. Unfortunately here you just can't find a way past so we had to settle for 14th. Now we can really start to look forward to the next Grand Prix in Valencia.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
Obviously today's race was overshadowed by Felipe's accident yesterday and our thoughts are with him and his family. We wish him all the best for a speedy recovery. For us personally, the weekend has been one of mixed fortunes. Qualifying was not as we would have hoped, but Giancarlo had a strong outing with some very fast times in the mid point of the race and we again raced in the midfield. We're now very much looking forward to Valencia where the new upgrades should give us yet another advance on the field.

Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:49 pm
by Ed
European Grand Prix Preview
21 - 23 August 2009

The FIA Formula One World Championship returns to action this weekend with the 11th round of the series, the European Grand Prix, held in the vibrant Spanish city of Valencia. The event will be the first race in four weeks and will kick-start a tough final half of the year, which includes both a European and overseas' double header and four flyaway races.

The Force India Formula One Team goes to this next event in a buoyant mood following a strong finish to the first part of the season and confident in the new aero upgrades that will be introduced in Valencia.

Team Q&A
Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal
Force India had a strong end to the first part of the season. What have you got planned to sustain this momentum to the end of the year?
We have a major aerodynamic upgrade coming for Valencia, which includes a new floor, bargeboard area and front wing. We're looking forward to it as we had a very successful aero test with Tonio in the week before the summer shutdown. With this knowledge I hope we're able to maintain, if not improve, our relative position on track. F1 is more competitive than ever now so we need to keep these upgrades coming through and staying ahead of the others, who no doubt will be improving as well.

What will your aims be for this second part of the season?
We should definitely be Q2, maybe even the top of Q2 in Valencia and beyond. I'm quite optimistic as we're also working on more upgrades for the final races of the season so fingers crossed we should be able to maintain our momentum. There's more to come for Singapore as well in the latter part of the year so if we continue on our trajectory now we're looking quite good, on target with the goals we set at the start of the year.

Driver Q&A
Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01)
You've just had a four week break from racing. What did you do during this time off?
I've taken some time off to relax and train for the second part of the year, which is going to be pretty busy for us with a lot of races in a short amount of time and lots of travelling. I went to Bali to spend some time with my family, then returned to Switzerland to get ready for the European Grand Prix. I feel very refreshed now and I am looking forward to getting going again. As nice as it is to have four weeks off, I really want to get back in the car. We were going well before the break and I can't wait to get started again.

Valencia is another street circuit, and you've excelled on these in the past. What are your thoughts going into this race?
To be honest, Valencia isn't one of my favourites. It's a street circuit but it doesn't feel like it as the roads are so wide and it's really just fast straights into a hairpin, accelerate out and then another hairpin so you don't get the adrenaline you would at Monaco. This year it could be quite good for us though as we have a big new upgrade. Every upgrade we've introduced so far this year has really made a difference so I have a lot of confidence that this will move us forward as well. The car is getting better and better to drive and with another upgrade I hope we will really be in the midfield now and in the hunt for points.

Looking forward, what are your aims for the rest of the season?
We have this new upgrade that we hope will cement our Q2 positions and from there we should be regular midfield contenders. I'm looking to be reliable and avoid any mistakes and let's see where we go from there. We have some more parts coming for the flyaway races as well so it should be a very strong end to the season.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04)
Giancarlo, what did you do during the mid-season break?
I had a fantastic break with my family. There's a lot of travel in the second part of the year so it was nice to spend some good time with them while my kids were on holiday. We took my boat over to Sardinia and spent some time there and also went down to Corsica. I also did some training and preparation for the end of the year. We're looking good as a team now so I want to be ready for every opportunity.

What are your thoughts on Valencia?
The Hungarian Grand Prix was quite a tough race but I was able to have a good, quick middle stint and fight with Kubica and Barrichello, so I hope I will be able to do the same, if not more, in Valencia. Last year it was quite a good race for me, one of my best, as we were genuinely fighting for positions. I quite like the track. For sure it's not the most challenging but if you are fighting for position there are some chances to overtake, which has got to be a positive. We also have a new upgrade for this race, the same step as we had in Silverstone, so I hope we can have a good race and score some points.

And what will your aims be for the rest of the season?
To keep where we are and score some points. There are some good opportunities coming up in the second part of the year and some tracks I really like and have gone well on. There's my home race in Monza, Singapore and Suzuka, which have also been good races for us, and then Interlagos, where I got my first win in F1. There's a lot of reasons to look forward to this next part of the year.

Force India European GP points of note:

After the Hungarian Grand Prix the team and trucks returned to the UK. From 3 - 16 August the factory then closed and all production, design and car build stopped. The VJM02 cars were effectively rebuilt and by 2 August to comply with the strict guidelines of the shutdown. Only truckies were allowed in at the very end of the shutdown to load the trucks and depart for Valencia.

The team will be debuting a major new aero upgrade package this weekend, including modifications to the front wing, and changes to the bargeboard area, and the front of the floor and sidepods.

Tonio Liuzzi conducted the team's second aero test of the year on 30 July. The Italian tested the new aero upgrades at Kemble airfield, UK. The test was very productive, run in generally fine weather conditions, with the Italian covering 268km in total.

The team's finishing record so far has been very strong. Giancarlo has had one retirement while Adrian has had two, meaning Force India has finished 85% of the races so far this season.

European Grand Prix: View from the pit wall with Force India's chief engineer, Dominic Harlow:
The European Grand Prix will be our first race after the summer shutdown, so hopefully the team will return refreshed and ready for a very busy end to the season. Before the factory closure Force India worked very hard to finalise and test another aero upgrade that will be introduced this race. The changes include some new details on the front wing, floor and further bodywork refinements that we hope will accelerate the upward trend in our performance.

Valencia is a modern city street circuit. Although it shares a waterside layout with Monaco, in contrast it's relatively wide and fast. Long straights link five hairpins and three medium speed chicanes that provide some overtaking opportunities, and work the brakes and engine hard. The bridge across the harbour is a special feature, as are the old port buildings that form the pit garages. Much to everyone's surprise there was no safety car in the F1 race last year, despite frequent deployments in the support events, so perhaps this year there could be an added dimension to the race strategy.

Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:19 pm
by Ed
2009 European Grand Prix Free Practice Report

Adrian Sutil (car 20, VJM02/01):
FP1: 6th 1:43.209 (13 laps)
FP2: 6th 1:40.596 (23 laps)

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21, VJM02/04):
FP1: 16th 1:44.126 (17 laps)
FP2: 8th 1:40.681 (31 laps)

21 August 2009 - The Force India Formula One Team put in an encouraging opening day of practice for this weekend's European Grand Prix, held in the vibrant Spanish city of Valencia. Adrian Sutil finished both 90 minute sessions with the sixth quickest lap, while Giancarlo was 16th fastest in the morning and a strong eighth in the afternoon.

With a new aerodynamic upgrade being debuted this race, the focus this morning was on conducting primary evaluations of the package and establishing a good baseline set-up on the harder tyre option. Both Giancarlo and Adrian completed three runs each, with a total of 30 laps between them.

In the afternoon's session both drivers moved to the softer tyre option and put in a longer run simulation, setting their quickest times in their final outings.


Adrian Sutil (car 20)
It was a good day for us today. Sixth place is looking OK and I hope we're now comfortably running at a Q2 pace. It's very encouraging and I'm looking forward to getting out again tomorrow. We had a few small niggles on the car so we couldn't run as much as we would have liked in the two sessions, but ultimately the balance was good. We did the tyre work as usual and although it was difficult at the start we understood the behaviour much more by the end of the second session. I don't think it will be a problem in the race as we used a similar tyre in Bahrain and didn't have any major issues on race day.

Giancarlo Fisichella (car 21)
I could set a reasonable lap time at the end of FP2 this afternoon. I was struggling this morning with the rear tyre graining but it looks better on the soft tyres for a single lap. We made a few changes for the afternoon and I'm confident we are going in the right direction. I can feel the package is a step forward but it's quite tight for positions at the moment so we'll see for tomorrow. I'm feeling quite good about it.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer
A lot of track improvement through the day and generally quite a successful programme for our cars. This circuit is particularly hard on the rear tyres, and on the slippery and green track meant we had to work at the balance. Aside from a couple of minor mechanical issues the team had no problems getting back into the swing of a Grand Prix Friday. It's so very tight in the field now we can't make any predictions for qualifying, but we appear to be in the mix and clearly a good grid spot will be our aim for tomorrow.