Saturday: Force India wants to convert its good performance into points

Nico Hülkenberg (no. 27) – 6th and 7th

For his return to Force India, Nico Hülkenberg once again proved that he is a driver to be reckoned with, even more so when the rain makes its appearance: « For the first qualifying session of the new season, we finished 7th, which is good news! Everything went well today and it was an entertaining session, I really enjoyed it. »

« It was the first time I drove the new car in the rain, but right from the start I was comfortable and confident with a good balance with the intermediates and the rain tires. There was a good harmony between the car and me, and the team did a very good job helping me manage the traffic, » added the German.

For the race, the Sahara Force India driver has a simple goal, a top 10 finish synonymous with points at the end: « As for tomorrow, it’s really a leap into the unknown for everyone. I think we are well prepared and I’m looking forward to the race where points will be our goal. »

Sergio Pérez (No. 11) – 9th and 16th

The Mexican did not have as much luck as his teammate in qualifying, suffering from poor timing and then a mistake leading to an off-track excursion, albeit without consequences: « It was not an easy session, especially in Q2, and unfortunately, we were not able to have a good lap in the rain. It was difficult to find space with the traffic, and I had to go back through the pits to change tires when the track was probably at its best. When I left the pits for my last stint, I locked the rear wheels at turn 3, lost control, and was unable to recover thereafter. »

But Pérez knows he has a good car and will work to prove it during the Grand Prix tomorrow: « So it wasn’t the result we hoped for in qualifying, but we know tomorrow will be a new opportunity. We will fight and try to score some points. »