Assessment: Force India did not meet expectations

More than mixed results for the Force India team, which was highly anticipated this race weekend at the Hungaroring circuit in Hungary. While the new specifications are in full swing on the VJM002, the drivers had already fallen short during qualifying. The same result today…

Even worse, Adrian Sutil completed only a few kilometers before returning directly to the pits to retire due to mechanical reasons. In order to preserve his engine, he preferred to withdraw as the temperature around the engine block was very high. His teammate, Giancarlo Fisichella, did not shine and finished in a modest 14th place in the middle of the pack. Nevertheless, Force India remains confident for the European GP.

Adrian Sutil – Retirement:

We had an issue with the temperature of the coolant, and the engine was very hot. We first suspected something on the grid, and after a few turns, the situation became clearer. There was nothing to be done during the race. I had to retire to save the engine. It was a difficult weekend overall, but I look forward to Valencia since we will once again have a good package.

Giancarlo Fisichella – 14th:

« The race was quite difficult for us. The grid position wasn’t good, and from the start, we struggled a bit with grip. On the second and third stints, while the car’s balance was actually quite good, I wasn’t fast enough to overtake Barrichello and Kubica. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a solution, and so we have to settle for 14th place. Now, we can really hope for the next Grand Prix in Valencia. »

Vijay Mallya – President and Team Principal:

« Obviously, today, the race was overshadowed by Felipe [Massa]’s accident, and our thoughts are with him and his family. We wish him all the best and a speedy recovery. For us personally, the weekend has met with mixed fortunes. The qualifying did not go as wished, but Giancarlo [Fisichella] had a good stint in the middle of the race. We were running in the midfield. We now look forward to Valencia where the new updates should allow us to progress further. »