Objective podiums and 5th place in the constructors’ standings for Force India in 2014
Beaten by McLaren for 5th place in the constructors' championship, the Force India team has made this position its goal for the 2014 season, which it also hopes will include podium finishes.
After a year concluded in 6th place behind McLaren despite a strong fight throughout the season, the Sahara Force India team approaches the 2014 Formula 1 season with ambition, as confirmed by the announced signings of Sergio Pérez and Nico Hülkenberg.
In /f1/actualite/16728-officiel-sergio-perez-signe-chez-force-india.html, Force India couldn’t do better than a 4th place, achieved by Paul di Resta in Bahrain, but for next year, the Indian team hopes to secure podiums and perform better in the constructors’ championship, as Robert Fernley explained to Autosport: [Our position] must be better next year. If we have made the right decision with the power unit, and we won’t know until the start of the first tests, we must aim for podiums and at least 5th place [in the constructors’ championship] next year. That will be the goal.
The deputy director of Force India also believes that his team is very well prepared given the choices made this year: « Obviously, we were the first [customer] team to sign a motor partner, which happened in March, and we were probably one of the first teams to move on to the 2014 design, so we are very optimistic. »
Fernley believes that the key element of the 2014 F1 season will be the new power unit consisting of a 1.6L Turbo V6 engine and two energy recovery systems and that the partnership with Mercedes could prove fruitful if the chassis measures up: « The biggest differentiator will be the power unit, so you need a chassis that will be of good quality, but I don’t think it will be as critical at the aero level as in recent years. This will change over time, but clearly in the first half of the year and maybe all of next year, it will mostly be about the power units. There are so many variables with reliability, ERS, fuel distribution systems. Some will get it right, it will go wrong for some, and you don’t know which camp you’re in. If we are in the camp of those who get it all right, then we are on the right track. »
Since Vijay Mallya took over the Spyker team (formerly Jordan and Midland) and renamed it Force India, the team has secured only one podium finish. That was in Belgium in 2009, when Giancarlo Fisichella started from pole position and finished second behind Kimi Räikkönen’s Ferrari.
After scoring zero points in 2008 during its debut, the Indian team has gradually improved its position over the years, finishing 10th in 2008, then 9th, 7th, 6th, again 7th, and 6th. Hence, Robert Fernley’s stated goal of continuing the progress made since its inception by doing even better next season.
