Force India secures 4th place in the Constructors’ standings
In Mexico, on the land of its driver Sergio Pérez, the Force India team ensured to finish the 2017 season in 4th place in the Constructors' Championship. For a long time during the race, Esteban Ocon was in 3rd place and could have even offered his team a first podium this weekend.
Paradoxically, with a season so far devoid of any podium finishes, Force India is on the verge of achieving one of its finest years by confirming, two races before the end, its position as the fourth team on the grid behind the untouchable Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull.
The strength of the Indian team does not lie in its budget, one of the smallest on the grid. But its ingenuity and its different approach from other teams on the grid have allowed it to achieve significant results for several years: “We have the smallest budget in Formula 1,” confirms Otmar Szafnauer, the Team Director, before continuing: “Our strength is doing certain things differently and having a different perspective from other teams on the grid. You know, it’s not easy, and I think next season will be even more difficult. I am really grateful to everyone at the factory, where the majority of the work is done. What everyone sees is what we achieve here, but I must thank the team as a whole.”
An enthusiasm shared by Rob Fernley, the Sporting Director of the team, delighted with this 4th place in the championship and the performance of his drivers in Mexico: « It’s fantastic to confirm our 4th place in the Constructors’ Championship with a competitive race in front of all these fans in Mexico. This result is a new demonstration of the progress we have made this season, and this 4th place, for the second year in a row, is a great reward for the whole team. »
92 points for @SChecoPerez, 83 for @OconEsteban – either of them would be 4th in the Constructors' Championship on their own! 😎😮 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/VUMJvVzLrt
— Sahara Force India (@ForceIndiaF1) 29 octobre 2017
A beautiful reward that could have turned into a podium for Esteban Ocon, who had secured 3rd place in the race before the intervention of the Virtual Safety Car: « It’s a great day for the team. A 5th place in the race and confirming our 4th place in the Constructors’ Championship is a fantastic achievement after a big season. For a moment, I thought the podium was possible because I was in 3rd for a long time. I had a good start and I could push the car as I wanted in clean air. Unfortunately, the Virtual Safety Car gave Räikkönen an advantage during his pit stop, and he was able to overtake us. When you work so hard to achieve a result, it’s really satisfying, so we’ll be able to celebrate that! » confirms the Frenchman.
A brilliant race today, after running on the podium for a long time we finish P5. With our form I’m sure we will fight for it again 😉! #EO31 pic.twitter.com/4bQapTllN7
— Esteban Ocon (@OconEsteban) 30 octobre 2017
Finally, the only slight disappointment might come from Sergio Pérez, who did not have an ideal weekend in terms of results in front of his home crowd: « After botched qualifications yesterday, we came back quite strong and had enough pace to have a solid race. It’s just a shame that the Virtual Safety Car came out at the wrong time because it allowed Stroll to get ahead of us. The main objective of the weekend was to confirm our 4th place in the Constructors’ Championship, so I am very happy with our results over these last two consecutive races, » however insisted the Mexican.
