The 2014 United States Grand Prix, held at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, looms as a potentially defining moment for Sahara Force India. While the team has guaranteed that the 2014 season is their most successful season on points, the outfit is starting to show signs of battle wear.
The stakes in the struggle for fifth are high, and Force India are sure to be feeling the pressure. Should Force India’s determination and resolve translate to positive results on Sunday and beyond, the payoffs for the team and its image will be spectacular.
The weeks since the Russian Grand Prix have not been easy for Force India. In the fight for fifth place in the World Constructors’ Championship, McLaren landed heavy blows in Russia. The US Grand Prix will give a better indication if McLaren’s pace was a one-off, or if Force India has fallen behind in the development race.
Adding to the pain, according to numerous reports the team narrowly avoided becoming the third team not to make the starting grid in Austin. The success that the team earned in the first half the year has been harder to come by, with Nico Hülkenberg scoring 70 of his 76 points in the first 10 races of the season.
In spite of it all, Force India is showing a determination to get on with the job at hand and focus on the positives. The team hasn’t given up on clawing back fifth place from McLaren, Hülkenberg’s seat was confirmed for 2015, and all concerned are treating Austin as Mexican driver Sergio Pérez’s home Grand Prix.
The drivers remain positive and focussed, with Hülkenberg looking to replicate past Austin success and saying that he believes Austin is one of the best of the new circuits.
“It’s very easy to find a rhythm and the tarmac is very smooth, which makes it very nice to drive,” said Hülkenberg.
“I’ve had good results in Austin [P8 in 2012 and P6 in 2013] so I am feeling upbeat about this weekend. It’s clear that some teams ahead of us have made a step forward recently, but we know that we can race well. I think it’s realistic to target points again this weekend and try to close the gap to fifth place.”
A resurgent Pérez is looking to continue his points scoring streak, and use the momentum to impress fans at his adopted home Grand Prix.
“Austin is a great race and because it’s so close to Mexico it feels like my ‘home’ race,” said Pérez.
“There are usually a lot of Mexican fans and you feel a lot of support because the grandstands are full and there are always a lot of Mexican flags.
“I arrive in Austin feeling positive. I’ve scored points in every race since the summer break – five races in a row – and I think we’ve maximised what we could get out of those races.
We’ve been racing hard, taking some chances, and making some excellent decisions with the strategy so hopefully we can continue to do so in the next few races.”
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