Sunday: Di Resta scores six points for Force India
Despite a good qualification for Adrian Sutil, it was Paul Di Resta, who stayed on slicks during the light rain, who finished in the top 10. The German, struggling from the first lap, lost the tire gamble.
Paul di Resta – 7th
« I am very happy to have finished seventh today. It was a mixed race with rain at the start, but I got a good start and felt comfortable in these conditions. Then, the challenge was to choose which type of tires. We used the super softs for the two middle stints and finished the race with the softs. We lost a place at the last stop, but I was able to come back on those cars and regain 7th place in the final laps. Finishing seventh is the best way to bounce back after a series of races where, for various reasons, we didn’t get the expected results. It’s great to go on vacation with a smile and having scored such important points for us in the championship ».
Adrian Sutil – 14th
It was not a particularly good start for me and my chances of scoring points vanished on the first lap when I lost the rear at the chicane. I was right behind Paul and, to avoid a collision, I had to go off track. I lost a lot of places. After that, it was mostly about trying to salvage what we could, and when the rain started to fall halfway through the race, we immediately switched to intermediate tires. We were out of the points at that moment and felt it was the best thing to do. But there wasn’t enough rain, so I had to switch to soft tires a few laps later. It’s a shame not to convert our good qualifying into points, but I’m thrilled for Paul and the team after his result today.
Vijay Mallya
« Once again, I am happy that we have scored six important points that strengthen our position in the championship. Paul had an excellent race, without making a mistake, and he really deserves his result. He also made the right tire choice when the rain came back, as it was not certain that we wouldn’t have to switch to intermediates. Paul’s decision to stay on the track with the soft tires paid off. Adrian’s race was compromised from the first few laps, and although we tried everything to get him back in the points, it wasn’t his day. Overall, we can be happy with our performance this weekend and head into the break optimistic for the end of the season ».
