Comparing the 2015 teammates: Force India

Force India has decided to stick with the same drivers as in 2014 and they are a good pair in my opinion.

Hülkenberg has always been a good driver and in my opinion he is one of the best drivers in Formula One. Perez on the other hand is a driver who is a bit off sometimes but is capable of scoring some very good points for him and his team. Perez was good at Sauber but at McLaren he couldn't beat his world champion teammate Jenson Button. Last year he got a podium but lost to Hülkenberg in points.

The comparing starts here and I will begin with Sergio Perez. First the year, then the former teammate and how the season went.

2011 - Kamui Kobayashi. Perez started his career with a very good and hungry teammate. Kobayashi was said to be a rising star but for some reason he isn't driving in F1 anymore.
The first season in F1 wasn't that good for Perez. Kobayashi got double the amount of points than Perez. Sauber was also a very weak team that year which didn't really give him a chance to show any skills.

2012 - Kamui Kobayashi. This time the Sauber was working much better than the year before and even Perez was driving better. He won Kobayashi with 6 points (66-60) and even got three podium finishes. The 2012 Malaysian GP was the best race ever for Perez. He almost won the race but got second place in the end fighting with the two time world champion Fernando Alonso. People were talking that Perez was going to replace Massa at Ferrari. In the end Perez got a contract with McLaren after Lewis Hamilton wanted to leave.

2013 - Jenson Button. Now it was time for Perez to show his real potential but he failed. Jenson Button was not an easy man to beat. Perez lost 73-49 in points and lost also his seat at McLaren to the newbie Kevin Magnussen. Not a good year for McLaren and not for Perez either. 

2014 - Nico Hülkenberg. I will talk about him when I have compared his teammates first.

Let's take a look at the German superstar Nico Hülkenberg. Some say that if Kimi Räikkönen would have stayed with Lotus Hülkenberg would have joined Ferrari for sure.

2010 - Rubens Barrichello. The only season that Hülkenberg has lost to his teammate. As a rookie he got only half of the points that Barrichello got. But then on the other hand Hülkenberg retired twice more than Barrichello. The young rookie from Germany also shocked everybody by taking pole position in Brazil with a car that wasn't good enough for that.

2011 - This year he lost his seat when Williams needed a pay driver and signed Pastor Maldonado. Hülkenberg would have gotten a seat for sure in another team but Williams notified him so late that all of the seats were already taken.

2012 - Paul di Resta. Hülkenberg was back again and showed his teammate who's boss with the points 63-46. Hülkenberg was now a driver that every team was keeping an eye on. McLaren could have signed him for 2013 but thought that his 2014 teammate (Sergio Perez) was a better choice. An interesting question was in the air: If they would have signed Hülkenberg instead of Perez would they have signed Magnussen for 2014? We will never know and only wonder.

2013 - Esteban Gutierrez. This was a pretty obvious victory for Hülkenberg because he got over 8 times more points than his teammate. The points were 51-6! What a difference! Sauber were happy enough to keep him for one more season though. Hülkenberg was good enough to say that he wasn't happy with the car and returned to Force India who were glad to take him back.

2014 - Sergio Perez. He got Force India's first podium since 2009 but Hülkenberg won him in points and being more consistent. 

If I would take a guess I would say that Perez will lose this time too because "the Hulk" is a very tough teammate to beat.

Juncadella to make F1 practice debut at Silverstone

Force India reserve driver Daniel Juncadella will make his Formula One practice debut at the 2014 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix, the team confirmed on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old Spaniard, who is the reigning FIA European Formula 3 champion and winner of both the Macau Grand Prix and the Masters at Zandvoort, will take the wheel of Nico Hulkenberg's VJM07 for Friday morning’s FP1 session before handing the car back to the German for FP2.

"I am delighted and ready and I'd like to thank Sahara Force India for this opportunity,” said Juncadella, who drove for Force India in both pre-season testing and at last month’s Barcelona test, and also conducts regular simulator duties for the Silverstone-based squad.

“This will be the first time I take part in an official Grand Prix weekend session, so it will be a very special day for me - I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time and it goes to show that hard work and determination can get you there!

"Since the start of the year back in Jerez, where I got my first chance to drive the car, I've been working very hard together with the team and I've definitely learned a lot. My second outing at the test in Barcelona and all the hours we've spent together on the simulator have given me plenty of confidence. They were also the perfect way to get to know the team better, something which I think is always essential in order to do well.

"This is also the team’s local race, which makes a day I will never forget even more special."

Force India are one of just four teams to have scored points in every race so far this season and enter the Silverstone weekend in fourth place in the constructors’ standings with 87 points.

(source: f1.com)

Force India first to reveal their 2014 car

 

Force India have become the first team to release a picture of their new car, giving fans an initial chance to see how 2014’s radical regulation changes have shaped the look of Formula One cars.

The most obvious differences between the new Mercedes-powered VJM07 and last year’s VJM06 are the mandatory lower nose and the striking new black, orange and green livery. However, the Silverstone-based team's technical director Andrew Green is quick to emphasise just how different the new car is compared to its predecessor.

“Almost every single part is a new design, from the front wing right back to the diffuser,” he said. “The genetics of the VJM07 still lie in the 2013 car, but we've had to achieve the same results in a slightly different way.”

Team principal Vijay Malya hailed the ‘aggressive’ look of his team’s 2014 challenger.

“The VJM07 looks stunning and the new livery reflects the way Sahara Force India is evolving,” he said. “I’ve always believed our cars have been the most eye-catching, but adding black as a main colour gives us a fierce new look.

“The new rules have presented us with a huge challenge, but I’m very proud of the approach we have taken and the direction of the technical team. It will be fascinating to see how different teams have interpreted the rules and at this stage it’s impossible to predict who has done the best job.”

Force India will officially present the VJM07 at next week’s first pre-season test in Jerez, Spain, where it will be put through its paces by the team's all-new driver line-up of Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez.

(source: f1.com)

Comparing the 2014 teammates: Force India

After comparing the teammates of Ferrari, Red Bull and Lotus it is time for Force India.
Force India has changed both of their drivers for the 2014 season. Nico Hülkenberg is coming back after one season at Sauber and Sergio Perez is filling the second seat after leaving McLaren.

Hülkenberg has always been a good driver and in my opinion he is one of the best drivers in Formula One. Perez on the other hand is a driver who is a bit off sometimes but is capable of scoring some very good points for him and his team. Perez was good at Sauber but at McLaren he couldn't beat his world champion teammate Jenson Button.

The comparing starts here and I will begin with Sergio Perez. First the year, then the former teammate and how the season went.

2011 - Kamui Kobayashi. Perez started his career with a very good and hungry teammate. Kobayashi was said to be a rising star but for some reason he isn't driving in F1 anymore.
The first season in F1 wasn't that good for Perez. Kobayashi got double the amount of points than Perez. Sauber was also a very weak team that year which didn't really give him a chance to show any skills.

2012 - Kamui Kobayashi. This time the Sauber was working much better than the year before and even Perez was driving better. He won Kobayashi with 6 points (66-60) and even got three podium finishes. The 2012 Malaysian GP was the best race ever for Perez. He almost won the race but got second place in the end fighting with the two time world champion Fernando Alonso. People were talking that Perez was going to replace Massa at Ferrari. In the end Perez got a contract with McLaren after Lewis Hamilton wanted to leave.

2013 - Jenson Button. Now it was time for Perez to show his real potential but he failed. Jenson Button was not an easy man to beat. Perez lost 73-49 in points and lost also his seat at McLaren to the newbie Kevin Magnussen. Not a good year for McLaren and not for Perez either. So Perez has driven in F1 for three years but has had only one really good season. Let's see how he will do with Nico Hülkenberg.

And now we shall take a look at the German superstar Nico Hülkenberg. Some say that if Kimi Räikkönen would have stayed with Lotus Hülkenberg would have joined Ferrari for sure.

2010 - Rubens Barrichello. The only season that Hülkenberg has lost to his teammate. As a rookie he got only half of the points that Barrichello got. But then on the other hand Hülkenberg retired twice more than Barrichello. The young rookie from Germany also shocked everybody by taking pole position in Brazil with a car that wasn't good enough for that.

2011 - This year he lost his seat when Williams needed a pay driver and signed Pastor Maldonado. Hülkenberg would have gotten a seat for sure in another team but Williams notified him so late that all of the seats were already taken.

2012 - Paul di Resta. Hülkenberg was back again and showed his teammate who's boss with the points 63-46. Hülkenberg was now a driver that every team was keeping an eye on. McLaren could have signed him for 2013 but thought that his 2014 teammate (Sergio Perez) was a better choice. An interesting question was in the air: If they would have signed Hülkenberg instead of Perez would they have signed Magnussen for 2014? We will never know and only wonder.

2013 - Esteban Gutierrez. This was a pretty obvious victory for Hülkenberg because he got over 8 times more points than his teammate. The points were 51-6! What a difference! Sauber were happy enough to keep him for one more season though. Hülkenberg was good enough to say that he wasn't happy with the car and returned to Force India who were glad to take him back.

If I would make a guess I would say that Perez will lose this time because "the Hulk" is a very tough teammate to beat.

Next time I will compare the Mercedes teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

F1.COM: Sutil joins Sauber for 2014

Adrian Sutil has been announced as the first of Sauber’s drivers for the 2014 season. The news comes a day after Sergio Perez was confirmed at Force India, ending any chance of Sutil staying at the team with which he has spent his entire Formula One career to date.

“I am very happy that we found common ground,” said the 30-year-old German of his signing, which will see him embark on his seventh year of F1 racing.

“Although I have known for a while where I wanted to go, in the end the negotiations took a bit longer than planned. However, now I will have all the more reason to celebrate during the Christmas season. I’ve been in contact with Monisha (Kaltenborn, Sauber team principal) for a while and she always gave me the feeling my qualities are valued. 

“After six good years driving for Force India, with a lot of highlights, it’s now time to embark on a new challenge. I am determined to do my part in order to have a successful future together with the Sauber F1 Team. The long and successful tradition in motorsport, combined with an impressive factory and one of the best wind tunnels in F1, have been fascinating me for a long time. Thank you to Peter Sauber and Monisha Kaltenborn for your trust in me.” 

Kaltenborn said that Sutil's signing fulfilled a long-held ambition for the team: “We are pleased that we were able to sign Adrian, particularly as we have been wanting to work together with him for a while.

“Adrian had already visited the factory at the end of September to have a look at the infrastructure. Adrian is not only very fast, but also brings a lot of experience, which is very important looking at the new regulations for next year. We welcome Adrian to the Sauber F1 Team and look forward to a successful collaboration.”

Sutil finished 13th in the 2013 drivers’ standings with 29 points. Sauber have confirmed that they will announce his 2014 team mate at a later date.

(source: f1.com)

Perez completes Force India’s 2014 driver line-up

Sergio Perez will partner Nico Hulkenberg at Force India in 2014, it was announced on Thursday, replacing the team’s 2013 line-up of Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil.

Perez joins the Silverstone-based squad from McLaren after spending just one season alongside Jenson Button before being replaced by Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen.

The 23-year-old Mexican’s arrival at Force India, which comes just over a week after Hulkenberg’s return was confirmed, ensures the team will start the season with an all-new driver pairing for the first time since 2005 when they were still known as Jordan.

Perez finished the 2013 season in 11th place in the drivers’ standings with 49 points, one position and two points behind new team mate Hulkenberg. Both drivers will embark on their fourth full season in the world championship in 2014.

(source: f1.com)

McLaren and Force India are also passing on the tests next week

The FIA and Pirelli agreed to allow the teams to have tire tests 17-19.12.2013 in Bahrain. The teams were supposed to test the tires in Sao Paulo, Brazil before the qualifying session but the weather wasn't good enough.

First the teams Lotus, Williams, Marussia, Caterham and Sauber stated that they are not participating in the tests and now also McLaren and Force India will pass on the tests.

It seems that the teams that passed on the tests first had mainly issues with their budget but McLaren and Force India has stated that they can't fit the tests in their schedule. Wow! What can be more important than testing for next season?!

Der Spiegel & MTV Sport: Hülkenberg and Perez signed with Force India

According to the German newspaper Der Spiegel and Finnish TV-channel MTV3 Nico Hülkenberg has signed a multiple year contract with Force India in London today. Nico Hülkenberg represented Force India in 2011 and 2012 after he switched to Sauber for 2013. Now he wanted to join his old team.

MTV3 also claims that Sergio Perez is going to be his teammate after leaving McLaren.

Comparing all the team mates head to head

We have had 9 Grand Prix weekends so far. Let's see who has had a better season than their team mate.

First we shall compare qualifying. If the driver has not set a time at all or lost because of a penalty then the point doesn't count. I shall mark the better driver in red.

Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel & Mark Webber

9 - 0

Ferrari

Fernando Alonso - Felipe Massa

5 - 3

McLaren

Jenson Button - Sergio Perez

6 - 3

Lotus

Kimi Räikkönen - Romain Grosjean

8 - 1

Mercedes

Nico Rosberg - Lewis Hamilton

3 - 6

Sauber

Nico Hülkenberg - Esteban Gutierrez

9 - 0

Force India

Paul Di Resta - Adrian Sutil

5 - 3

Williams

Pastor Maldonado - Valtteri Bottas

3 - 6

Toro Rosso

Jean-Eric Vergne - Daniel Ricciardo

3 - 6

Caterham

Charles Pic - Giedo van der Garde

6 - 3

Marussia

Jules Bianchi - Max Chilton

8 - 0

And now we shall compare the races. If the driver has not been a part of the race or was disqualified then the point doesn't count.

Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel & Mark Webber

8 - 1

Ferrari

Fernando Alonso - Felipe Massa

8 - 1

McLaren

Jenson Button - Sergio Perez

6 - 3

Lotus

Kimi Räikkönen - Romain Grosjean

8 - 1

Mercedes

Nico Rosberg - Lewis Hamilton

3 - 6

Sauber

Nico Hülkenberg - Esteban Gutierrez

6 - 2

Force India

Paul Di Resta - Adrian Sutil

5 - 4

Williams

Pastor Maldonado - Valtteri Bottas

5 - 4

Toro Rosso

Jean-Eric Vergne - Daniel Ricciardo

4 - 5

Caterham

Charles Pic - Giedo van der Garde

8 - 1

Marussia

Jules Bianchi - Max Chilton

7 - 2

So the best "qualifying winners" until now in order are Vettel, Hulkenberg and Bianchi/Räikkönen.

The best "race winners" until now in order are Vettel/Alonso/Räikkönen/Pic (everybody had 8-1)

2013 team standings/points after the Hungarian GP

1	Red Bull Racing-Renault	277
2	Mercedes	208
3	Ferrari	194
4	Lotus-Renault	183
5	Force India-Mercedes	59
6	McLaren-Mercedes	57
7	STR-Ferrari	24
8	Sauber-Ferrari	7
9	Williams-Renault	1
10	Marussia-Cosworth	0
11	Caterham-Renault	0