Like many of the teams on the grid, Force India had the chance to test their new car upgrades. The team made some minor tweaks to the aerodynamic package, although it doesn’t appear to have been anything major. The team has suggested that the preliminary data collected during the Friday sessions suggests that the changes have had a positive effect on the car’s performance.
It’s usual to see upgrades applied to the cars during the course of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, seeing as it is the first European race since the season started. Teams will also have the chance to take part in a mid-season test at the circuit in the days after the race weekend. Sauber is the only team to have announced that they will skip the test, saying that they have no upgrades to test.
Things didn’t start out on a positive note for Sergio Pérez, as he spent most of the morning in the garage because of an oil leak. At the end of the first free practice session, he had only managed to complete nine laps of running, a third of what his teammate was able to complete. The team’s lap times improved during the second free practice session, allowing them to record lap times within the top ten of the time charts.
The day was focused on racking up the mileage in order to collect data about the upgrades. The team ran all three of the available tyre compounds – hard, medium and soft – in order to get the best understanding of how their new upgrades cope under the different compounds. The team will be fully analyzing the data overnight, but the drivers both had positive things to say. Nico Hülkenberg said the upgrades have given the car a “good step forward in performance” and Pérez had similar comments.
The Deputy Team Principal of Force India, Robert Fernley, was pleased with the overall performance of the day:
“It was not the most straightforward morning with an oil leak costing Sergio quite a bit of time, but all in all it was a positive day. We were still able to cover a lot of ground with Nico and we completed good mileage with both cars in the afternoon, giving us plenty of data and information. We ran on all three tyre compounds and got a good understanding of the effects of our upgrade package. The preliminary indications appear to be very positive and we believe there is more to come from the car. There is still some work to do ahead of tomorrow, but I think we’re moving in a good direction.”
Of course, things are never perfect on Friday, meaning that the team will be making a few tweaks during the final free practice session on Saturday to prepare for qualifying and the race on the following day. The Spanish Grand Prix will be held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Sunday.
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