GreenBkk.com Formula 1 | Adrian Sutil Q&A: This really feels like Force India’s home

Adrian Sutil Q&A: This really feels like Force India’s home

Adrian Sutil delivered a great Friday performance at Force India’s much awaited home race. Friday times usually don’t mean a lot, but when it’s at a new circuit where everybody starts from zero, their significance definitely increases. With the VJM04 having developed into an ‘all-circuits’ car - and Sutil always delivering when the chance is there - the inaugural Indian Grand Prix could be a moment of joy for Force India and all their Indian fans, as the German explained exclusively to Formula1.com…

Q: Adrian, how exciting is it to race here in Delhi, at force India’s home Grand Prix?

Adrian Sutil: It is awesome. The track is a real adventure - it is fantastic to race on. I am sure I’m not telling you something new if I say that it is a great mixture between Suzuka and Spa - two driver’s tracks. Sure, as it is brand new the grip level is not completely satisfying, but with every lap we are doing it is getting better and better, so I predict that we will see a sizzling qualifying and a fantastic race - and that the Indian fans will see with their own eyes, on their home turf, what Formula One racing is.

Q: What’s it like to approach the track and see Force India colours everywhere - almost as if this is Force India’s track?

AS: Yep, it is incredible. This place really looks as if it was part of our team. Or let me put it differently: we are all so proud to race under the tricolour on an Indian track with green, white and orange everywhere. I know that our Indian fans are fantastic so I expect a huge wave of support on Sunday.

Q: In both sessions today you’ve done really well - given the fact that everybody starts from zero. Is it a track that suits the VJM04?

AS: The good news is that our car doesn’t need ‘special’ circuits any longer to perform well - we do well anywhere we are racing. We are realistically settling around P10 - and of course should a chance come up we are always there to take it, as the car has the speed to do so. All day today it was really working very well - probably to race in the country of your team colours gives that extra tenth that makes a difference. I am really satisfied about our performance today and hope that this high will stay with us the whole weekend.

Q: How welcome would it be to finish in the points here?

AS: Of course that would be wonderful. I think it would be a real boost for Formula One in India if their own team could deliver a great result. We, the whole team, will do everything possible not to disappoint the Indian Formula One fans. I really would love to deliver a great result for Vijay (Mallya) who had so much foresight to get involved with Formula One when anybody else in India would not have dared to dream such a dream. Aside from that home race feeling, it is paramount for the championship standings that we get into the points on Sunday, to be able to increase the gap to Sauber and Toro Rosso and eventually decrease the gap to Renault.

Q: So the goal for Sunday - and the other remaining 2011 races - is to keep position and in the best-case scenario challenge Renault for P5 in the constructors’ championship?

AS: Yes. P6 is the must have and if there is a chance to challenge Renault for P5 we definitely will do it. But that requires a good portion of luck on our side - and a lot of bad luck on the side of Renault. (laughs)

Q: There have been reports in the papers that you have demanded an earlier decision over the Force India driver line-up than mid December…

AS: That is true. The announcement can be done in December, but as a driver I need a decision before that as I want to secure my future in Formula One. That is why I am trying to get a decision in the next two to three weeks, to make sure that I am also racing in Formula One in 2012.

Q: German media had reports that a decision has already been made and that Nico Hulkenberg will take over your cockpit…

AS: Nothing has been decided. I have been speaking with Vijay in private and he assured me as a friend and businessman that no decision has been made so far - and there is no reason for me to challenge that. I trust his words and will fully concentrate on the three final races - and should luck be on our side deliver a great result. Anything that was in the media is wishful thinking on some parts, and simply the untruths in certain media.

Credit: Formula One Administration Ltd (www.formula1.com)