Force India set sights on claiming fourth spot

Drivers Sergio Perez (L) and Nico Hulkenberg of Force India F1

Silverstone (England), June 30 (IANS) Formula 1 team Force India has set its sight on claiming fourth spot in the constructors' championship, toppling Red Bull as its upgraded car arrives for the British Grand Prix this weekend.

The team achieved the best results this year in the Austrian Grand Prix where Sergio Perez finished ninth and Nico Hulkenberg ended sixth. The result gave the team its first double-points finish since the season opener in Australia and propelled it above Lotus to fifth in the championship.

Red Bull, who have won the championship four-times before, are 24 points ahead of Force India and deputy team principal Bob Fernley believes they can close the gap in sometime.

"Fourth is the next target. We have to be realistic so let's wait till Silverstone but if it delivers level of performance we think it will do, then we are hopeful," Fernley was quoted as saying by autosport.com on Monday.

The Silverstone-based team suffered delays with its development following a switch of wind tunnels over the winter and missed much of pre-season testing. Force India has been adding parts for its B-spec to the car since Monaco with the final evaluation of the package taking place in Austria.

"I'm very proud of the team, they have done an amazing job. We're at the end of six-month programme since we started the aero reconstruction with the new philosophy and moved to a new wind tunnel at same time. The new car will be the first test of that move but I'm very encouraged by it," said Fernley.