Force India Clinches Fifth Place at Brazilian Grand Prix

Force India clinched the fifth place in the Formula one team standings in the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Vijay Mallya with Force India’s drivers - Nico Hulkenberg (L) and Sergio Perez (R). (Photo: Reuters)

Force India clinched the fifth place in the Formula one team standings after Nico Hulkenberg finished sixth in the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo. This is their best ever finish in the Formula One team standings.

The eight points in the penultimate race of the season takes Force India to 120 points. They are 44 points ahead of Lotus, who is currently placed sixth, going into the finale at Abu Dhabi.

Hulkenberg made the two-stop strategy work after starting from fifth on the grid while his teammate Sergio Perez ended 13th, two spots lower than his grid position.

The Vijay Mallya-led squad have made history after an unprecedented year when it earned 19 points finishes and a third ever podium through Perez. The team finished 10th in its maiden season in 2008 and was sixth in 2013 and 2014.

Force India driver Sergio Perez, of Mexico, steers his car during the Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix. (Photo: AP)

My utmost satisfaction is we have improved performance steadily every year over the past eight years. I have a great team to whom I owe this.

Vijay Mallya

Perez and Hulkenberg will now be looking to hold on to the ninth and tenth spot in the drivers’ standings at the season finale in two weeks time.

I am very happy with sixth place and with scoring the points that helped the team secure fifth place in the championship, which is great news. It is the best result in our history and shows the progress we have made over the years. This fifth place is a result of all the hard work from everybody in the team and we should feel very proud of what we have achieved together.

Nico Hulkenberg