Force India driver Sergio Pérez believes the team can be the “big surprise” of 2017 and emerge as a threat to the leading squads in Formula 1, as it unveiled its VJM10 at Silverstone.
Perez led Force India’s charge throughout 2016 as he scored two podiums to assist the team’s record-high of fourth in the standings, behind only Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari.
Pérez reckons that Force India’s current platform will enable it to regularly challenge the leading outfits towards the front of the grid this year.
“Last year we finished fourth, so I see no reason why we cannot improve on that,” he said.
“The pace is very solid, plenty of reasons to be hoping for that [an improvement], that means a massive year for us, but I think Force India will be the big surprise this year.”
Pérez pointed to Force India’s lack of development on its 2016 car, the VJM09, as reason for why it can improve this year.
“People think we carried the development last year to get the fourth place but that’s not true,” he said.
“We stopped [developing] in May, speaking to Otmar [Szafnauer], Bob [Fernley], Andrew [Green], everyone is in place with a nice plan of upgrades through the year.
“Whether it’s good enough compared to the big teams who knows, but I certainly think we will give a hard time to the top teams.”
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