Breaking news
Formula 1 Mexican GP
Force India expects to lift team orders after Mexico
The Force India Formula 1 team is set to lift its current team order policy after another strong performance in the United States Grand Prix at Austin.
Lawrence Barretto
Edited: Oct 24, 2017, 11:31 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The team revised its policy of allowing Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon to race each other after a series of collisions between the two this season.
In Japan, it ordered them to hold position when they were together on track, and the team then did the same in Austin - with both drivers falling into line.
Ocon finished sixth with Perez eighth at the Circuit of the Americas to help the team move 91 points clear of Williams in fourth place in the constructors’ championship.
With only a maximum of 129 points remaining, and its closest challenger having scored just 68 this season, Force India is likely to secure the position in Mexico.
When asked by Motorsport.com when the team will lift the ban, chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer said: “Probably [after] one more race.
“We have just got to get through one more race and hopefully by then we’ll have clinched fourth place. That’s what it is all about.
“Once we get through that then maybe we can relax and do things a bit differently in the last two.”
Perez was vocal on team radio asking to be allowed to past Ocon because he felt he was faster and was coming under pressure from Carlos Sainz Jr, but he was told his teammate was managing his pace.
“Even if we let Checo past, the team wouldn’t have scored any more points,” said Szafnauer.
“It’s about us scoring points. We frankly don’t care which one scores the points, we don’t want to swap them around.
“We want to eliminate the risk and score the points. Once we are assured of fourth place, then we will change stuff.”
When asked if he would have done anything differently in hindsight given Perez was passed by Sainz, Szafnauer said: “No. There are many reasons why that happened, including if you push the tyres too early, then you don’t have them to defend.
“Esteban was managing his tyres better and towards the end could defend against Carlos.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Hamilton: Rosberg exit, vegan diet helped me reach new level
Next article Mexico "debacle" prompted US GP Verstappen penalty - Horner
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Lawrence Barretto
Sirotkin, Stroll to have two race engineers each
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sirotkin, Stroll to have two race engineers each
Hamilton "sacrifice" saved Mercedes an hour of testing
Formula 1
Formula 1
Hamilton "sacrifice" saved Mercedes an hour of testing
Kubica regrets being "too honest" about driving limitations
Formula 1
Formula 1
Kubica regrets being "too honest" about driving limitations
More from
Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez to skip F1 Mexico GP fan forum due to illness
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Sergio Perez to skip F1 Mexico GP fan forum due to illness
Sergio Perez praises Colton Herta impact - but has no say over 2027 Cadillac F1 team-mate choice
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Sergio Perez praises Colton Herta impact - but has no say over 2027 Cadillac F1 team-mate choice
The 10 key moments that defined Sergio Perez's F1 career
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
The 10 key moments that defined Sergio Perez's F1 career
More from
Force India
Otmar Szafnauer reveals failed Kimi Raikkonen bid involving "Angry Birds" founders
Formula 1
Formula 1
Canadian GP
Otmar Szafnauer reveals failed Kimi Raikkonen bid involving "Angry Birds" founders
Esteban Ocon explains why he collided with Sergio Perez so often at Force India
Formula 1
Formula 1
Esteban Ocon explains why he collided with Sergio Perez so often at Force India
Former Force India F1 boss Fernley dies aged 70
Formula 1
Formula 1
Austrian GP
Former Force India F1 boss Fernley dies aged 70
Latest news
Yamaha to boycott Qatar Grand Prix amid ongoing Middle East war
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Malaysian GP
10 min
Yamaha to boycott Qatar Grand Prix amid ongoing Middle East war
F1 2026 qualifying head-to-head: Mexico GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
13 min
F1 2026 qualifying head-to-head: Mexico GP
Red Bull drivers fear Mexico start, Max Verstappen jokes: “A Le Mans start would be just as quick”
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
17 min
Red Bull drivers fear Mexico start, Max Verstappen jokes: “A Le Mans start would be just as quick”
Alex Marquez skips controversial Qatar GP to undergo surgery
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Malaysian GP
40 min
Alex Marquez skips controversial Qatar GP to undergo surgery
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe