Robert Fernley: The top 3 will be complicated in 2018

The progression of Force India in the hierarchy of F1 seems methodical since 2008 and the arrival of Vijay Mallya's structure in the category. The team will conclude the 2017 season in 4th place in the Manufacturers' ranking, a position already reached last year.

Thanks to the good combined results ofEsteban Ocon and Sergio Pérez, Robert Fernley's men are the best of the rest behind the trio Mercedes - Ferrari - Red Bull, without however being able to get on the podium this year.

The logical next step would be to see Force India try to fight more regularly with the three leading teams, but the step seems a little high according to the Deputy Team Principal.

"I'm not sure a team like Force India can do that, Fernley told us in Brazil. We are going to arrive in a program where we expect a certain cost control. It will take two or three years before it has any impact.

It will probably be too hard given our budget. The biggest problem we have is income disparity. You can't have teams starting the season with a payout in excess of $100 million before even covering a single kilometer, when other teams receive nothing. »

George Russell will be expected

Force India will enter the Abu Dhabi final without any specific pressure and with the future in their sights. “We have already been looking towards 2018 for a long time and we will continue this momentum in Abu Dhabi, Fernley comments. It's a race where there will be less pressure.

We will also have George Russell (in testing) with us. It will be a nice combination. George is very competent and brings a very good feeling. His pace is very good. It will be interesting to see how he performs because it's a circuit he knows. It will be a good experience. »

Discover the full report and analysis of the Brazilian Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents in Interlagos, in issue 2140 of AUTOhebdo, available now in digital version and on newsstands.