Sahara Force India Formula One team head to Abu Dhabi aiming to finish the season on a high

(Sahara Force India Formula One Team)

The Sahara Force India Formula One Team head to the final race of the 2014 season in Abu Dhabi this weekend following the Silverstone based outfits most successful season in their history in the sport.

The team are currently in 6th place in the championship on 127 points, 34 behind the McLaren Mercedes Formula One team. Force India secured their first podium since the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix when Sergio 'Checco' Perez finished the Bahrain night race at the Sakhir circuit in third place behind the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

As a team, Force India have only failed to score points on one occasion which came at the Hungarian Grand Prix just before the Summer break when both Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg retired from the race after the pair collided with one another.

While Perez's best result this season was third place in Bahrain, The Hulk's best performance this season came with four top five finishes in Malaysia, Bahrain, Monaco and Canada and has earned the German a new contract with the team for 2015. Speaking ahead of the race Hulkenberg said:

'Abu Dhabi is a nice venue: very modern and with great facilities. The racing looks really cool on TV as the day turns into night and the track is pretty challenging for us in the car as well. The light is not really an issue once you are in the cockpit, but the layout makes it very easy to make mistakes and lose time, especially in qualifying. It’s very stop-start, with a few chicanes and tight corners, so it is very difficult to get a good rhythm.

 

“It was nice to be back on the pace in Brazil and hopefully we will have similar pace in Abu Dhabi. It has been a great year for everyone in the team and it would be nice to end the season in style with some more points.'

Perez stated:

'Abu Dhabi is a special race on a circuit I really enjoy. It’s where I first drove a Formula One car and that is something that will remain with me forever. The facilities are great and the track is not easy to master: this year we also have double points and that gives you even more motivation to do well. 

Everything in the lap requires some compromise – you need a set-up that works on fast corners, stop-start turns and the twisty final sectors. You also need to think carefully about your choice of helmet visor: you start the race with a low sun that requires a dark visor, and end the race in the night needing a clear one.'

© Ben Johnston 2014