Press Trust of India
Sao Paulo, Nov 16: Force India (FI) secured their best-ever fifth place finish in the Formula 1 team standings after Nico Hulkenberg finished a fighting sixth in the Brazilian Grand Prix here Sunday. The eight points in the penultimate race of the season took FI to 120 points, 44 ahead of sixth placed Lotus going into the season-ending finale at Abu Dhabi.
Hulkenberg made the two-stop strategy work after starting from fifth on grid while his teammate Sergio Perez ended 13th, two spots lower than his grid position.
The Vijay Mallya-led squad has 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.
“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,” said Mallya, who is in talks with Aston Martin and Johnnie Walker to rebrand the team next season.
