Still a force: Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil

For the second year running, Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil will be shouldering the responsibilities of team Force India. Despite a disappointing performance last year, the two drivers tell DNA that they are confident of a better show in 2009…

How are your preparations going for the second season in a Force India car?
Giancarlo Fisichella: Good so far. We had a good first test in Jerez last week. The car felt very promising and I felt much more consistency, even under braking, and more stability in the high speed corners. We need to improve the traction a bit but this is normal in such a new car. I was quite surprised and happy about what I felt with the behaviour of the car. We have another test next week in Barcelona so I think we have a good starting point.

Adrian Sutil: I’m quite happy because we could do some good testing in Jerez. We quickly got through the routine new car problems. It was the first proper time on circuit, so we still need time to understand everything but the overall feeling was very good, definitely. I’m looking forward to Barcelona next week when I will have two more days in the car.

Last year, Force India failed to score a single point. Do you think you can break the jinx this year? What targets have you set for 2009?
GF: For sure, I hope this year will be better than last year! I think this year is, maybe, the biggest change for many years, with KERS, slick tyres, downforce and new aero rules, so it’s very exciting. It would be good to see all the teams mixed up and to be able to fight for points. If the car is good, why not even for the podium?

AS: My aim this year is to finish all the races without any problems. We had a lot of technical issues last year so our goal should be to reduce those problems and try to be reliable and consistent. The results will depend on the car. I don’t want to predict results or say too much, I just want to have a season without any problems and a much higher finish rate. Everything else depends on the package; we will see how it all turns out.

From this year, Force India will be supplied with Mercedes-Benz drivetrain. How different will it be when compared to last year?
GF: It’s positive for sure. With Ferrari last year we had a good partnership, they were very professional and the engine was very good, but with McLaren and Mercedes we have a fantastic opportunity to integrate the whole engine, gearbox, hydraulics and KERS.

AS: It has to be positive for us. The co-operation with McLaren and Mercedes has been good so far as the team can work more efficiently now and can concentrate on the aerodynamics and other areas of the car that have more impact on performance. It’s a package from a world championship-winning team and it’s the best we could get, so it’s a great opportunity. That’s why I think people are so motivated here now — it looks very promising.

What is your opinion about the regulation changes?
GF: It will be a challenge to get used to everything and interesting for me as I have been in the sport for 14 years now. It is the biggest changes in rules I have seen. I have raced on slicks before but I drove with them back in 1997 when they were completely different compounds used with completely different cars and engines. In the 12 years since then the cars and the tyres have evolved so much you can’t really compare the two periods. I don’t think there will be much of an advantage having driven on them before. Everyone will take a while to get used to everything.

AS: Yes, this year there are so many big changes and the cars are completely different. There’s new aero design, new tyres, KERS, so it is a real challenge for everyone. I think slicks will be the biggest challenge. For a driver, KERS is just a button. If the team has done a good job, it will work well to give you a boost, but when you use it, it comes down to strategy. If the aero is good the car will seem well balanced, but the slicks will completely change the behaviour of the car. Nobody has a huge amount of experience with them, at least not any more, so it will be a big challenge for everyone.

You started testing really late. Do you think it is a major handicap?
GF: It is a disadvantage but not necessarily a major handicap. It’s important to drive as much as you can before the start of the year to get a feeling with the car and try and establish a good set-up. It’s not easy in just four days, especially with the new rules coming in this year. We are just going to have to try and get as much as we can from these eight days before the season.

AS: Signing with McLaren and Mercedes was the right decision to take. Of course, it delayed everything slightly, but we already have a better overall package now. We have to make the testing days count as they are very limited, but in general it is better to have a decent car at the start of the year and to start a little bit later, than get going earlier with one that needs sorting out.

We have heard about your passion for football. What are your favourite Premier League teams?
GF: I love football and support AS Roma over in Italy. They are my favourite team although unfortunately they got beaten by Arsenal! They must be a good team if they can beat Roma… The Barclays Premier League (seen in the picture holding the EPL trophy with Sutil) is a fantastic competition and very exciting.
AS: I like watching football with Giancarlo and Tonio (Vitantonio Luizzi) — they get so much into the games! I follow Manchester United from my home in Germany. They play some fantastic football.