Force India team principal Vijay Mallya believes that a strong points haul at the Monaco Grand Prix could be a springboard for improvement for the team.
Sergio Perez claimed his sixth career podium with a third place finish at the illustrious venue and Nico Hulkenberg finished in sixth place as the team moved to only 29 points behind fourth-placed Williams in the Constructors’ Championship.
The haul of 23 points was almost four times more than the largest they had claimed in either of the first five races of the year having claimed a maximum of six points in both Australia and Spain. It was the first time in 2016 that either of their drivers had finished in the top six of a race and was the first time the team had claimed a double points finish.
Therefore Mallya was proud of the performance of the team after such a tough start to the season.
“Monaco was a very significant weekend for us,” he said.
“It’s one of the most famous races in the world and I felt incredibly proud to see Checo standing on the podium. It’s a memory that will stay with me forever.
“It was a brilliant team effort and a much deserved reward for all the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes to keep pushing us forward.”
Mallya believes that the large amount of points shouldn’t be a rarity and can be a motivator for the team as they move onto the next race in Canada and beyond.
“The Monaco performance means we come to Canada full of confidence.
“I’ve been saying all season that our luck needs to change and I hope that Monaco represents a turning point. We now have some momentum and I believe we can push on and keep racking up the points in the races to come.
“Montreal should play to our strengths and I’m feeling optimistic that we can get both cars well inside the top ten in qualifying and the race.”
