---
title: "Force India committed to retaining Perez and Ocon"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/09/01/force-india-committed-retaining-perez-ocon/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Kyran Gibbons"
section: "F1 News"
published: "2017-09-01T19:42:54Z"
modified: "2017-09-01T19:42:54Z"
---

# Force India committed to retaining Perez and Ocon

Force India’s deputy team principal Bob Fernley has stated that the team is committed to retaining both Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon in 2018, despite the pair’s recent fallout.

The team’s management has faced a turbulent time following a clash between their drivers at last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix. Perez and Ocon’s collision cost Force India a double-points finish for the second time this season.

While the duo have agreed to put their differences aside, Force India management has issued a vow to deliver team orders to nullify Perez and Ocon’s on-track rivalry. A threat of suspension for noncompliance has also reportedly been administered.

Regardless, Fernley has said that the team is aiming to retain both Perez and Ocon for next season.

“I think from our side we are fully committed to retaining them both and that will be our objective,” he stated. “There’s no question of that.

“But driver markets are driver markets and it’s quite right and proper that their managers, and in particular Checo’s manager, is out looking at other programmes.

“If he didn’t do that, he wouldn’t be doing his job, and we’ve got to make sure that we close that off and retain him for next year and keep the pairing.”

Despite their on-track skirmishes, the drivers are on schedule to potentially deliver Force India’s most successful season to date.

The team currently sits fourth in the constructors’ standings on 103 points – the same total they had amassed at this stage last season en route to the best result in the team’s history.

Perez and Ocon have delivered double-points scoring finishes at nine of the 12 races so far in 2017.

Fernley added; “It’s a phenomenally exciting pairing. Might be difficult to control a little bit – but I’d like to have that problem.”