Force India hitting targets while it awaits upgrade package

Bob Fernley is happy with Force India hitting its point-scoring targets since the season kicked off, but eagerly awaits an upgrade package which could move the team to the next level.

Both Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon enjoyed top ten finishes in Australia and China, which Fernley considers a very basic achievement before the Silverstone-based outfit hopefully steps up its performance another notch from the Spanish Grand Prix mid-May.

"We’re on target with where we want to be," he said on Thursday.

"We’ve got two of the four races down where we feel we need to manage our position rather than going out for the straight competition side of it, and I think we’re in good shape.

"From Spain onward we’ll start to push harder. The first four races have always been a case of making sure we’re good with race craft, reliability and strategy.

"Fundamentally, we’ve delivered on that so far."

Despite raking in points, Fernley wasn't all satisfied with how proceedings went in China. Perez was lucky to survive a first lap collision with the Williams of Lance Stroll while Ocon caught his own team by surprise when he suddenly showed up in the pitlane and was forced to drive straight back out.

In hindsight, points were a lucky bonus.

"To bring two cars into the points from where we started, certainly with one of them, was a great achievement.

"Unlike Melbourne, where I think we optimized, we left a little bit on the table. There were a couple of opportunities.

"I think we need to look at that, because it was a very difficult race to manage, and very challenging – just the safety cars coming out, and obviously the conditions.

"Esteban came in a little bit earlier than he probably should have done, that’s what we’ve got to look at."

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