Ocon happy to be back among the top 10 where he belongs

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Force India's Esteban Ocon put together a clean and tidy qualifying session Saturday afternoon at Silverstone, and one that put the Frenchman back among the top ten where he belongs.

The pink squad has slightly improved its performance this weekend thanks to several updates brought to its VJM-11, and Ocon has made the most of the revisions so far.

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"I am pretty happy to be back in the top ten after missing out on Q3 in the last two races," he said.

"We have made a step forward and we can be satisfied with our performance gains, but we need to keep pushing.

"We start tomorrow’s race in the points already and I feel confident because we usually have better race pace compared to our single lap speed," he added.

"The middle of the field is so close at the moment so it’s going to be a big battle tomorrow, especially with a Renault behind me and my teammate, Sergio, who will both be pushing hard."

Despite missing out on a spot in Q3, Sergio Perez wasn't all that unhappy with his P12 spot on Sunday's grid, believing his opportunity for points remains intact.

"There was the potential to be a bit quicker, but the track didn’t improve as much as I was expecting," explained the Mexican

"The margins were very close and unfortunately I missed out on a place in Q3. P12 is not the worst place to be starting tomorrow: we can race well from there and points are achievable," he added.

"I have a free choice of tyres for the start and we have new tyres available. The hot track temperatures have the potential to make things interesting tomorrow.

"With high degradation it could make a one-stop race difficult to achieve."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.