Perez 'amazed' by Force India performance since takeover

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After the difficult period that preceded its takeover last summer, Force India is now once again focused on performance, and the team's results have amazed Sergio Perez.

Unbeknownst to many, the pink outfit had been struggling for its survival for many months, stalling updates and development, before things came to head last summer.

An administration process, triggered in large part by Perez's legal action, eventually allowed for the outfit's vital takeover by a consortium of investors led by billionaire Lawrence Stroll.

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Under new ownership, Force India was stripped of its championship points however and forced to start from scratch at the Belgian Grand Prix where Perez and team Esteban Ocon finished a remarkable fifth and sixth.

With its debts paid off and the specter of its demise removed, Force India could once again focus on performance, the results yielding 43 championship points in just five races.

"When you see how the team is running now, operationally, and how things are going along, this is really a racing team," said Perez, speaking to Crash.net.

"We went through a very difficult period where everything was stuck on standby. Performance was the last thing that the team was worried about.

"It’s just amazing to see how well we’ve done during that time. We got a podium, we got so many great memories, so I’m very pleased with that."

Perez personally had second thoughts about triggering legal action against his employer last summer, but in hindsight, the Mexican knows it was the right course of action.

"It was very hard, Perez said. "There were some decisions that I had to make in order to save the team, first of all, but at the same time, risking the team in a way.

"It was not easy, not easy for the team as well. For myself, for a racing driver, doing these things, I don’t remember any other driver was in such a difficult position.

"I’m happy with how everything turned out and the direction that the team has now. That gives me the happiness that I took the right decisions for everyone in the team," he added.

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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.