Luckless Sutil eager to score at Sepang
Date published : 31 Mar 2010 - 11:07:01
Adrian Sutil admits he is desperate to register his first points finish of the season in Malaysia after being plagued by bad luck in the opening two races.The German made Q3 in both Bahrain and Australia but his hopes of capitalising on strong starting positions were dashed early on both occasions, a lap-one tangle with Robert Kubica dropping him to the back at the season-opener and an electrical problem forcing him out after just nine laps in Melbourne last weekend.Team-mate Tonio Liuzzi, meanwhile, registered points in both rounds despite being yet to make the top-10 in qualifying.Sutil now hopes his run of misfortune finally comes to an end at Sepang with the 27-year-old pointing out that such is Force India's current form it heads to Malaysia for the first time not hoping for rain.Malaysia is always a good event, very tough physically, but there's a variety of corners and also some overtaking spots so it's an event I look forward to, he said. The weather, as we saw last year, always throws up some interesting challenges. This year we don't have to pray for rain as we have done in the past, we can deal with the conditions whatever they are. I really want to get some points on board in this race, I've had two races where I should have scored, so I want to finish the job now.Although his promising Melbourne may have ultimately come to nothing, Sutil took further encouragement from the VJM03's competitiveness there and, after its 2009 car proved only especially strong in lower-downforce configuration, has now seen enough to predict that this year's model can be a force on all types of layout.It was a bit frustrating as I think it could have been a good race; we were in a good position, I was keeping pace with the leaders and normally in these changeable conditions the car and the team perform well, he added.Until that point the weekend had been quite good. Yet again we got into Q3 and I felt I could even have qualified higher, so that's very positive. It's showing that we're pretty competitive across different tracks and not that far behind the big four so at this point it's very encouraging.Prior to the Australian round team owner Vijay Mallya set his squad the ambitious target of ending the year in fifth place in the constructors' championship after Liuzzi finished best of the rest' behind the four established front runners in Bahrain.Liuzzi concedes Robert Kubica's stunning second-place finish last weekend suggests Renault has now leaped ahead of Force India in competitiveness, but he says this will not deter it from trying to peg its rival back. Unfortunately to match Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren's speed is difficult for us, but the team is working really hard, he said.For us the main competitor at the beginning seemed to be Renault, but now they've made a big step forward. I think it will be our main target to try to catch them in Malaysia to beat them in the championship. For sure it won't be easy because they are a great team and they will develop. But we are working hard back at Silverstone, and working well.Liuzzi himself who stepped up to a race seat at the team last September reckons his 100% points scoring record so far proves that he is now back to his best following his near two years on the sidelines as a test driver.I'm obviously really happy as it confirms what I said from the beginning of the year, that I am back and I am ready for big results as long as the car stays together and gives me the possibility, the Italian said.I had a really strong race when I came back in Monza last year, and we are scoring points now. I just want to give back as much as I can to the team because they believed in me. He added that a first Q3 appearance and a third points finish were his targets for this weekend.I think it will be a very interesting race for us, although it will be really hot and really difficult! Liuzzi predicted.But the track should suit more the characteristics of our car, so I think we'll be in an interesting position. I've got to work on my qualifying performance and try and get into Q3 for the first time and then, of course, keep those points coming.
