Force India rejects claims of safety compromise after Hungary crashes
Following two separate structural failures at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Force India insists it has not relaxed safety standards in pursuit of fifth place in the constructors’ championship.
Force India has denied suggestions that its push for fifth in the 2015 Formula One constructors’ championship has come at the expense of safety, after two high-profile car failures at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The team’s B-spec VJM08, which debuted at Silverstone, encountered two separate structural failures in Budapest. Sergio Perez’s car suffered a suspension failure in practice, pitching him into a roll. On race day, Nico Hülkenberg crashed heavily when his front wing failed, sending him into the barriers at high speed.
The incidents brought scrutiny over whether the Silverstone-based squad was taking risks with reliability or safety to stay ahead of Lotus and Toro Rosso in the standings. Asked about the failures, sporting director Otmar Szafnauer said the team would not compromise on safety and pointed to their decision to keep Hülkenberg in the garage until the cause of Perez’s crash was understood.
Championship pressure and technical upgrades
Force India’s revised car was intended to shore up its position in the constructors’ table, with the financial rewards of fifth place being especially valuable for an independent team. The B-spec upgrade had been planned for mid-season, following an earlier announcement by the team (see Force India targets mid-season with VJM08 ‘B’ car upgrade).
