Sepang : Sahara Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez were 13th and 14th fastest in a wet qualifying at the Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix on Saturday.
It was the second time in a row that either Force India failed to make Q3.
However, the team can hope for some points today as it had secured a double points finish at the season opener in Melbourne with Hulkenberg and Perez finishing seventh and 10th from 14th and 15th on the grid.
“It was a short qualifying session in the end with the rain arriving quite early in Q2. Maybe it would have been better for us if the rain had arrived five minutes earlier and Q2 was completely wet because everybody was able to complete a lap on slicks when the track was quite dry,” said Hulkenberg.
“It was only on the in-lap that the skies really opened. As it happens I think it would have been very difficult to reach Q3 anyway. The race on Sunday will be tough, especially managing the tyres in the high temperatures.
“There is always the chance of more rain and that’s when you have to adapt quickly because it’s all about being on the right tyre at the right moment. Whatever happens we will try our best to come away with some points,” the German added. —PTI
