Force India hopeful over upgrade package

Force India are hopeful that an upgrade package which they hope to introduce next month will improve their overall performance for the remainder of 2012.

During the opening two races of this seasons Formula One championship, the Force India team have scored 9 points, placing them 6th in the Constructors championship behind McLaren, Red Bull, Ferrari, Sauber and Lotus and sit just 1 point ahead of Williams and a further 2 points ahead of Toro Rosso.

Having taken 6th place in the 2011 F1 Constructor Standings, Force India, backed up by two of the most promising talents on the grid in the form of Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg had hoped to improve on their performance this season, but instead have been dragged into the very competitive midfield scrap.

But an upgrade package which they are scheduled to test over the 1st to the 3rd of May at Mugello, should give them a performance boost by the time the Spanish Grand Prix comes around.

'I am hoping that Mugello puts us where we would have liked to have been for the start of the season,' Force India Deputy team principal Bob Fernley told Autosport Magazine.

'We are a little bit behind because our focus was trying to secure sixth last season and we are about four or five races behind schedule.

'The plan is to come out of the first four races and not be to far away. Then we can bring the performance in through the season, so we are pretty much on target. We just need to get through China and Bahrain and then see where we go.'

If Force India are aiming to target a top five finish in the Constructors championship, they are going to have to out perform Sauber and probably the so far impressive Lotus team, as the Mercedes team of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg have so far only scored 1 championship point and that form will not continue and are expected to come back strongly over the next few races.