Sahara Force India had some unfortunate parts to their campaign in last week’s Chinese Grand Prix. The team now has its eyes firmly set on the upcoming race in Bahrain where it hopes to better its four-point finish in  Shanghai.

Teammates Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil were involved in a collision during the opening lap of last week’s race and the Scot – finishing eight – felt he could have fared better. The track in Bahrain provides both him and his teammate with a fresh start.

“I’m looking forward to it. We’re back in the hot weather and we were strong in the heat of Malaysia so there are no real worries. Last year the car worked well in Bahrain, which gives us confidence heading into the weekend,” said di Resta. He had finished sixth last year.

Di Resta’s previous teammate – Nico Hulkenberg – was 12th in Bahrain in 2011 and Sutil’s return will further bolster the prospects of the team. He had finished 12th at the Sakhir circuit in 2010 and now has an even stronger car to add weight to his challenge.

“I like it (the track in Bahrain), yes. With a good car I like almost every circuit. The track is not one of the most difficult ones, but it has a lot of big braking points, so you need a strong car on the brakes,” said the German.

Both Di Resta and Sutil were warned by the team after they blamed each other for the collision. Team Principal Vijay Mallya said that though the Chinese Grand Prix left him and the team with mixed feelings, Bahrain should be a lot better as the pace is indicative of the potential of both cars.

“This track, with its high temperature and smooth surface, has generally suited our car and we hope this will be the case this weekend. With a bit more luck, we will be able to fully exploit the potential of our car and get some more points,” Mallya said.

Force India currently have 14 points from three races.

The opening practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix is this Friday (12:30 IST).

Story first published on: Wednesday, 17 April 2013 12:36