Force India remain coy on driver line-up

Force India are well known for not committing to their drive line-ups early.

Whilst the rest of the Formula One grid is now taking shape with Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari all set on both drivers for 2014, while other teams such as Lotus, Sauber and Toro Rosso edge closer to their driver line-up Force India will continue to wait.

It’s a philosophy that they have used in the past and one they seem set on using again this season.

‘We are considering all available options and we never take these decisions in haste, We have a competitive pairing at the moment, but we will sit down with the team management and discuss the way forward for next year. Force India chief Vijay Mallya told Sky Sports.

‘It’s unlikely we will make any decisions before the Indian Grand Prix in any case.’

The Indian Grand Prix takes place at the end of the month, which would be an early announcement in the case of Force India.

The 2013 Force India driver line-up wasn’t confirmed until March this year when Adrian Sutil was confirmed alongside Paul Di Resta.

Neither driver appear to be certain on their futures. Sutil’s second half of the season form has been disappointing.

The 30-year-old has either retired or failed to be classified in three of the last five Grand Prix’s scoring just three points.

Whilst Paul Di Resta unfortunately falls into the same hole as Nico Hulkenberg when it comes to the new 2014 weight limit.

Despite being linked with the likes of Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes over the past year Di Resta now appears to be on the brink due to the weight restrictions following the change in regulations for the new turbo engines and Energy Recovery Systems.

The new power-trains are reportedly heavier than anticipated leaving teams looking for easy ways to save weight. With the first port of call looking at shorter lighter drivers.

‘It is a concern for a driver like me, I am at the upper end, to the point where I am three or four kilos under what I would like to be to be healthy. I’m four kilos lighter than when I started in F1, and I was pretty much on the limit of what I thought I could get to then. Di Resta told The Daily Telegraph.

‘I’d like to see the weight limit raised because it would make no difference to the smaller drivers. It’s a little bit of an unfair advantage to be a smaller guy because not only can they move the weight in the car to the right place but they can keep themselves in a healthier state.’

McLaren’s Jenson Button echoed the call from Di Resta, but claimed that the Formula One teams would struggle to agree.

‘Some teams might not want to change the weight because they have light drivers and know they can make a light car and engine package, That might be us but we should all agree to be fair and raise the weights. I would love to be able to eat again.