Vijay Mallya Comes Out Of Cover To Discuss Force India's 2017 Strategies

Updated: Monday, July 11, 2016, 16:58 [IST]

Force India team principal Vijay Mallya, on Sunday announced their main focus of development has shifted to next year's Formula One car. Drivers Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg finished sixth and seventh in the 2016 British Grand Prix.

For now, the team will have to settle down finishing fourth overall in the championship, which would be a record high for the team. Last year, Force India finished fifth overall.

"We will try and finish fourth in the constructors', try and catch Williams," Mallya told Reuters.

"We gained 14 points on them today, and with another 11 races to go, we are only 19 behind. So I think it's a leap forward, and I'm absolutely delighted with the outcome."

Former champions Williams, with Felipe Massa and Finland's Valtteri Bottas , failed to score this season and have 92 points against Force India's 73.

Mallya, attending his first race after Indian government revoking his diplomatic passport, said it had been a 'superb weekend'.

He will not be attending the races but has video link installed in his house so he can keep a close watch on the pit crew. Mallya said the Mercedes-powered Force India F1 car would have no upgrades this season.

"If we continue to develop the 2016 car, there's no way in the world we are going to catch the Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. We might as well devote all our resources to 2017 where everybody has a level playing field, start afresh and hopefully do a good job."

F1 is yet to witness a major overhaul in the next season. With wider wheels, chassis, and revised aerodynamics are expected to make the cars faster and harder to drive.