Paul Di Resta - Photo Credit: Sahara Force India Formula One Team
Paul Di Resta could only complete 14 laps for Sahara Force India on the second day of the Mugello test, as the team spent much of the day resolving reliability issues.
It has forced a change of plans for the Silverstone-based outfit, with Di Resta due to continue into the car into the third and final day before handing over to teammate Nico Hulkenberg.
“We had a few issues today which kept us in the garage and meant that we couldn't get through much of our programme,” said Di Resta. “The guys spent a lot of time changing things on the car just before lunch and I only managed to get back out for a final run at the end of the day.
“You always want more laps, but these things can happen and hopefully we can have a full day of running tomorrow to get through our programme and learn what we need to learn.”
Chief engineer Jakob Andreasen explained that their concerns revolved around the hydraulics, with the team also opting to bring forward a planned engine change.
“It's never nice to spend so much time sitting in the garage, but we had a few reliability concerns that we needed to resolve before we continued running,” said Andreasen. “We suspected the issue was related to the hydraulic system of the car so changed that as a precaution. At the same time we chose to make the most of the downtime by bringing forward the engine change, which had been planned for the end of the session.
“It has been a tough day for the guys in the garage, but they did a great job to get the car out for the final half hour and give Paul the chance to complete a handful of laps in preparation for tomorrow. Due to the lack of running for Paul, he will now stay on for half a day tomorrow, before Nico takes over in the afternoon.”
