Paul Di Resta ensured Force India had a couple of points to show for a dramatic race in Abu Dhabi after finishing ninth. The Briton was among those affected in a first corner accident which also involved teammate Nico Hulkenberg but recovered with the aid of the safety car. Di Resta knew little of the turn one incident but was relieved to escape with two points in the end.
“Quite a hectic race for me but I’m happy to come away with some points considering the way the race unfolded. I’m not sure what happened going into turn one because I had a great launch and moved ahead of Nico, but on the exit of the corner I realised immediately that I had a puncture. That cost me a lot of ground, but the first safety car brought me back into play. We were going to try and run to the finish without stopping again and I was up to fifth place, but when the safety car came out for a second time the team called me in for fresh tyres. In the final stages our pace was strong and I moved ahead of the Toro Rossos, but I just could not get ahead of Senna. He was in the DRS zone of Massa and I just could not make the move so I had to settle for ninth.”
Hulkenberg was left to reflect on a disappointing evening and thought he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“I made quite a bad start and had a poor run going into the first corner. Then I just got sandwiched by the cars around me go. I think there was my teammate, a Sauber and a Williams around me, and there was not enough space. I tried to back out of it, but it was too late. There was contact between the cars and that was my race over.”
