On the latest episode of Formula 1’s Beyond the Grid Podcast, Racing Point’s technical director Andrew Green spoke about what it was like working the incredibly tight budget that the team had at the end of its life span as Force India, during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Despite times where they “couldn’t afford to put paper in the printer,” they were able to finish 4th in the constructor’s championship in 2017, beating out teams with much more funding like Renault and Williams.
“It was a proper scrap in that midfield there where everyone was scrabbling around the same sort of performance,” Green said.
“And we had two good drivers [Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon]… we had a reliable car which is something we live and breathe by… and I think we had, we still have, a team that really gels together.”
“They really want to work together without any egoes or politics, it was just trying to do the best that we could. And if someone came up with a good idea, it didn’t matter where it came from, if we all thought it was a good idea we adopted it, without trying to undermine someone who you thought is playing politics.”
“Something we work very hard on in the team is to minimize the politics and get the team gelling together.”
“We just kept our heads down, trying not to make mistakes, just one race at a time, and even when things went bad on a Friday or Saturday, realize that it’s all still to play for on Sunday. And if you have a really well-balanced car that’s looking after its tires, you can still get a result on a Sunday regardless.”
Racing Point are still a team on the rise, with team principal Otmar Szafnauer laying out a three year plan to have them fighting at the top of the grid.
