Force India drivers admit positions change didn’t work

The Force India drivers felt the team gained nothing from swapping their positions twice during the race as they tried unsuccessfully to pass Kevin Magnussen.

Esteban Ocon said he will discuss the tactics with the team after being asked to let team mate Sergio Perez past, then getting his place back later in the race.

“We tried to swap to see if someone could get the car in front but we have to review this because I don’t think it worked on that time,” he said.

“We have to review [it] but I think it would have been very tough anyway for both of us [to pass]. I understand the team’s point to be able to try but it didn’t work out today so let’s see what we could have done better.”

Perez had slightly fresher tyres than Ocon in the second stint but neither driver was able to get close enough to make a move on the Haas.

“When Sergio was behind he couldn’t get close to me and when it was the opposite I couldn’t get close to him,” said Ocon. “The race was fixed from there.”

Perez claimed the team gave him the chance to attack Magnussen because he was lapping more quickly.

“The team tried to maximise the day,” he said. “They gave me the chance to push into Magnussen because we thought at the time that I was a bit quicker.”

He did not object to handing the place back to Ocon later in the race: “Fair enough, I didn’t get the position.”

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