Force India: Di Resta posts first retirement

2011 Turkish GP team review

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Paul di Resta failed to finish a race for the first time in 2011.

Adrian SutilPaul di Resta
Qualifying position1213
Qualifying time comparison (Q2)1’27.027 (-0.118)1’27.145
Race position13
Laps57/5844/58
Pit stops34

Force India drivers’ lap times throughout the race (in seconds):

https://www.racefans.net/charts/2011drivercolours.csv

12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455565758
Adrian Sutil102.10596.56596.44395.60495.43795.22295.895.71896.03996.205111.63894.97196.81595.33794.0394.10594.16194.40994.26394.00394.34794.35194.9695.35695.658109.96993.31293.07793.49693.38893.24893.08295.68994.70594.2394.01194.03993.66893.81394.658108.68892.69592.0792.69192.56392.30492.23492.33392.11992.38192.44792.38392.67392.87693.56594.18994.794
Paul di Resta102.47796.66596.26695.73995.45796.09196.21495.76395.84996.14996.294109.71896.1995.27994.75594.27994.34794.25994.52394.6194.50995.3295.8196.537109.96193.91294.28893.69793.84293.56894.19493.939108.67292.81392.75492.5292.70492.59492.69692.51992.76193.01993.58193.926

Adrian Sutil

Out-qualified Di Resta for the first time this year.

Sutil liked the balance of the car on soft tyres during the race and used a three-stop strategy, using hards for the third stint only.

He was 15th with seven laps to go but overtook Rubens Barrichello and Sergio Perez (who mounted a spirited fight-back) to finish 13th.

However he didn’t think the car was fast enough for points:

“Ultimately we didn’t have the pace to race with the cars ahead of us and I think we got as much from the race as we could.”

Adrian Sutil 2011 form guide

Paul di Resta, Force India, Istanbul, 2011

Paul di Resta

Di Resta was reprimanded for missing the weight bridge in qualifying. He started one place behind his team mate.

Passed by Sebastien Buemi early on, Di Resta followed in Sutil’s wheel tracks for much of the race,

But he wasn’t able to make the tyres last as well and had to switch to a four-stop strategy.

But shortly after that his race came to an end: “As the race unfolded the pace didn’t seem quite there and that’s why we decided to change our strategy and make a fourth stop.

“When I was leaving the pits after my final stop, the team came on the radio and instructed me to stop. There was obviously a problem so I pulled up as soon as I could. It was unfortunate because the final part of the race would have been interesting on the fresh tyres.”

The team said they stopped Di Resta as they believed one of his wheels was loose following his pit stop.

Paul di Resta 2011 form guide

2011 Turkish Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
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    9 comments on “Force India: Di Resta posts first retirement”

    1. Still, DiResta is doing very well for a rookie. But you have to agree with Sutil, that the car just is not up to the job.

      Having a shot at the podium in India would be a major supprise now.

      1. Yeah, I’d forgotten about that goal of Mallya’s.

      2. A podium in India seems a little difficult, but then again the delhi weather in late October can throw up some surprises. A little rain maybe…?

        1. it doesn’t rain much in october here. (i live in delhi) if you want rain then come in june-july!

      3. Podium? Never.

    2. i think it could be money issue with this team Mallya wanted to raise money via GDRs for Kingfisher airlines but there is no investor appetite for airline stocks. also it seems this year that Mallya is spending more time with his IPL team than with F1… with the least amount of upgrades they are not that far behind in terms of pace when we consider that the teams around them are bringing quite a few new solutions.

    3. Shame for Di Resta but it had to happen sooner or later. And about time Sutil out qualified him!

      1. If the reports of his stepfather’s suicide Thursday night are true, that had to have had an effect on his focus over the whole weekend. My heart goes out to his family, and under the circumstances I’m impressed he performed as well as he did.

    4. ScottishNotBritish
      10th May 2011, 9:28

      It’s a shame that Di Resta was forced to retire because I really think it could have worked out for him. In his third stint he was lapping 1.5 seconds a lap faster than his teammate, and with fresher tyres in the last few laps I’m sure he could have made some passes – probably not enough to take a point, though.

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