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F1 Brazilian GP: Force India switches to 2018 focus after sealing fourth in F1 championship

Force India's chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer says the team's energy will be exclusively spent on early preparations for 2018.

Force India's chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer says the team's energy will be exclusively spent on early preparations for 2018 having secured fourth in the Formula 1 world constructors' championship.

With Esteban Ocon taking fifth and Sergio Perez finishing seventh at the Mexican Grand Prix, Force India has guaranteed a fourth place finish in the F1 teams' standings regardless of results in the final two races of the year in Brazil and Abu Dhabi.

With Force India enjoying its best-ever F1 campaign, backing up its fourth place from 2016, Szafnauer says the Silverstone-based squad can celebrate its achievements before sharpening its focus for next season's car over the final two races.

"We're going to go back and plan for the next two races a bit differently," Szafnauer said. "There are some components that we want to try and are a bit more risky so we can go ahead and try them. If we lose some time on a Friday big deal.

"We will hopefully gain for next year at the expense of this year because the expense of this year is meaningless. But the gain for next year will be meaningful."

Force India will retain its driver line-up of Ocon and Perez for 2018 while the pair could also be allowed to race one another again in the last two races with the team's championship position now settled.

Zdroj: crash.net