New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS): Force India drivers Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta said Wednesday that they are ready to deliver their best at the team's inaugural race at home over the weekend.
Sutil said it was a special moment for him as he had been with the team since the beginning.
"It?s a proud moment to be starting the Indian Grand Prix with the only Indian team. I?m sure sitting on the grid will feel a bit different, and I will always remember this race," Sutil said in a statement.
Asked about his expectations, Sutil said: "I think based on our recent performances we go to Delhi believing we can score points, and we need to do that to strengthen our position in the championship.
"We can dream of a podium, but we also have to be realistic. There should be massive support for the team and it would be the icing on the cake if we can give everybody a special result to celebrate."
Sutil said with a new track it just takes a bit longer for the grip to come up and drivers have to do more set up work than usual.
"I always enjoy experiencing a new track so I?m looking forward to it," he said.
Paul said the first race for India will take Formula one to a new culture.
"It is a great opportunity for us to put on a great show for the fans. When you consider what Mallya has already done by creating an Indian team, this is the next step to really put Formula 1 on the map in India," he said.
Paul also admitted that he has not much information about the track.
"We did a simulator session last week, but because it?s a brand new track there are still a lot of unknowns and question marks about the characteristics of the track. The layout looks interesting and the good thing for me is that it?s a new track for everyone to learn.
"Getting up to speed will be key and the grip will build up throughout the weekend, but as long as we find a good balance by Saturday we should be okay," he said.
Asked about his expectations, Paul said: "We will go there and do our maximum. Obviously each race is important because the same number of points are on offer, but there?s no denying that a strong result in the team?s home race would feel special for all of us.
"So there will be a lot of attention on us, but we will go there ready to fight and grab some more points."