Mallya: "More to come" from Force India in Monaco

Force India started the 2018 F1 season on the backfoot, with correlation issues between windtunnel/CFD and the track threatening its long-standing status as the sport’s top midfielder.

However, the Silverstone-based outfit managed to finish on the podium in a chaotic Azerbaijan GP and its Barcelona upgrade provided a genuine improvement in pace.

Mallya says Force India can continue its upward trajectory in Monaco, but warned that a good result in the famous street race may come down to fortune.

“Monaco is always a great opportunity to score good points. Both Sergio and Esteban love the track and historically we’ve been competitive on street circuits,” he said.

“You sometimes need the luck to go your way, which didn’t happen last year, but that’s part of the unpredictable challenge of Monaco.

“The car is getting better with each race. The updates in Spain took us a step forward and there is more to come. After five races it feels like we have some momentum behind us now.”

Although Force India’s start to the 2018 season has arguably been its worst in recent years, Mallya was keen to point out that it has scored more points in first five races of this year compared to 2016, when it finished fourth in the championship.

“It’s also worth remembering that in 2016 after five races we had scored fewer points than we have now [14 vs 18],” he said.

“It’s a reminder of how quickly things can change in Formula One. There is a long way to go.”