Sergio Perez scored Force India’s second ever podium in the team’s seven-year history after the Mexican driver finished third in the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit here Sunday.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton clinched victory after he overtook teammate and pole position man Nico Rosberg at the start. The Briton maintained the lead throughout to win his consecutive Grand Prix in the first ever night race in the gulf nation.
Meanwhile, Perez’ teammate Nico Hulkenberg made sure that the team got a double points finish by coming home in brilliant fashion with fifth position.
The first and the last time the Vijay Mallya-led team got a podium was in 2009 when Giancarlo Fisichella finished second behind Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen at the Belgian Grand Prix.
With the 25 points that the team brought home — Perez with 15 and Hulkenberg 10 — Force India have leapfrogged former champions McLaren, Ferrari and Williams to be placed second in the constructors’ standings with 44 points.
In the drivers’ standings, Hulkenberg is third with 28 points while Perez is ninth with 16.
(IANS)