On paper, Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez finishing the Russian Grand Prix as the third- and fourth-fastest runners behind the big three teams wasn’t a bad showing. But Perez admitted afterwards that he’d been shocked at the pace of Charles Leclerc’s Sauber C37 – with Force India now hoping to re-stamp their authority on the midfield in Suzuka.

Force India have put in some eye-catching performances since their rebirth as Racing Point Force India over the summer break, while the injection of cash that came from the team being purchased also allowed them to put on some long-awaited updates in Singapore – something which helped Perez qualify comfortably best of the rest there, over three-tenths faster than his nearest rival.

That pace counted for nothing in the race, as the two Force India drivers came together on lap one, putting Ocon out after just three corners and leaving Perez to finish 16th.

They enjoyed a better Grand Prix in Russia, however, with Ocon ending up ninth and Perez 10th – albeit with neither driver able to make any gains on Kevin Magnussen’s eighth-placed Haas, and with all three drivers summarily outperformed by Leclerc, who ended up P7 and well up the road.