Force India driver Paul di Resta believes that the team can push themselves further up the Formula One pecking order in 2012, provided that they can hit the ground running at the start of the season rather than playing catch-up.
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he Indian team ended 2011 as one of the top midfield teams, but began the year very slowly, scoring just four points in the first five races.
The team opted to launch their 2011 car at the second pre-season test, and admitted that their late start meant that they were still learning their car at the start of the season proper.
But with the VJM05 being among the first 2012 cars to be launched, and the car set to make all 12 days of pre-season testing this year, di Resta believes that the team can enjoy an even stronger campaign.
"The big thing we're going for is a stronger start than last year, because the momentum at the end of the year was incredible," the Scotsman gushed at the launch of the new car.
"We're still on a buzz from that and it would be great to start where we left off. We were very close to coming fifth as a constructor last year and we met our ambition of coming sixth."
He added: "We want to do better, that's the main focus. We'll just keep pushing on."
Di Resta will be paired with Nico Hulkenberg for 2012, a driver pairing with just two seasons of F1 experience between them.
Hulkenberg was only a reserve driver in 2011, after losing his Williams driver, but the German driver believes that he has "kept sharp" with his Friday reserve role last year.
"A year on the sidelines wasn't easy for me but I had a great year with Force India," he grinned at the launch.
"They gave me lots of chances to prove my talent on Friday mornings. I kept sharp that way and now I'm back.
"I think I still improved and learned, but in different ways. I picked up some things that might help me in races."
And the team defended their new younger line-up, after dropping the experienced Adrian Sutil for the new season.
"I don't think we are taking a gamble," the team's deputy team principal Bob Fernley insisted, "Driver succession is important to us.
"I think outside of, or maybe including, the top four, we've got one of the most exciting driver line-ups, so I'm not worried at all."
He added: "The system Force India operate with bringing them through one year [as reserve drivers] makes the difference with them being able to be competitive from day one.
"It's a very clearly thought out process."
Both di Resta and Hulkenberg moved to a race seat with the Indian team after a year in a Friday reserve role.
And the team will continue that tactic in 2012 with Ferrari Academy driver Jules Bianchi set to run in FP1 sessions through the year.
"For the moment we have a minimum of nine Friday mornings, so it's going to be really important," Bianchi said at the launch.
"I will just try to do my best, try to show the team I deserve more. I am reserve driver, I will stay in this position and try to help them as much as I can."
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