Force India deputy team principal Robert Fernley says the Monaco Grand Prix was a case of "unrealised potential" for his team, after both its drivers finished outside of the points.
Sergio Perez was forced to pit after damaging his front wing in a collision with Carlos Sainz on the opening lap, before he later hit the other Toro Rosso of Daniil Kvyat as he tried to barge past at La Rascasse. In the other VJM10, Esteban Ocon had been running in contention for points until he picked up a puncture and dropped to 12th.
The race marked the first time this season Force India has failed to register points, having previously finished every grand prix of 2017 inside the top ten with both of its cars. With both Ocon and Perez missing out on points, it also ended Force India's streak of 17 consecutive races inside the points.
"A day of unrealised potential on both sides of the garage," Fernley said. "Sergio's contact with Sainz on lap one proved very costly with the early pit stop to change the nose. For Esteban, it was always going to be difficult to battle through from P15 on the grid, but the race was coming to us until he picked up a puncture.
"It cost Esteban a handful of points and that was a real shame. So it was one of those days when things didn't go our way -- as can often be the case in Monaco. We will dust ourselves down and look to come back strongly in Montreal in two weeks' time."
Having enjoyed a run of five consecutive grands prix in the points prior to Monaco, Ocon believes Force India executed its race perfectly but simply ran out of luck.
"Things just didn't work out for us in the race, which is a shame because we had strong pace and should have finished in the points," he explained. "I was fighting with Felipe [Massa] in the early part of the race and we managed to undercut him during the pit stops, but then I picked up a puncture -- probably from debris -- and had to make an extra pit stop.
"That really compromised my race. So there was some bad luck, but I want to focus on the positives. The car felt good in clean air and the team made all the right decisions. We were just missing the luck today."