Running as high as sixth, Adrian Sutil aquaplaned off the circuit with just five laps to go as Force India came tantalisingly close to securing its maiden Formula One points in the rain-lashed Chinese Grand Prix before faltering in the closing stages here today.

The spectre of last year's Monaco race came to haunt Sutil, who started a lowly 18th on the grid and survived numerous intrigues to display impeccable racecraft and rise to the sixth place.