Renault F1 move for 2017 settled Nico Hulkenberg down at Force India

Despite having a contract with Hulkenberg for next season, Force India allowed the 29-year-old to join Renault on a multi-year contract.

Fernley feels his team's approach helped Hulkenberg at Austin, where the German qualified seventh before being eliminated in a first corner collision.

"Credit to Vijay [Mallya, team principal] for dealing with things swiftly, efficiently and compassionately," Fernley told Autosport.

"It settled Nico down and allowed him to do what we need him to do for the balance of his career with us, and he delivered a strong qualifying.

"Unfortunately he was then involved in an incident at Turn 1 that put him out of the race, but there was nothing he could have done about that.

"He's always been quick in qualifying anyway, and he always gives 100%, but what it did do was put his mind at rest that everything was clear and done.

"The efficient and quick way we dealt with it, Vijay in particular, has helped stabilise him.

"We are fighting for fourth [in the constructors' championship] and we need both drivers working at full capacity, so I don't think we've lost anything.

"Vijay did it really well, controlled it, settled everybody down, got back to the next race and it's business as usual."

Force India is eight points ahead of Williams in the constructors' standings with three races to go, after losing two points to its rival at Austin.