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Force India

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India Force India-Mercedes
File:Force India logo.jpg
Full nameForce India Formula One
BaseSilverstone, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom
Team principal(s)Vijay Mallya
Technical directorJames Key
Formula One World Championship career
First entry2008 Australian Grand Prix
Last entry2024 Belgian Grand Prix
Races entered26
Constructors'
Championships		0
Drivers'
Championships		0
Race victories0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
2008 position10th

Force India F1 is a Formula One motor racing team. The team was formed in October 2007, when a consortium led by Vijay Mallya and Michiel Mol bought the Spyker F1 team for € 88 million.[1]

Force India F1 represents increased Indian participation within Formula One, with Delhi set to host the first ever Indian Grand Prix in 2011.[2] The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile confirmed the change in name from Spyker to Force India on 24 October 2007.[3]

Background

Although created in 2007, the team's roots can be traced back to 1991, when it was founded as Jordan Grand Prix. Jordan enjoyed many years in Formula One even running the title close in 1999, but financial problems crept in and the team's performance dried up. Eddie Jordan the then owner realised the writing was on the wall and the best way to save the team was to opt for a sale.

The Silverstone-based squad and facilities were bought by the Midland group in 2005 and re-named Midland F1 in 2006, before being sold to Spyker Cars towards the end of the 2006 season. However, the running costs of a small Formula One team once again caused the sale of the team this time to the Orange India Holdings group, with Vijay Mallya and Michiel Mol taking over the ownership of the team.

The Buyout of Spyker F1

Rumours about the possible sale of the team had been abundant in the paddock throughout the last few months of the 2007 season, after Spyker announced their intention to sell 50% of the team,[4] less than a year after Spyker bought it from Midland. The cost of the team was € 88 million, several million more than Spyker paid for the team initially.[5]

2008 and onwards

Adrian Sutil testing for Force India in January 2008.
Fisichella driving for Force India at the 2008 Chinese Grand Prix.

Colin Kolles remained as team principal in 2008, with Michiel Mol as director of F1 racing, and Mike Gascoyne as the Chief Technology Officer.

Force India used the VJM-01 chassis, an updated version of the previous year's Spyker car, for the first part of the 2008 season.[6] The team used customer Ferrari engines in 2008, with the team's existing deal with Ferrari originally running to 2010.[7] The team also used the Indian flag in its team logo from 2008.[3] Former Spyker sponsor Etihad Airways have a contract with the team until 2009, and have yet to announce any changes to this arrangement. Force India will construct their own cars as Spyker did, rather than using customer chassis.[8] Force India has a contract with Adrian Sutil for 2008.[5] In November 2007 the team invited Vitantonio Liuzzi, Christian Klien, Giancarlo Fisichella, Ralf Schumacher, Franck Montagny and former Spyker test drivers Giedo van der Garde and Roldan Rodriguez to take part in winter tests along with Sutil.[9] Giancarlo Fisichella took the second seat at Force India after being replaced at Renault by Fernando Alonso.[10][11] On January 10, 2008, Force India confirmed Fisichella as first driver and Vitantonio Liuzzi as a test driver. Adrian Sutil had already been confirmed and took the second driver Role. Former Spyker test drivers Roldan Rodriguez and Giedo van der Garde were confirmed as test drivers for Force India F1.[12]

At Monaco Force India nearly scored their first points. Adrian Sutil had moved up to fourth until Kimi Räikkönen rear-ended him 10 minutes before the end of the race, forcing him to retire. More points were lost in Singapore because the safety car period that ensued after Sutil's accident ruined Fisichella's strategy. He had run as high as third earlier in the race.

On 17 October, Force India announced they would stick with the same drivers for the 2009 season.[13]

At the wet 2009 Chinese Grand Prix, Sutil almost secured Force India's first points, holding sixth place in front of Lewis Hamilton and Timo Glock with six laps remaining when aquaplaning led to the Force India car skidding off the road and crashing out of the race.

At the 2009 Monaco Grand Prix, Fisichella finished just out of the points in ninth place. Incidently both Fisichella and Sutil moved to Q2 during qualifying and secured positions in the top 15.

VJM01

Giancarlo Fisichella leads Adrian Sutil at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix.
Main article: Force India VJM01

The VJM-01 was launched with a white, gold and tungsten colored livery at the Gateway of India, in Mumbai, India, on February 7 2008. The car was named after Force India F1's owners Dr. Vijay Mallya, Jan Mol and Michel Mol. The car was fitted with new aerodynamic updates after almost every race.

VJM02

Main article: Force India VJM02
Adrian Sutil in pre-season testing at Barcelona.

The VJM-02 is powered by Mercedes-Benz engines from the 2009 season after signing a five year deal on 10 November 2008. The deal also includes supply of McLaren-Mercedes gearboxes, hydraulic systems and Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS). The car was revealed on March 1 2009.[14]

Sponsorship

Kingfisher, a brand owned by Vijay Mallya, is the primary sponsor. Other sponsors for 2008 include ICICI Bank, Medion, Kanyan Capital and Reliance Industries limited.[15] Kingfisher also sponsors FMS International, a GP2 team owned by Fisichella.

Partners

Force India F1 has tied up with Airbus and EADS for technological support and will have McLaren as a technical partner from 2009.[16]

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Year Chassis Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Points WCC
2008 Force India VJM01 Ferrari 056 V8 B AUS MAL BHR ESP TUR MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN EUR BEL ITA SIN JPN CHN BRA 0 10th
Germany Adrian Sutil Ret Ret 19 Ret 16 Ret Ret 19 Ret 15 Ret Ret 13 19 Ret Ret Ret 16
Italy Giancarlo Fisichella Ret 12 12 10 Ret Ret Ret 18 Ret 16 15 14 17 Ret 14 Ret 17 18
2009 Force India VJM02 Mercedes FO 108W V8 B AUS MAL CHN BHR ESP MON TUR GBR GER HUN EUR BEL ITA SIN JPN BRA ABU 0* 10th*
Germany Adrian Sutil 9 17 17 16 Ret 14 17 17 15
Italy Giancarlo Fisichella 11 18 14 15 14 9 Ret 10 11

* Season in progress

References

  1. ^ "Spyker F1 team officially sold". GPUpdate.net. 2007-10-05. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "Indian Grand Prix debut pushed back to 2011". telegraph. 2008-09-30. Retrieved 2008-10-08. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ a b "FIA approve Spyker's Force India name change". Formula One Administration Ltd. 2007-10-24. Retrieved 2007-10-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Text "Formula 1 Website" ignored (help); Text "Formula 1 Website" ignored (help)
  4. ^ "Spyker considers sale of team". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  5. ^ a b "Spyker changes name". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
  6. ^ "Force India sticking with the F8-VII". uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. 2007-11-13. Retrieved 2007-11-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "Spyker's Dr Vijay Mallya". Formula One. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
  8. ^ "Mallya: Spyker to remain a constructor". Formula One. 2007-09-11. Retrieved 2007-10-30.
  9. ^ "Force India Begins Winter Testing". Spyker F1. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
  10. ^ "Force India sign Sutil's new teammate!". Automoto365.com. 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2007-12-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Another Fisichella to Force India Report". F1-Live.com. 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2007-12-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "Force India Profile on Formula1.com". Formula1.com. Retrieved 2007-11-10.
  13. ^ "Force India keep drivers for 2009". BBC Sport. 2008-10-17. Retrieved 2008-10-20.
  14. ^ New Force India Formula One Car : VJM 02 to be revealed on Sunday
  15. ^ Force India F1 Sponsors
  16. ^ "Force India's first target will be to beat Aguri". racing.indiatimes.com. 2008-02-08. Retrieved 2007-02-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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