Force India

F1 team
Constructor_name = flagicon|India Force India-Ferrari
Long_name = Force India Formula One

Base = Silverstone, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom
Owners = flagicon|India Vijay Mallya
flagicon|Holland Michiel Mol
Principal = flagicon|Germany Colin Kolles
Engineering Head = flagicon|UK Mike Gascoyne
Engineering Head position = Chief Technical Officer
Director = flagicon|UK James Key
Drivers = 20.flagicon|GermanyAdrian Sutil
21.flagicon|ItalyGiancarlo Fisichella
Test_drivers = 40.flagicon|ItalyVitantonio Liuzzi
Chassis = Force India VJM-01
Engine = Ferrari 056
Tyres = Bridgestone
Debut = 2008 Australian Grand Prix
Final = 2008 Singapore Grand Prix
Races = 15
Cons_champ = 0
Drivers_champ = 0
Wins = 0
Poles = 0
Fastest_laps = 0
Last_season = 2007
Last_position = Competed as Spyker F1

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. [cite news | url=http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2007/10/05/spyker-f1-team-officially-sold/| title=Spyker F1 team officially sold | publisher=GPUpdate.net| date =2007-10-05]

Force India F1 represents increased Indian participation within Formula One, with Delhi set to host the first ever Indian Grand Prix in 2010. [cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6751929.stm| title=India agree grand prix | publisher=BBC Sport| date=| accessdate=2007-09-07] The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile confirmed the change in name from "Spyker" to "Force India" on 24th October 2007.cite news| title = FIA approve Spyker's Force India name change | Formula 1 Website | Formula 1 Website | publisher = Formula One Administration Ltd | url=http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2007/10/7036.html| date =2007-10-24| accessdate =2007-10-24]

Background

Although created in 2007, the team's roots can be traced back to 1991, when it was founded as Jordan Grand Prix. 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 Dr. 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, [cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/teams/6946811.stm| title=Spyker considers sale of team| publisher=BBC Sport| date=| accessdate=2007-09-07] 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.cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7060350.stm| title=Spyker changes name | publisher=BBC Sport| date=| accessdate=2007-10-24]

2008 and onwards

Colin Kolles will remain as team principal into 2008. Michiel Mol is director of F1 racing, and Mike Gascoyne is the Chief Technology Officer.

Force India will use the VJM-01 chassis, an updated version of the previous year's Spyker car, for the first part of the F1|2008 season. [cite news| title =Force India sticking with the F8-VII| publisher =uk.eurosport.yahoo.com| url =http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/13112007/13/force-india-sticking-f8-vii.html| date =2007-11-13| accessdate =2007-11-16] The team will be using customer Ferrari engines in 2008, with the team's existing deal with Ferrari running to 2010. [cite news| url=http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2007/10/6964.html| title=Spyker's Dr Vijay Mallya| publisher=Formula One| date=| accessdate=2007-10-24] The team will also be using the Indian flag in its team logo from 2008. 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. [cite news|url=http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2007/9/6753.html| title=Mallya: Spyker to remain a constructor| publisher=Formula One| date=2007-09-11| accessdate=2007-10-30] Force India has a contract with Adrian Sutil for 2008. 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. [cite web |url=http://www.spykerf1.nl/?pag=89&newsid=521 |title=Force India Begins Winter Testing|publisher= Spyker F1|accessdate=2007-11-10 ] Giancarlo Fisichella was reported to have taken the second seat at Force India after being replaced at Renault F1 by Fernando Alonso. [cite news| title =Force India sign Sutil’s new teammate!| publisher =Automoto365.com | url =http://f1.automoto365.com/news/controller.php?lang=en&theme=default&month=12&year=2007&nextMode=GpNewsForm&news_id=29131| date =2007-12-17| accessdate =2007-12-17] [cite news| title =Another Fisichella to Force India Report| publisher =F1-Live.com | url =http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/071221095657.shtml| date =2007-12-21| accessdate =2007-12-21] . On January 10, 2008, Force India confirmed Giancarlo 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 have been confirmed as test drivers for Force India F1. [cite web |url=http://www.formula1.com/teams_and_drivers/teams/188/ |title=Force India Profile on Formula1.com |publisher= Formula1.com|accessdate=2007-11-10 ]

Force India were competitive at the start of the season until Super Aguri withdrew. After that they became the slowest team on the grid and have underperformed all season. At Monaco Force India nearly scored their first points. Adrian Sutil had moved up to 4th 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 3rd earlier in the race.

VJM-01

:"Main article: Force India VJM-01"

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

ponsorship

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 . [ [http://forceindiaf1.com/forcesponsors.aspx Force India F1 Sponsors ] ]

Kingfisher also sponsors FMS international,which is their driver Giancarlo Fisichella GP2 team.

Partners

Force India F1 has tied up with Airbus and EADS for technological support. [cite news| title =Force India's first target will be to beat Aguri| publisher =racing.indiatimes.com| url =http://racing.indiatimes.com/Force_Indias_first_target_will_be_to_beat_Aguri/articleshow/2768252.cms| date =2008-02-08| accessdate =2007-02-09]

Complete Formula One results

() (results in bold indicate pole position)* Season in progress

References

External links

* [http://www.forceindiaf1.com Force India Formula One Team Official Website]
* [http://www.theforceindiaf1.com Force India F1 Team | Force India News | Force India Pictures]
* [http://f1chronicles.com/2008/03/26/f1-india-inc-ups-stakes-by-vinod-jacob/ F1: India Inc ups stakes]