The team which will be looking to 2009 with the most optimism will be Force India. With their new collaboration with McLaren, the removal of Mike Gascoyne and Colin Kolles from management, and Vijay Mallya running the team, there is a lot of changing going on in the little Brackley team. The hope is that they are changing for the better.
Mallya has aimed high, claiming that the team should be able to fight for points in 2009 and even challenge for wins in 2010. It's an outlandish claim which seems naive, as the team failed to score points this year.
However, with more money going into Force India (supposedly) and the new McLaren collaboration, there is hope of at least seeing a more competitive team than at least 2008.
The contract between Force India and McLaren calls for them to be supplied with engines, gearboxes, and, perhaps the most important of all, KERS. This immediately puts the Force India team at an advantage as they do not have to develop KERS. The deal basically gives them about one second of pace on a platter.
This is a bit of a coup for Force India; KERS has been a real dog to master. Toyota has already stated their belief that their KERS will not be ready until midseason, while Ferrari has also struggled to perfect the system.
Force India will not have to worry about this tricky piece and can concentrate on the new aero rules and tune their car accordingly.
Of course the KERS system is not the only benefit. Force India will also receive the McLaren engine and gearbox, which are extremely reliable, fast, efficient, and state of the art. In the last three seasons McLaren, has seen just two retirements from mechanical failure.
With this technical package sealed, Vijay Mallya is confident about the future.
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about 1 month ago
Of course they can move up the grid, they just need a few other teams to drop out. That VJ is reminding me of Eddie Jordan (sorry Maire) with his big talk. Two words for him; mouth and trousers
about 1 month ago
Force India, what does one say? They seem to follow the same path as Toyota, hire and fire Mike Gascoyne to move on to wins...
about 1 month ago
The KERS may have an effect, but they have had Ferrari for some time and done nothing with that ... Look at Torro Rosso using the same engine/Gearbox. A change to Mercredes will not make much of a difference. If they can't do it with arguably the best engine in F1, using at best an engine of similar performance won't lift them suddenly up the grid.
from about 1 month ago
My thoughts exactly Mike
from about 1 month ago
I mean the drivetrain and Chassis could help propel them forwards but its not bloody miracle grow , They will not be winning a GP any time soon , unless we have a huge incident at spa that leaves only 2 Force India's in the field . my survey has a huge surprise in store for you all !!!
about 1 month ago
We could have another Indy moment again, with say the Forccs on a different make of tyre ... say ... The indian Rubber Compnay tyre.. and the Bridgestone runners have an issue with Eau Rouge ... and they pull out for safety issues ...............................
about 1 month ago
What is missing from the article (apart from their correct address) is the fact that they have slotted in Whitmarshe's no/2 as CEO-or COO whatever they call it.
The tie up is far more intense than Ferrari's ever was -they were absolute **it's with regard to how they treated FI. The final straw was Monty telling VJ after Monaco to "Keep your effin cars out of our way" From then on a new engine supplier was sought. Renault was first option as they were deemed an open and honest outfit with the greater good of racing in mind (not an attribute Ferrari were ever likely to be branded with..)
However VJ has had strong links with Maclaren since the '80's so when the opportunity opened he grabbed it-and rightly so.He hasn't just got off the boat from Bombay so don't underestimate his knowledge.
So, whilst they lose C.K & M.G ( note C.K was the real target but as part of the 'deal' M.G had to go too..) However two things strike immediately
One -like Honda- the sheer in fighting the top two where indulging in was tearing the team apart -M.G was called back by C.K during a family holiday in Jamaica for his sons birthday on some a disciplinary over holiday allowance and form filling. Plus few months back M.G had already been given a poor performance meeting and told to sharpen up the results. He never did, so his removal was none too hard to take.
two-Maclaren and Mercedes will ensure the team will move from being the modern Hesketh lite team to a serious contender. Work at the factory and wind tunnel is on going and will increase space and resource. The main problem now is that '09 car is ready but ready for a Ferrari not a Merc. Hence hacksaws have flying back and forth liberating to the dustbin the last remnants of a prancing horse. Bolting on a new back end is always fraught with danger and this is what keeps the midnight oil burning 24/7
India!
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