Sahara Force India’s new challenger, the VJM05, was unveiled on Friday morning (2.30pm IST) at Silverstone circuit as team’s drivers Paul Di Resta and Hulkenberg removed the black covers off a stunning car that had the name `Sahara’ visible prominently in tune with the new co-owner of the team.
After the car was unveiled, the two drivers Paul and Hulkenberg posed for pictures with recently-named reserve driver Jules Bianchi.
Force India F1 Team did well to finish the 2011 season in the 6th place and is one of the precocious new generation of highly competitive regular points-scoring teams competing in the FIA Formula One World Championship.
The VJM05 is the second car to be created under the watch of Technical Director, Andrew Green, as the team seeks to build on its on its sixth place finish in the constructors’ championship and take the fight to the teams that lie ahead.
“We have set our sights on challenging for fifth place,” explained Team Principal and Managing Director, Dr. Vijay Mallya. “To do so we will need to begin the new campaign by delivering the kind of form we showed in the second half of 2011. I believe this is a realistic goal and that we have the talent and determination to realise these ambitions.”
Chief Operating Officer, Otmar Szafnauer, echoed those sentiments as he praised the team’s efforts to develop the VJM05: “The new car has come together nicely over the winter. We don’t know what our competitors have done, but we’ve made some gains over the winter and believe we’re in reasonable shape. It’s going to be difficult in the midfield, but our focus is on starting strongly and improving our position from last season.”
Summing up the approach to 2012, Andrew Green added: “The car looks more refined; a lot racier and a lot more purposeful. You can start to see the aerodynamic concepts coming through now. It looks quite a bit different to the previous years, and so far the performance in the tunnel has been encouraging.”
The drivers were delighted to get their first glimpse of the new car and set out their hopes for the season ahead:
Paul Di Resta: “Seeing the new car built and complete for the first time is always an exciting moment. It’s when you realise that all the waiting is finally over and the season is beginning for real. I’ve had a good winter and I’ve recharged my batteries, but now I’m fully focussed on 2012 and looking forward to the start of testing. There’s a really positive feeling in the team, good stability and hopefully we can pick up where we left off at the end of last year.”
Nico Hulkenberg: “I saw the new car in the wind tunnel a few times and followed its progress during the winter. It looks aggressive and fast, but we won’t know where we stand until we get out there and compete against the others. Preparations for the new season have been full-on with simulator sessions and lots of fitness training. I feel ready to get back to racing and I’m excited to find out what the new car feels like next week.”
Once again the Sahara Force India cars will be powered by the Mercedes engines with gearbox supplied by McLaren Applied Technologies. This will be the second season with the Mercedes KERS.
Jules Bianchi (France) with Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) and Paul di Resta (Great Briton) with VJM05 -
It’s a remarkable step forward for the tight-knit, small outfit that was created in 2007 after Orange India Holdings group, led by Dr Vijay Mallya and Jan and Michiel Mol, purchased the Silverstone based Spyker. A solid long-term plan, strong management and an insatiable hunger has enabled the crack team to move solidly up the order and moved from the back of the grid to sixth in the constructers championship in 2011. A dynamic team able to qualify and run in the top ten and give the frontrunners more than a little to worry about.
The statistics bear witness: in 2009 it secured its debut pole, podium and fastest lap, in 2010 it was seventh in the championship with 68 points, nine top ten starts and 15 points scoring finishes: a consolidation of that early promise. Given the size and resources of the team, such a performance is even more remarkable.
The team’s form is the crystallisation of the vision of owners Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman of India’s iconic UB Group, and Jan & Michiel Mol, Dutch e-commerce businessmen, laid down when they created the team in the final months of the 2007 season. The trio purchased the team from Spyker Cars N.V and for the 2008 team it was renamed Force India with its dynamic name and patriotic logo incorporating the colours of the Indian flag.
The team is now a sporting representation of the emerging generation of young, success-hungry, fast paced global Indians and the growing strength of India as a nation.
