This is the new striking livery for Force India as the Silverstone-based team unveiled it’s new look for the upcoming Formula 1 season.
The colour scheme is predominantly silver and black, with flashes of orange. The look is very similar to the McLaren-Mercedes when it was sponsored by West cigarettes back in the early 2000s.
Just like the Williams FW37, the Force India has the 2015-spec nose, to comply with this season’s FIA rules.
By looking closer at the Mercedes-powered car, the VJM08 features a modified sculpting of the sidepods, new cooling intakes, and a revised rear suspension layout with a hydro-mechanical system replacing the torsion springs.
Technical director Andrew Green commented that the change in regulations at the front of the car had “caused a loss in terms of downforce and we’ve been working to claw back all that performance”. The front of the VJM08 has been lowered compared to the 2014 design.
Team principal Vijay Mallya said he hoped that 2015 would give an opportunity for Force India to challenge the big teams again, after it came close to beating McLaren last season in the constructors’ championship.
Hello there, gorgeous! #TheNewForce pic.twitter.com/ND9j0oN4zd
— Sahara Force India (@ForceIndiaF1) January 21, 2015
“The 2015 car is a refinement of what we learned in 2014,” said Mallya, ahead of drivers Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg pulling the covers off the car.
“Another major step forward is the technology change, in that we are now using a 60 per cent windtunnel in Cologne, Germany which is a far bigger step than we have ever taken before.
“Traditionally we have been in Brackley, England, where we used to develop our car with a 50 per cent model and an outdated windtunnel.
“With this new and important tool available to use, we hope the 2015 challenger will really prove its worth in competing with the big boys of F1 when we start the European season.
“We are lucky to have two exceptional drivers who will hopefully steer the Sahara Force India challenger to the front of the grid, and hopefully a few podiums during the current year.”
The driver line-up remains the same for this season with Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg. Both are determined to challenge the top teams in the upcoming championship.
Force India enjoys greater backing from Mexican companies in 2015 ahead of the return of Mexico’s round of the Formula 1 World Championship on November 1. Alcohol brand Jose Cuervo has joined the team from Sauber alongside Claro and Telcel which are both part of the America Movil telecommunications group.
News stories on the Force India:
https://twitter.com/ForceIndiaF1
http://www.forceindiaf1.com/Home/News?pageNumber=1
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2015/1/16769.html
http://www.formula1.com/news/interviews/2014/12/16733.html
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2015/01/21/force-india-reveal-new-livery-2015-vjm08/
http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12477/9655052/force-india-have-revealed-their-new-look-livery-for-2015-at-a-ceremony-in-mexico
Force India believes the true pace of its new VJM08 Formula 1 car will not be clear until the Spanish Grand Prix, when a major upgrade is scheduled for introduction.
The Silverstone-based F1 outfit is switching windtunnels for 2015 after concluding a deal to use the Toyota facility in Cologne.
But with Force India’s use of the Japanese car manufacturer’s tunnel only beginning in the last few days, it will be several months before any improvements find their way onto the track.
The late start with the tunnel has also contributed to the team’s decision to delay the introduction of its new car, which will not be running at the first test at Jerez.
Technical director Andrew Green believes that development progress with the new car will be rapid though, once those first updates appear at Barcelona.
“Throughout 2015, we will be looking forward to bringing updates to the car from start to finish,” he said.
“The first significant package should be at the beginning of the European season and it will be the first batch of upgrades based solely on the work done at the new windtunnel.”
Progress in improving the car should also be helped by a ramping up of the team’s CFD facilities, which was completed at the end of last year.
Force India CEO Otmar Szafnaeur reckoned that the benefits of that investment will not become clear for several months either.
“We have increased our CFD capability so that we are now at the maximum capacity permitted by the regulations,” he said.
“That came on-stream late in 2014 so the benefits will only become apparent towards the middle part of the season – in line with the new windtunnel programme.”
The new VJM08, which will appear at the second pre-season test at Barcelona, is an evolution of last year’s car – even though the nose looks different because of the 2015 rule changes.
The biggest concept difference is under the skin, with the team changing its rear suspension to a new hydro-mechanical system to replace the old torsion springs.
Source: Autosport.com
Sergio Perez expects best season thanks to the new-look Force India race car. Autosport.com has the story.
Force India revealed an aggressive new look for the 2015 Formula One season on Wednesday with Mexican driver Sergio Perez telling his compatriots he expected his best season yet.
In a livery presentation at Mexico City’s Soumaya museum streamed online, the team revealed a mostly silver and black car with orange side streaks and a smoother, more attractive nose.
The Mercedes-powered VJM08 car, with a number of prominent new sponsors, will not debut on track until the second pre-season test in Barcelona next month and the team will use the 2014 car in Jerez on Feb 1.
Perez, who has yet to win a grand prix, said it was an emotional day for him to present the car in his home country, which is returning to the Formula One calendar this year for the first time since 1992.
“I think everyone in the team is really motivated,” said the Guadalajara-born driver, who joined Force India from McLaren at the end of 2013.
“We are looking forward to a great season. I think we are starting the season with a big high so I am sure it’s going to be a great year.
“I am going into my fifth season (in F1) with my best condition ever in all aspects, so I expect to have my best year in Formula One,” he added.
German team mate Nico Hulkenberg, who scored 96 points to Perez’s 59 last season, agreed that the sixth-placed team could do well.
“We have a really solid foundation and I look forward that we get even better, we take the next step,” added Hulkenberg. “I think we have some new personnel so I’m really excited and look forward to this year.”
Team principal Vijay Mallya said the car’s colours made it look ‘a little more mean and a little more hungry’ and hoped the team, who came close to beating McLaren last year, could again challenge the ‘big boys of F1’.
“We are lucky to have two exceptional drivers who will hopefully steer the… challenger to the front of the grid and hopefully a few podiums during the current year,” he said.
The season starts in Australia on March 15.