Australian GP – The big leap for Force India!

Mallya, co-owner of the Force India team, can be proud of himself… His reason for living for several months is at the start of the Australian Grand Prix. He may have only bought it (former Spyker), but the result is there!

The Indian team seems to have a bright future ahead, especially as its lineup is more than enticing! The experience of Fisichella and the fervor of Sutil combined with one of the best test drivers named Liuzzi place it on an upward trajectory.

Afterward, of course, the experience of racing can only be acquired over time, so Force India will need to embrace the virtues of patience and be able to plan for the long term.

Giancarlo Fisichella – Racing Driver

« Since I joined Force India two months ago, I have been experiencing something exciting, both with the team and for myself. I feel totally at home here, both with the engineers and the mechanics. I think I’ll be with Force India for a long time! »

« Australia is the dream place to start the season and my career as a Force India race driver. I won the race in 2005 and finished in second place in 2006 with a car that was not as competitive as we would have liked, I finished in fifth position last season. »

« My first objective is to reach Q2 on Saturday, after that everyone thinks we will at least score a point in the championship. You can see for yourself that during the practice sessions, we have only progressed. The results match our expectations. »

Adrian Sutil – Racing Driver

« The winter period was busy with two trips to India and, of course, all the tests with complete programs to finish. »

« Since we are using the same chassis as last year, it was easier to familiarize ourselves with it. The focus has, therefore, been on the new regulations, such as the ban on traction control. The goal being to understand how the car operates without it while trying to find the necessary stability entering and exiting corners. »

« This year, we have a very good driver line-up. Having Tonio as a test driver, we can look to make real progress between the races. For me, having Giancarlo in the team is a reassurance because he will boost me. »

« The team seems better structured this year, everything is heading in the right direction and the budgets are higher. My goal is to do everything possible to perform better this year, to minimize mistakes, and to earn some points. I want to help the team move forward. »

Mike Gascoyne – Technical Director

The general feeling of the team is one of excitement. Moreover, the atmosphere is one of optimism. The past has spared this team nothing, with different owners bringing false hopes. I believe that now, with a realistic budget and a driver lineup that meets our expectations, we can truly do a good job.

« We have no illusions about our place at the back of the pack, but I believe this team has really started to build something, so there is a very positive feeling. »

« I think it’s always difficult to judge based on pre-season testing, but we’ve made a step forward. We’ve set our goals: Reach Q2 and finish all the races. »