Force India in Barcelona without the VJM08 but with Wehrlein?
The debut of Force India's new single-seater has again been postponed to the last days of the winter testing in Barcelona at the end of the month. The team is nonetheless expected to be present at the upcoming tests, from February 19 to 22, possibly with Pascal Wehrlein at the wheel.
The situation of the Force India team is quite unclear. While the leaders of the Indian team aim to reassure about their financial health and their participation in the first Grand Prix of the season in Australia next March, the reality is more concerning.
Absent during the first testing days in Jerez at the beginning of the month, the team assures that it will be present in Barcelona from February 19 to 22, but with the 2014 car. The new VJM08 is not ready yet due to various problems officially acknowledged as difficulties with suppliers.
However, it is indeed the financial health of the team that seems concerning. According to the German magazine Sport Bild, the Indian team may not even be able to pay Mercedes, its engine supplier. To settle this debt, the German engine manufacturer would have imposed that Force India run Pascal Wehrlein during the upcoming test days in Barcelona.
The German driver, confirmed as a reserve by Mercedes for the season, could drive one or several days at the wheel of the 2014 VJM07, postponing the return of Nico Hülkenberg and Sergio Perez, the main drivers for Force India for the upcoming season.
