Force India is not giving up on the 2011 season. With two races to go, the Silverstone based team is placed sixth in the constructors' championship, ten points ahead of Sauber and Toro Rosso, and more than 20 behind Renault. According to Auto Motor und Sport, the Vijay Mallya-led team will continue to defend its sixth place, as dropping behind Sauber and Toro Rosso would cost Force India $9 million in official Concorde Agreement income. "Sixth is extremely important for us," confirmed team manager Otmar […]

Force India has a new billionaire as a co-owner, but the team's founder had no idea. Eddie Jordan, now an expert pundit for British television BBC, walked up to Sahara's Subrata Roy in the Buddh paddock last Sunday and asked: "You're a guest of (team boss) Vijay's (Mallya)?" Roy answered: "I'm his brother." Jordan: "You're a brother? Well then I know your mother, and we go to the same Indian restaurant in London, how cool is that?" Mallya chimed in: "Actually, Eddie, this is Mr […]

Vijay Mallya insists Force India's technical partnership with McLaren is above board. At the F1 Commission in Geneva on Thursday, the thorny topic of the potential redefinition of a 'constructor' will be debated. The 'customer car' proponents, reportedly headed by Ferrari and Bernie Ecclestone, are set to argue that teams are already breaching the existing definition, such as McLaren's commercial tie-up with Force India. "Our relationship with McLaren has been built over a period of three years," boss Mallya, who buys the transmission and hydraulics […]

Martin Whitmarsh has fended off claims teams like McLaren are already breaching the current definition of a F1 'constructor'. The issue is on the agenda for this week's F1 Commission meeting in Geneva, with the possible outcome to be the legalisation of the sale of entire 'customer cars' to small teams. Whitmarsh, the McLaren and FOTA chief, is opposed. But the proponents, understood to be powered by Ferrari, will reportedly argue on Thursday that McLaren for example already shares its intellectual property with customer teams […]

Adrian Sutil is expecting to know within weeks if he has a race seat at Force India next year. Amid reports team boss Vijay Mallya has already signed Nico Hulkenberg to replace him next year, German Sutil hit out at the scheduled plans to only announce the 2012 lineup in mid December. "I can't wait until December," said the 28-year-old early this week. Mallya responded on Friday: "If he wants an early decision I will give (it to) him." Sutil explained to F1's official website: […]

Vijay Mallya has promised to speed up his decision about Force India's 2012 lineup. Long-time team regular Adrian Sutil has expressed concern at growing speculation that Friday driver Nico Hulkenberg will move up to be Paul di Resta's teammate next season. But boss Mallya has insisted until now that he will only announce Force India's next lineup in mid December. "I speak to my drivers first before media and if he (Sutil) wants an early decision I will give (it to) him," he is quoted […]

Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta are refusing to believe they will definitely front Force India's race driver lineup in 2012. It is now expected that the team's long-time regular Adrian Sutil may have to seek alternate employment, with Friday driver Hulkenberg set to step up to the race seat alongside rookie Scot di Resta. "There are quite a few rumours going on. At the moment, that is what they are," admitted Hulkenberg in Delhi this week. "A decision has not yet been taken," said […]

Adrian Sutil insists he has not been ousted by Force India. Reports are growing strength that the German, who has been with the Silverstone based team since its Spyker days, will be replaced in the race seat next year by Nico Hulkenberg. Boss Vijay Mallya, however, will not be making the 2012 driver announcement until mid December. "Vijay has told me that there has been no decision yet and that the (Hulkenberg) news is not right. "I have no reason to disbelieve him as he […]

Adrian Sutil on Monday warned he might walk away from Force India before the team has decided its 2012 driver lineup. Reports in recent days have suggested team boss Vijay Mallya has already settled on pairing Paul di Resta alongside Nico Hulkenberg next season. That would leave the experienced German Sutil out in the cold, but the 28-year-old has been spotted recently at Williams' Grove headquarters. Mallya has said Force India's 2012 drivers will not be announced until very late this year. "I can't wait […]

Nico Hulkenberg signed a contract this week to race with the Force India team in 2012, according to reports. The 24-year-old made a promising grand prix debut in 2010, culminating in pole position in Brazil, but he was replaced by Williams with the well-backed Pastor Maldonado ostensibly for financial reasons. Germany's motorsport-total.com reports that the German, who has been Force India's reserve and Friday practice driver in 2011, will make his return to racing in 2012, replacing his experienced countryman Adrian Sutil. The report said […]

Some in the F1 paddock reacted "with cynicism" to Vijay Mallya's sale of almost half of the Force India team. Just last week, the Indian billionaire said he was "shocked" to read the media speculation about his negotiations with Sahara's Subrato Roy. But on Wednesday, the $100 million deal was announced in Delhi. "Some in the F1 press are (therefore) unimpressed with him, with rumours persisting that this is merely the first phase in a gradual exit," wrote Daily Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary in a […]

Paul di Resta is not sure if the news of Force India's part-sale will affect his future. Boss Vijay Mallya - who now owns an equal 42.5 per cent share in the Silverstone based team rather than a majority, controlling stake - announced recently that he will not decide the 2012 driver lineup until mid December. The fact the decision will be taken so late had raised eyebrows within the F1 paddock, so whether the deadline still stands now that Sahara's Subrato Roy is now […]