Australian Grand Prix Preview
The opening race of the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship season will
be a landmark in the history of Indian sports: the debut of
India's first-ever Formula One team. When the Force India
Formula One Team's distinctive red, white and gold cars complete
their first-ever laps of the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne,
it will be the first time an Indian-registered team has ever
competed at the highest tier of motorsport.
The team's journey started back in October 2007 when Dr.
Vijay Mallya and Jan and Michiel Mol bought the team from
Spyker Cars N.V. The Australian Grand Prix will mark the race
debut of the first Force India car, the new VJM01. The car,
which is based on the Spyker F8-VII B-spec chassis, has completed
over 6,000km in its pre-season testing programme with an average
368km per day - more than one race distance - without any
major problems.
While last year the team had realistic expectations of performance
relative to the rest of the field, this season the team sets
out to stay with the midfield and pick up positions wherever
possible. With increased budgets for the start of the year,
a sustained programme of aerodynamic and mechanical developments,
a strengthened technical structure and a blend of experience
and youth on the driver front, the team aims to make strong
progress this season.
The team will be led by Giancarlo Fisichella, one of the
most experienced drivers on the current F1 grid with 12 F1
seasons and a massive 267 points to his credit. Adrian Sutil
will start his second F1 season in 2008 after scoring his
first-ever F1 point in a rain-lashed Fuji Speedway in October
last year. Testing duties will be upheld by Italian Tonio
Liuzzi, who will also be the team's reserve driver throughout
the season.
Team quotes
Dr. Vijay Mallya, chairman and managing director
'To be one of 11 teams participating is itself is a matter
of great pride. Not everyone can say we own an F1 team and
we are on that grid. It takes a lot to be there in the first
place. You're effectively competing at the very highest level
in the world, for the World Championship, and you're one of
the chosen 11.
'But in 2008 and 2009 it's going to be a gradual process.
One is extremely pleased by the excellent testing times we've
had. Fisichella was fourth one day. But am I going to hang
my boots on it and say we're going to be among the top five?
Absolutely not. We have a lot of work to do, but we're moving
in the right direction very positively, and in a very determined
manner. '
Colin Kolles, team principal
'I have been with this team through some difficult times over
the past three years, but with dedicated team owners, a realistic
budget and high ambitions, I can now see a long-term future
for us. We are here at the start of something incredibly exciting
- a new market to capture, a new spirit in the team and increased
resources to really deliver. Having the strong driver line-up
of the experienced Giancarlo Fisichella and the very promising
Adrian Sutil, backed very ably by Tonio Liuzzi, was the first
sign that we are not just happy to be at the back anymore
- we are looking forward and laying down stones for the future.
'I see Force India with a great optimism, and I am eagerly
anticipating this year. I really think we can join the midfield
group this season and with it being so competitive, we could
be in a position to be a regular points finisher.'
Mike Gascoyne, chief technical officer
'The feeling in the team is one of excitement and the atmosphere
is very optimistic. Times have been very hard for this team
over the last five years, with various owners and false dawns,
but I think now with a realistic budget and an exciting driver
line-up we can really start to do a good job. As a result
everyone is excited about the future. We are under no illusions
that we are starting from the back, but I think we can look
at this year as the team really starting to build itself up
as a competitive unit, so there is a very positive feeling.
'I think it is always difficult to judge from pre-season
testing, but you can see that we have taken a step forward.
We are starting from the back, so how far that step will take
us we will have to wait until Melbourne. We have set our aims
to get into Q2 and to get race finishes. I think one thing
is very clear from testing though: we are no longer the team
lapping around at the back.'
Driver quotes
Giancarlo Fisichella
'Since I joined Force India two months ago it's been a very
exciting time, both for the team and for myself. I feel totally
at home here, with both the engineers and the mechanics. It
feels as if I have been at Force India for a long time!
'Australia is a good place for me to start the season and
my Force India race career. I won the race in 2005 and started
in second place in 2006 and with a car that was not as competitive
as we would have liked, I finished in fifth last season.
'I feel confident for this first race with Force India. My
first target is to get into Q2, but then the final hope is
to score Force India's first point in the championship. You
can see that every test we have moved forward and made some
good progress - at the last test in Barcelona in particular
where our lap times confirmed we are going in the right direction
with the car. I did two longer runs at the final test and
was very pleased with the balance and consistency. The results
matched our expectations and we found about half a second,
and we know there is more to come, so everything is very positive.
'We have maybe another two to three tenths to come from new
developments we have in the pipeline, which could mean a step
forward and another few places on the grid. Looking at the
other teams, under race conditions I do not think they will
get away from us that easily.'
Adrian Sutil
'The winter period was quite busy with two trips to India
and then some busy tests with full programmes.
'As we are using the same chassis as last year and are familiar
with how it behaves, the focus has been on getting the new
electronics to work with the car, understanding how the car
works without traction control and trying to find the stability
on entry and exit into the corners. We took some time trying
to find the limit, but I am not worried about having the last
tweaks so close to the start of the season; it just gives
us more time to get it right in development.
'This year we have a very good driver line-up, with a lot
of experience. Having Tonio as the test driver too means we
can make some good progress between races. For me it's a positive
challenge to have Giancarlo in the team as he will push me,
which is important for the future. It will be difficult, but
this is what I need, as if you are pushed, you have to put
in your maximum effort.
'You can see that the team is better structured this year,
and everything seems to be going in the right direction, there
is more budget, and we can develop the parts we wanted to
last year, but couldn't because of resources.
'My goals are to do everything possible to be better this
year; to make fewer mistakes and get a few points. I want
to help the team move forward.'
Australian Grand Prix information
The Australian Grand Prix is held on the 5.303km Albert Park
circuit in Melbourne, a temporary road course that winds its
way round a lake through parkland in the heart of Australia's
second largest city.
For the second year in a row the event opens the FIA Formula
One World Championship season. It's a popular start, with
the warm weather and laid-back atmosphere easing the teams
into what is set to be a long and tough season. With 18 races
on the calendar this year, it's the longest season since 2006,
with one more long haul race thrown into the mix.
With a combination of short straights, second and third gear
chicanes, the 16 turn track requires medium to high downforce
and good traction is essential. A quick section at the back
of the circuit means the event can be quite demanding for
drivers, but most feared are the concrete walls that are relatively
close to the race track.
Changeable weather can also be a feature of this race - Melbourne's
proximity to the sea means blue skies can often give way to
heavy rain downpours; but just as likely to vary are the track
conditions. As the track is only used as a race track once
a year and for the remainder is open to the public, it is
covered by slippery dirt and mud at the start of the race
weekend. As the cars put in more laps and lay down more rubber
it does clean up, but drivers are particularly cautious at
the start of the race weekend.
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