Force India
F1's first challenger, the VJM01, is poised to make its competitive debut when it takes to the track for the first time at today's final group test at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
The car, named after team co-owners Dr Vijay Mallya and Jan and Michiel Mol, is based on the B-spec F8-VII that
Force India's predecessor, Spyker, introduced at the 2007 Italian Grand Prix. Developed throughout the year at its UK base and at two different wind tunnels - in Brackley and at the Aerolab facility in Italy - the B-spec represented a significant step forward for the small operation, but the VJM01 is a further evolution of that development.
"The 2008 car is based on the B-spec car we introduced at the end of last year, but the car we run at the Australian Grand Prix will have numerous aerodynamic and mechanical updates, which we will be testing at Barcelona [this week]," chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne confirmed.
"Aerodynamically, there has been a complete rework of the car. With our two wind tunnels in Brackley and Italy now operating full-time, we have been able to make a lot of progress in the aero department, so almost every aero feature on the car will have been revised. The car we race with in Melbourne, however, will just be the start of a continuous cycle of aerodynamic improvement over the season."
Mechanically, the chassis has also been updated. The rear suspension geometry was significantly revised in 2007, with the rotary dampers replaced with linear ones, as was a new gearbox, designed to comply with the new rules where each 'box must be used for four races. Engine installation has been reviewed in the 2008 design process to make cooling resources lighter, more compact and much more efficient.
