FORCE INDIA VJM01 Ferrari

   From the ashes of Spyker, and before that Midland and the historic Jordan, the new Force India F1 team was born. In October 2007, the Orange India Holdings consortium, led by Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya (then king of the beverage industry with United Breweries and head of Kingfisher Airlines), together with the financial group Sahara India Pariwar and the Dutch family of entrepreneur Michiel Mol, acquired Spyker for approximately €88 million. Mallya’s objective was to create the first truly Indian team in Formula 1 history, bringing national pride to a global stage. He chose the colors of the Indian flag (saffron, white, and green) for the livery of the new Force India VJM01, making the car instantly recognizable. At the time of acquisition, Spyker’s sponsor was Etihad Airways, which conflicted with Mallya’s personal sponsor, Kingfisher Airlines. This led to a legal battle, the first of many Mallya would face, even before the season began.

FORCE INDIA VJM01, Adrian Sutil
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 2008

   Thanks to the injection of fresh capital, the Force India technical staff in 2008 perfectly reflected the transitional nature of a team trying to shed the legacy of Spyker and Midland, while retaining the solid engineering foundation of Jordan Grand Prix at its historic Silverstone base. The team was led by a mix of Silverstone veterans and new hires brought in by the Indian ownership. With his charismatic presence and vast experience, Mike Gascoyne (Chief Technical Officer) became the architect of the technical restructuring. However, his relationship with Vijay Mallya deteriorated during 2008, leading to his departure at the end of the season due to a lack of tangible progress. A loyal collaborator of Gascoyne, having worked with him at Renault and Jordan, was Mark Smith (Design Director), who was materially responsible for the car’s design, although the role of Chief Designer was assigned to John McQuilliam. James Key was one of the youngest Technical Directors in Formula 1 at the time, acting as a bridge between the old Jordan management (where he had grown professionally) and the new era. After Force India, his career would take off with Sauber, Toro Rosso, and McLaren. The department was led by Simon Phillips (Head of Aerodynamics), one of the first to understand the importance of the engine cover fin (Shark Fin) in stabilizing the rear of the car. Other key roles were held by Mike Wroe (Head of Electronics), Dominic Harlow (Chief Race Engineer), and Andy Stevenson (Sporting Director). Many of the “junior” engineers from that period are today the backbone of Aston Martin F1, and that staff’s ability to “do more with less” has become the hallmark of the Silverstone factory over time.

FORCE INDIA VJM01, Giancarlo Fisichella
Melbourne, Australian GP 2008

   The new Force India VJM01 was a simple evolution of the previous year’s Spyker, with the team forced to focus on minor improvements to compensate for the lack of a top-team budget. The car’s nose featured a rather conservative design (high and narrow), but surrounded by a multitude of aerodynamic appendages typical of the end of a technical cycle. These included the inevitable bridge wings (mounted laterally to the nose in Ferrari style, rather than above it as seen on many other cars), turning vanes beneath the nose to channel as much airflow as possible toward the flat floor and diffuser, chimneys and slots above the sidepods (which were heavily undercut at the lower section) to release hot air, Viking wings (small fins placed beside the engine air intake) to manage vortices generated by the driver’s helmet and mirrors, and the shark fin on the engine cover to clean up airflow directed toward the rear wing, stabilizing the car. This solution was introduced by Force India and quickly copied by all teams, notably Renault and Red Bull. However, such a complex aerodynamic package resulted in chronic sensitivity to pitch, which plagued the car throughout the season, making it unpredictable with sudden balance changes. During the 2008 season, Force India increasingly relied on the Aerolab wind tunnel in Italy. This allowed engineers to understand that the base Spyker chassis had reached its physical development limit and pushed Mallya to sign an agreement with McLaren for 2009, which included not only Mercedes engines and gearbox but also support for far more advanced CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation systems.

FORCE INDIA VJM01, Adrian Sutil
Hungaroring, Hungarian GP 2008

   The mechanical core of the VJM01 was a complex puzzle of components from different suppliers: the engine was the Ferrari Tipo 056, a 750 hp V8 (slightly detuned compared to the units used by Ferrari’s own cars). However, the transmission was not supplied by Ferrari and was instead a hybrid, with the casing designed by the previous Midland/Spyker management and the gearbox derived from Xtrac. Mating the gearbox to the Ferrari V8 required specific adapters, increasing the car’s weight. Furthermore, the cooling system, also not supplied by Ferrari, represented an additional obstacle in fully exploiting the Italian V8’s potential. The old chassis was a carbon fiber honeycomb monocoque, fitted with double wishbone suspension in push-rod configuration both at the front and rear. The dampers were supplied by Penske, but their setup proved problematic throughout the season, with the VJM01 struggling significantly over curbs, where it became nervous and lost traction. Weight distribution was another issue, with the car constantly at the regulatory minimum of 605 kg, leaving no room to use ballast, essential for optimal balance.

FORCE INDIA VJM01, Adrian Sutil
Magny-Cours, French GP 2008

   The driver lineup consisted of experienced Italian Giancarlo Fisichella and young German Adrian Sutil. Despite enthusiasm for the new venture, the season proved extremely difficult in terms of pure results, with the VJM01 suffering from significant aerodynamic and weight disadvantages compared to top teams. Out of 36 race starts, the two Force India cars recorded as many as 18 retirements. However, the poor results (0 points and last place in the constructors’ championship) did not discourage the Indian magnate, who instead injected further capital, believing in the team’s future growth. Indeed, the apprenticeship period with the VJM01 laid the foundation for transforming a financially struggling team into the solid midfield contender that, also thanks to Mercedes support, would emerge in the following decade.