Force India became the final team to launch its 2011 Formula Challenger overnight when it released these images of the new VJM04. Cast your minds back to 1991 and you’ll see the Force India team started life as Eddie Jordan’s plaything. The Jordan team went through a few iterations before falling into the seemingly secure control of Indian businessman Vijay Mallya.
In a nice piece of symmetry, 20 years after the debut of the Jordan Grand Prix team, the VJM04 is the first car designed for Force India by new technical director Andrew Green, who was one of the men behind the original Jordan 191.
Green signed up with Force India in the middle of last year and explains some of the changes made to this year’s car, “Everything is different, but visually a lot of it is subtle. The most obvious visual change is that we’ve gone away from a conventional roll-hoop to a blade. This gives us a small packaging improvement compared to a more conventional style. The engine cover is different, in-line with the abolition of the F-duct system. But there are a lot of differences under the skin that people won’t necessarily notice.”
Green has also taken a fresh approach at addressing the team’s weaknesses, “Looking back over the years the cars we have produced here have always struggled at the high downforce tracks – they always been ‘slippery’ cars. We’ve identified a problem, and now we have to fix it, and it means that potentially there’s another strategic aero change coming as well.”
Joining Adrian Sutil in 2011 will be F1 debutant 24-year-old Scotsman Paul di Resta. He’s not setting any unrealistic expectations and hopes to put in a solid performance for his new team in their chase for a top five finish, “I don’t want to say exact targets on record as there are so many factors that can come into play. What I do want to do is to have a positive approach, finish, be consistent and contribute strongly to the team’s overall performance. We’ve got high aims of finishing in a good constructors’ championship position and I know that I’ve got to play my part in this.”
More pics and press material after the break, including Q&A interviews with the Force India’s drivers; Adrian Sutil, Paul di Resta and reserve-driver Nico Hulkenberg. Also available is a YouTube clip featuring Andrew Green talking about the VJM04.