Sahara Force India is the next to reveal its 2018 F1 contender, the Mercedes-powered VJM11.
The Silverstone-based team revealed this year’s car an hour before winter testing began. Force India has steadily proven itself to be a reckoning force on the track. Over the past two seasons the team finished fourth in the constructors’ standings. Notable among its performances, Esteban Ocon began the Italian GP in third.
As you’ve come to expect, the VJM11 is an evolution of last year’s chassis. While the obvious standout is the halo, this year’s livery is as eye-catching as the last, if not more so. Tighter sidepods also feature on this year’s car.
With last seasons performance noted, the VJM11 has its work cut out for it in 2018. The likes of Renault, Williams, and McLaren will all be gunning for position within the top ten.
Team Principal Vijay Mallya thinks this year’s car will be rather competitive:
“I see no reason why we cannot consolidate our position and improve. Yes, Formula One is a very tough and competitive environment, but we are an established team with continuity in all areas of the company. We don’t take anything for granted, but we will be disappointed if we are not fighting for points at every race this year.”
As expected, drivers Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez return to the fold for this year. There’s no denying the strength of the pairing, despite their hiccups along the way. Chief Operating Officer Otmar Szafnauer expects a more productive partnership this season.
“We will, of course, remind them [of their responsibilities], but not really sit down and talk to them. You’ll remember after we clinched fourth place, we allowed them to race again with the same rules that we had before we said no more racing and they performed admirably.
“So I think just a reminder and I think they’ve come into their own maturity – Checo as a father and Esteban having more than doubled his experience in Formula 1 – they understand, and they will act accordingly for the good of the team, which is ultimately for the good of themselves too.
“I’m quite confident that they will race respectfully, competitively, but for the good of the team.”
It’s worth the reminder that the heated exchange between the two began at last year’s Canadian GP. Towards the end of the race, the team asked Perez to let Ocon through in his bid to threaten Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo’s podium spot.
Perez refused, leaving both vulnerable to the oncoming Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel. Things would come to a head once again in Azerbaijan, only this time Ocon took matters into his own hands. As you can imagine, the end result was disastrous: Perez retired on lap 41, with Ocon bringing the remaining car home in sixth.
With winter testing now underway, it won’t be long until the cars begin showing their true pace. The first round of testing concludes this Thursday, March 1, with a second round running March 6–9.
After that, the season-opening Australian Grand Prix takes place in less than a month’s time on March 25.
See more articles on F1 2018 Season and Pre-Season.