Posted in: Formula One
Matt W asked:
Will Force India be more productive in their second year in F1? They have a new engine contract with Mercedes-Benz, and a year’s experience under their belts. They also have the advantage that all teams are starting from scratch on their 2009 cars. But will it make any difference to their performance?
Will Force India be more productive in their second year in F1? They have a new engine contract with Mercedes-Benz, and a year’s experience under their belts. They also have the advantage that all teams are starting from scratch on their 2009 cars. But will it make any difference to their performance?
1. Will they score any points this season?
2. Will they qualify in the midfield this season?
3. Will they get a podium this season?
April 3rd 2009
It would be difficult to do worse than in 2008 (Monaco excluded).
They have kept the same uninspiring driver pair, which probably will negate any advantage they may gain from Mercedes engines or new rules.
1. Yes, they will score points. Probably not through being competitive, but through getting to the finish where other cars don’t.
2. Not on a regular basis. There may be an occasional freak result, but without a poor Honda on the grid they may actually find themselves further behind the pack than they were in 2008 for most of next season.
3. Not unless we have another race like the 1999 European GP, or the 1982 Monaco GP. Rain, retirements and luck will be required.
April 3rd 2009
Taking the same engine as a top team does not guarantee results.
Minardi had Ferrari engines for a while, but only recently has Toro Rossa secured an unlikely win.
Renault engined Red Bulls hardly featured last year - then again neither did Renault.
1) Yes - but at the usual car crippling races that favour durability
2) No - again, it’s the package, not just the drive train
3) Unlikely - unless it rains, but then again it’s not impossible.
If your betting agency gives odds for Top8 finishes, a fiver on each Force India car at every race could be a risky well-paying gamble.
April 6th 2009
now that’s difficult to say,
from past experience, we can expect a marginal increase in the performance form 2008, and coupled with honda’s demise, they may have an even better chance of scoring points, so, it looks like they’ll even up picking up a handful of points this season here and there. they may as well qualify in the middle, but surely, podiums are unlikely.
BUT, this isn’t just a an engine deal that force india have signed with mercedes-benz. it’s a full fledged partnership with Mclaren, they might as well end up with gearboxes, and chassis that are way better then some of the front running teams!
so, you can be guaranteed of better showing by force india, if McLaren and mercedes get their stuff right.
I’m not sure if what force india will get is a custom version of engine and power train from Mclaren, like the ferrari engines in the back of red bulls, or are they gonna get the same hardware as that in the Mclaren.
April 7th 2009
1. I think they may score around 10 points for the season.
2. It’s quite possible they might. Yea they have the advantage of running a Mercedes engine but it’s not enough to just have an advanced engine setup but it’s the job of the crew and the drivers to get the most out of the setup they have and the drivers abilities to control the car.
3. Not for another few years. With so many other competitors that consistantly get in the top 5 and with Force India not breaking into the top ten as much as they should i see it as very unlikely. The only way they might get a podium is if there is a repeat of Hungary 2006 (Jenson Button claiming his first and so far only race win under remarkable circumstances)
April 10th 2009
You already have 4 great answers, so I’ll add a bad one to the mix
1.Will they score any points this season?
Yes, Fisichella may even get one on merit in the first few races as Fisi is better in the first 3rd of the season, he seems to peter out. Sutil will hope for some torrencial weather, as he is far better in tricky conditions.
2. Will they qualify in the midfield this season?
Again, early in the season, possibly but they will be cold last by season’s end, depending if they can get any Mc Merc updates or not.
3.Will they get a podium this season?
Never say never but its not likley, possibly 2 less cars to overtake though!
April 13th 2009
It’s very difficult to say right now as we haven’t seen Force India show their hand in testing, and can’t see whether McLaren and Mercedes have had any say in the aero-specs of the car.
Based on their effort last year, I would say that they are due for a step up this with a year of Mallya’s money to boost their chances, plus the McMerc hook-up. Last year’s car was an updated Spyker, which was an updated Midland… and so on… They didn’t have the best tools for the job but with a clean slate this year (literally) they could produce a good car, as considering the outdated car, they developed it very well compared to the other teams.
I think their driver pairing is in need of a shake-up. Sutil can have one more chance for Monaco last year, and Fisi needs to show some of the underdog spirit he had at Jordan and Sauber, otherwise Mercedes will place their boys in there to get the job done better.
1. Yes, most likely from Fisi. His experience will come in handy when chaos erupts around them at places like Oz or Monaco.
2. It will depend on the circuits more than ever this year. So we shall see.
3. Unlikely, unless we have a Panis 96 moment. But points are the main attainable target.