Spyker is out, Force India is in. Last year, Spyker did not perform too well and the latter part of the year saw the team being bought by Indian gazzilionaire Dr. Vijay Mallya. The team was renamed Force India and secured the services of Adrian Sutil and of Giancarlo Fisichella who left Renault after a disappointing season.
The team recently unveiled their new car in Mumbai. "I am delighted to present before you the livery of the brand new car that will compete in the 2008 FIA Formula 1 World Championship," said Dr. Mallya during the unveiling of the car.
"Today is a memorable day not only for me as the owner of India’s first-ever F1 team, but also for millions of Indians who can today watch India occupy a place of pride as Force India becomes the first and only Indian Formula 1 racing team to compete with the best in the world, at the pinnacle of motorsport," he continued.
"The Force India F1 Team is one of the only eleven elite teams guaranteed an entry into the FIA Formula 1 World Championship races.
"The Force India Formula 1 Team is the new global face of an emerging superpower and is today increasingly viewed as a team that will change the dynamics of F1, bottom up and a team that dares to dream.
"Most importantly, the Force India F1 Team has come to epitomize the dream of every Indian and is powered by the passion of a billion hearts!"
Hopefully for India, the team performs better than Spyker did last year. Don’t expect the team though to be able to fight for points along with the likes of Ferrari and McLaren. Maybe that will come a few years from now.