- 2010 Launches
Force India launches VJM03
ESPNF1 Staff
February 9, 2010
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The new Force India VJM03 © Force India
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Force India revealed its 2010 car to the public on Tuesday ahead of its first official test in Jerez on Wednesday.
The team gave the VJM03 a shakedown at Silverstone last week but this is the first time images of the car have been released. After an impressive year in 2009, which saw it come from the back of the grid to a spectacular pole position and second place finish at Spa Francorchamps, team owner Vijay Mallya is hoping for even bigger things this season.
"Our goal is to continue on the same path of performance improvement that we had at the end of 2009," he said. "I don't think I am being over-proud when I say 2009 was an exceptional year for us. We've learnt from our experiences and we've come out a better team: resilient, resourceful and now resurgent. I hope 2010 will see this great progress carrying forward. We've got one podium so far but I would hope that, this time next year, I'm talking about more points and more podiums. I'm confident we can get this, why not aim high?"
Like all the 2010 cars the VJM03 is designed around a larger fuel tank, due to the ban on in-race refuelling, and exploits the double diffuser at the back of the car. However, chief designer Mark Smith said the car was definitely an evolution of last year's car, which he thinks was a good platform to build upon. Driver Adrian Sutil was up-beat about the VJM03's potential.
"2010 is a really important season and we are very optimistic about going well," he said. "I think this year it's important to be consistent from the first race. I'd like to be in the midfield and be competitive from Bahrain. It's the first time we have been completely on schedule so I feel this will be the first season when I can show from the beginning to the end what is possible with the car and what I can do. Of course we will have updates and performance packages from this point on but I hope we will be strong from the first practice session rather than compromising at the start."
Tonio Liuzzi, who in 2009 stepped in for Ferrari-bound Giancarlo Fisichella from the Italian Grand Prix onwards, said he was looking forward to his first full F1 season since 2007.
"After one and a half years in a test role, I feel really prepared, both physically and mentally for a full race season," he said. "My objective is to be as strong and consistent as possible and give good feedback to the team to help them improve. For sure scoring points as many times as I can is going to be the key and you never know, perhaps we can get something more as well if everything comes together."
Liuzzi will drive the car for the first two days in Jerez before handing it over to Sutil for Friday and Saturday. New test driver Paul di Resta, who will drive the car during Friday practice sessions at grand prix this year, will have to wait until the second Jerez test on February 17 before he gets his hands on the new machine.
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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