Force India VJM05 breaks cover at Silverstone

Sahara Force India unveiled its 2012 challenger today as Paul Di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg pulled the covers off the VJM05 at Silverstone. They were joined by reserve driver, Jules Bianchi, as the team’s new car was presented for the first time.

The VJM05 is the second car to be created under the watch of Technical Director, Andrew Green, as the team seeks to build on its on its sixth place finish in the constructors’ championship and take the fight to the teams that lie ahead.

“We have set our sights on challenging for fifth place,” explained Team Principal and Managing Director, Dr. Vijay Mallya. “To do so we will need to begin the new campaign by delivering the kind of form we showed in the second half of 2011. I believe this is a realistic goal and that we have the talent and determination to realise these ambitions.”

Chief Operating Officer, Otmar Szafnauer, echoed those sentiments as he praised the team’s efforts to develop the VJM05: “The new car has come together nicely over the winter. We don’t know what our competitors have done, but we’ve made some gains over the winter and believe we’re in reasonable shape. It’s going to be difficult in the midfield, but our focus is on starting strongly and improving our position from last season.”

Summing up the approach to 2012, Andrew Green added: “The car looks more refined; a lot racier and a lot more purposeful. You can start to see the aerodynamic concepts coming through now. It looks quite a bit different to the previous years, and so far the performance in the tunnel has been encouraging.”

The drivers were delighted to get their first glimpse of the new car and set out their hopes for the season ahead:

Paul Di Resta: “Seeing the new car built and complete for the first time is always an exciting moment. It’s when you realise that all the waiting is finally over and the season is beginning for real. I’ve had a good winter and I’ve recharged my batteries, but now I’m fully focussed on 2012 and looking forward to the start of testing. There’s a really positive feeling in the team, good stability and hopefully we can pick up where we left off at the end of last year.”

Nico Hulkenberg: “I saw the new car in the wind tunnel a few times and followed its progress during the winter. It looks aggressive and fast, but we won’t know where we stand until we get out there and compete against the others. Preparations for the new season have been full-on with simulator sessions and lots of fitness training. I feel ready to get back to racing and I’m excited to find out what the new car feels like next week.”

Source: YallaF1

Sutil involved in nightclub brawl

Adrian Sutil has apologised after it emerged that he was involved in a row with Eric Lux that left the chief executive of Genii Capital in need of stitches

Out celebrating Lewis Hamilton's Chinese GP victory with the McLaren driver at the exclusive M1NT nightspot in Shanghai, a fight erupted between Sutil and Lux.

Although little has been revealed about the incident, it has emerged that Lux was left bleeding from a neck wound that required a trip to the hospital for stitches.

"At the event, which I attended as a private person, something happened which was a very unfortunate action on my part. I injured another person completely unintentionally," Sutil told the Daily Mail.

"I regret the incident very much and have apologised. As it is a private matter with no connection to F1 or my job as an F1 driver I hope you will understand that I will not answer any more questions on this."

Sutil's F1 team, Force India, refused to add any details regarding the matter, saying: "It is a private matter between the parties involved and we don't have any information on that, so we don't want to make any comment."

The FIA have been made aware of the incident but, according to the newspaper, are leaving the 'matter in the hands of the protagonists.'

Source: Planet-F1

Force India confirms Sutil, di Resta and Hülkenberg

The Force India F1 Team confirmed it has finalised its driver line-up for the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship season. Following weeks of speculation, Adrian Sutil will continue with the Silverstone-based team for a fifth consecutive season and will be joined by Paul di Resta, who will make his Formula One race debut. Nico Hülkenberg will join Force India as the test and reserve driver as part of a long-term partnership with the team.

Twenty-seven year old Adrian, from south Germany, enjoyed his most successful season in F1 last year, securing 47 points to help the team to seventh position in the constructors’ championship. En route to his highest-ever drivers’ championship classification he notched up nine points scoring positions, including fifth in the Malaysian Grand Prix. He is now hungry to achieve both his, and the team’s, ultimate goal of becoming a regular podium challenger.

2011 marks Paul’s F1 race debut following a strong year of Friday performances as Force India’s test and reserve driver last season and his recent DTM title success. The 24-year-old Scot joined the team after an impressive test in late 2009 and participated in eight free practice sessions in 2010 to get up to speed with the challenges of F1 circuits. This invaluable experience will now be put to full use when he makes his race debut.

German Nico Hülkenberg, 23, completes the Force India F1 Team’s driver line-up for the 2011 season. Nico’s strong performances in the junior formulae and his impressive rookie form in last year’s F1 championship, including a sensational pole position in Brazil, marked him out as a star of the future and the team was delighted to secure his services as test and reserve driver.

Dr Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal of Force India F1 Team, "I am genuinely excited by the drivers we will be fielding in 2011. I believe that the combination of talent we’ve assembled gives us one of the strongest line-ups on the grid: Adrian has matured into one of F1’s most consistent and highly-rated young drivers, while Paul is, I believe, a real star of the future. He has won in every category in his career and this base speed was in evidence when he got in the car on Fridays last year. With Nico, signing him was too good an opportunity to let by. He showed a good racing head and talent and I was amazed by his control in Brazil last year. Together I think they are a formidable partnership and will help take us to the next level of performance."

Adrian Sutil commented, "I made my F1 debut with the team back in 2007 and we’ve worked together since then, so to stay for another year here feels very right. I’ve always said that I feel good in this team, it feels like family and when you feel good, you are confident and can push to your maximum. We’ve made some good progress together over the past four years and I’m excited to be part of the the team when it takes the next step, which is hopefully to become a front running team. We have the same ambitions so it makes a lot of sense to achieve them together."

Paul di Resta added, "Naturally I am thrilled to be making my race debut this season. Becoming an F1 driver has been a long-held ambition of mine, something I’ve wanted to do since I first stepped into a kart, and to finally realise it feels amazing. I’ve worked really hard for this opportunity throughout my career and to get it with Force India, a young team that’s got ambitions as big as mine, is genuinely exciting. I can’t wait to be on the grid in Bahrain, it can’t come soon enough."

Nico Hülkenberg said, "I am happy I can stay in F1 in 2011. I am looking forward to working with Force India and I am sure the team will continue improving in the future. I appreciate the team trusting me by signing a long-term contract. I will do my very best to live up to expectations."

Source: Nextgen

Sutil and Buemi to drop five places on Brazil grid

Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi and Force India’s Adrian Sutil have both been handed five-place grid penalties for next month’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

FIA stewards decided Buemi caused an avoidable accident when he collided with Virgin’s Timo Glock at Turn Three on Lap 30 of Sunday’s Korean race. The Swiss driver has already apologised to Glock, saying: “I braked late and locked the front wheels, so I could not turn and ended up going straight on and hitting Timo. I am sorry for him.”

Sutil, meanwhile, was given the same penalty for colliding with BMW Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi at Turn Four on Lap 47. Sutil was additionally fined $10,000 after admitting he had been aware of brake problems throughout the Yeongam race.

The Brazilian Grand Prix will take place at Interlagos from November 5-7.

Source: Formula1.com

The Secret Life of Adrian Sutil

You will definitely know he is a Force India driver. You should know he’s German. You probably know he’s clinched 35 of his team’s 47 points this season. And if you’re a big fan you may even know he could have become a professional pianist. But we bet there’s still plenty you don’t know about Adrian Sutil, including his fear of spiders, his obsession with perfection and his penchant for pens. Sutil reveals all in the latest instalment of our Secret Life series…

Q: Are you the kind of guy to have a ‘Plan-B’?
Adrian Sutil: Sometimes. I like to do things that are planned and organized properly. But if I want to get a bit more adventurous, I stop following ‘Plan-A’ and move on to ‘Plan-B’. Overall I prefer everything to be very organized and straightforward, with irritations kept to a minimum.

Q: Apart from driving a Formula One car, what is your favourite buzz?
AS: My life is very much centred on cars. Even when I get home I drive my own cars. I am probably a bit of an adrenalin junkie even away from work. Recently I did some skydiving and that gave me a huge thrill.

Q: Who do you most look forward to seeing when you arrive in the paddock on a Thursday?
AS: I always look forward to entering our motor home - especially recently, as the motor home is all new and very chic. We have a laidback atmosphere in there and everyone in the team is like my extended family.

Q: Who is your dream date?
AS: If it is with a female date, I’d say it would be with a good-looking, smart, lovely lady. If it was with someone I have always wanted to meet and speak to, then it would be with Sean Connery! I am not sure if it will ever happen, but if it does I will grab the chance. He was the best James Bond ever!

Q: Which film last made you cry?
AS: I am not a cry baby. For a film to get me close to crying then it would be because I was crying with laughter. It hasn’t happened recently.

Q: What are you afraid of?
AS: I am afraid of spiders. I live in an old house and you sometimes come across them. They drive me crazy, especially when they have long legs!

Q: What was the last book you read?
AS: I am not a big reader. I am a movie guy. The last book I had a look at was about sailing.

Q: What is your favourite way to relax?
AS: To be at home on my own, listen to some music, look out of the window and empty my head. Sometimes I don’t want to see anybody - I just want to be on my own.

Q: Name five things that you hate?
AS: Spiders and insects. Disorganisation and messy places - I cannot live with them. What else? I hate dirty cars. I am a fanatical car cleaner! When I am home alone, and don’t know what to do, I start cleaning my car. Then I don’t want to drive it anymore. Tidiness is very important for me. The shoes at the bottom of the bed have to be positioned perfectly otherwise I cannot sleep. Does that sound a bit mad? Probably. I want everything to be perfect.

Q: Have you ever dyed your hair?
AS: No, not really! Once in Formula Three I had a little blond streak of hair. In those days I thought it was cool - which it wasn’t. But at least I’ve tried it!

Q: What was the first CD you bought?
AS: It must have been a tape, and it must have been Michael Jackson. It was probably ‘Thriller’.
Q: Do you have any tattoos or piercings?
AS: No I don’t like tattoos or piercings.

Q: What did your teachers say about you in your school reports?
AS: I was in trouble with my teachers a lot. I was always dreaming during lessons. I was in my own world. Physically I was in the classroom, but mentally I was miles away. I have achieved my dream so it must have worked well for me.

Q: Who were your childhood heroes?
AS: They were mostly movie stars. They were probably Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, or Sylvester Stallone as Rocky or Rambo. I was into action heroes.

Q: Do you have any guilty pleasures?
AS: When I eat sweets at home I always feel bad. But I still do it sometimes. It makes me happy but I also know that I have to watch my weight. Sweets are on my mind everyday.

Q: Do you collect anything?
AS: Yes, I collect pens and model cars. I only started the pen collection last year because exceptional pens are quite expensive so I couldn’t afford them before. My most exclusive one is called a Taj Mahal. I bought it after my good race in Malaysia as a treat.

Q: What do you miss most about home when you are on the road?
AS: I miss the place where I live. It is very quiet there and green.

Q: What was your worst buy?
AS: I hate to waste money on things that I don’t need, so I am the last person to go shopping without a reason. When I buy things, I buy things that I need, so there is not one big thing that was a ‘worst buy’. It’s probably only when I go to a restaurant really hungry and order too much food. You order three plates and then you can only eat one. That is a waste and I get upset with myself because there are so many people hungry in the world.

Q: How do you take your coffee?
AS: Black with a little sugar.

Q: Your ideal non-race Sunday morning?
AS: Sleep in until ten, have brunch, take my car and drive around in the mountains.

Q: What was your first vehicle?
AS: It was a smart roadster. It was very cool and was the envy of my friends.

Q: What’s the most embarrassing mistake you’ve ever made?
AS: Oh I still remember it very well. There were people just in a street taking photos for a magazine for German teenagers. They asked me if I would mind joining in the photo shoot. I almost immediately regretted it! There was a stupid story that went alongside the pictures and everybody at my school read it. I was a laughing stock for about a month.

Q: What is the best thing you can cook?
AS: I am not bad at cooking pasta. But I’m not a great cook. I can do a really good Kaiserschmarrn, which is an Austrian dessert.

Source: Formula1.com