Formula One: Force India to start new season with a new name?
Force India could have a new name before Formula One’s pre-season testing starts in Spain next month.
A spokesman for the British-based Formula One team said on Tuesday that plans had yet to be finalised, however.
“A name change ahead of the new season remains a possibility,” he said. “If it happens it would be announced ahead of the launch/testing or at the launch.”
Team name changes need the approval of Formula One’s governing body and commercial rights holder. The team has officially entered the championship as Sahara Force India F1.
Force India are run and co-owned by Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya, who is fighting an Indian government request to extradite him from Britain to face fraud charges related to the collapse of his Kingfisher Airlines.
Mallya, who has not left Britain since March 2016, has said a name change would make the team more attractive to potential sponsors.
“I was passionate about putting an Indian team on the grid. Now, things have changed. Force India is getting very limited in terms of potential,” he told Reuters at last year’s British Grand Prix.
“The Indian Grand Prix is gone, sadly. There are no Indian sponsors who’ve come to the table. They seem to be spending all their …read more
