2014 Force India VJM07

Sahara Force India revealed its dynamic new look, offering fans and media a first impression of how the VJM07 will look when it is officially presented at next week's Jerez test session.

The new livery brings a fresh trackside image for the team with the introduction of black alongside the traditional colours of saffron, white and green.

'The VJM07 looks stunning and the new livery reflects the way Sahara Force India is evolving,' says Vijay Mallya. 'I've always believed our cars have been the most eye-catching, but adding black as a main colour gives us a fierce new look.'


Key to the new look is the introduction of several commercial partners. The logo of telecommunications brand, Claro, appears on the engine cover and signals the start of a multi-year deal with the famous Mexican brand. There will be prominent Claro branding on the drivers' suits and team kit.

The rear wing end plate now includes branding from Roshfrans, the lubricant oils specialists, following last week's announcement of a multi-year partnership with the team.

The new livery also sees branding from Astana, a foundation that supports sporting initiatives by promoting the capital city of Kazakhstan. The Astana logo is positioned on the side of the VJM07's nose.

'It's been a busy winter for us on the technical and commercial front,' explains Vijay. 'When I founded the team my first ambition was to launch the first Indian team on the grid, but the next stage in our evolution is to develop a global brand. I think that ambition is reflected in the partners we are working with and our world class driver line-up. It certainly feels as though there is the potential for 2014 to be our strongest season yet.'

As well as new colours, the changes beneath the skin of the VJM07 are even more extensive due to the new technical regulations. 'The new rules have presented us with a huge challenge, but I'm very proud of the approach we have taken and the direction of the technical team,' says Vijay. 'It will be fascinating to see how different teams have interpreted the rules and at this stage it's impossible to predict who has done the best job.'

Technical Director, Andrew Green, is quick to emphasise just how different the VJM07 is compared to its predecessor: 'Almost every single part is a new design, from the front wing right back to the diffuser. The genetics of the VJM07 still lie in the 2013 car, but we've had to achieve the same results in a slightly different way.'

Andrew says accommodating the power unit was the biggest challenge: 'It's been a massive job to accommodate all the changes to the power unit - it's the biggest change I've witnessed in the sport since I started in 1990. Cooling has been the biggest challenge with most of last summer taken up trying to understand the cooling requirements of the power unit, and how best to optimise it in the chassis.'

Source - Force India

Black is the new Black

Nothing embodies the identity of a car as much as its livery. Paint schemes are the skins and souls of Formula One cars with iconic designs filling some of the most memorable pages of the Formula One history books.

Instantly recognisable on the grid, the Sahara Force India liveries have become one of the most distinctive in the sport. Incorporating the colours of the Indian flag, they represent our team's identity, the passion of our growing fan base and the energy of a team that just loves to punch above its weight. From 2009 to 2013, the saffron, white and green livery has been part of the most important moments of our journey in Formula One.

As with everything in life, however, things change. The launch of a new livery for our VJM07 heralds a new era for the team, while at the same time maintaining the links to our proud history.

Stylish, aggressive and, most importantly, black – get used to our fierce new look. Call it badass, call it different – this livery brings a new lease of life to our designs without compromising our historical identity. The past meets the future: the colours of the Indian flag remain an integral part of the car, but the tiger has become a panther.

Just like a little black dress, a fashion essential all over the world, something simple is often most effective. Just like a little black dress, our livery is designed to make an impression.

The fruit of months of planning and design, our new VJM07 paint scheme has some practical benefits too, brought by the use of fewer coats of black paint. Mixing (racing) business with (aesthetic) pleasure has never been this easy.

As we enter our seventh season, this new fresh, dynamic look signals the team's renewed ambition – the next step in our shareholders' bold vision. Having achieved the objective to have an Indian team on the grid and having signed world-class drivers, our sights now turn towards the next target.

Sahara Force India's contemporary new look heralds the evolution into a global brand, supported by passionate fans the world over, ready to pounce on the higher echelons of the grid.

Source - Force India