Force India, Fernley: “To take a step forward we would need another 200 million”

In recent years, one of the teams that has made the most progress has been Force India, the Indian team in Formula 1 since 2008.

Thanks to one fairly solid base, despite the legal proceedings involving the owner of the team, Vijay Mallya, the Force India has been able to grow year after year, improving both the technical staff and the drivers, up to two excellent quality drivers such as Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez.

Force India has arrived at be permanently a mid-ranking team with "the license" to exploit all possible opportunities to get to the podium, as happened on five occasions with Sergio Perez in the last two and a half years. To make a further leap in quality and be able to fight with the top teams, however, an increase in the available budget would be needed, quantifiable in around 200 million according to Bob Fernley, team principal of the Indian team: “Another 200 million would be needed of pounds (around 230 million euros, ed.) to be able to take a step forward and fight with the top teams. But next season will be exciting, because we will all start from the same point, designing the new cars for the first time. I'm not saying we're on equal footing, but in terms of downforce we will reach a very high level."

Although the bigger teams can afford to spend more, Fernley believes that next year there could also be good opportunities for the mid-table teams: “Obviously the top teams they have much more efficient processes, therefore they have an advantage, but this advantage will be smaller than it has been in the past. So I think it will be very interesting and I think there will be several opportunities next year,” the Briton concluded to F1.com.

Gianluca D'Alessandro