[Immampdah]

I'm surprsied at the number of people calling it a customer car. I've yet to see anything that suggests FI will be using McLaren designs for chassis and aero.

They don't have technical director and designer anymore! So, guess who will design their car now?!

[quorceopporce]

They don't have technical director and designer anymore! So, guess who will design their car now?!

There's still time to hire people, I suppose.

[Immampdah]

They should be testing already next week. Other teams will do it. How will they work without having someone to coordinate everything and make changes in their design?

I'm very skeptical about all this, and the fact that they are part of the reason why Super Aguri is no more makes me very angry.

[weightpillsnow]

They should be testing already next week. Other teams will do it. How will they work without having someone to coordinate everything and make changes in their design?

I'm very skeptical about all this, and the fact that they are part of the reason why Super Aguri is no more makes me very angry.

Now we know why VJ is so successful.

'Excuse me! Do you mind getting that knife out of my back?'

[quorceopporce]

They should be testing already next week. Other teams will do it. How will they work without having someone to coordinate everything and make changes in their design?

Not very well, I should think!

[awagsFare]

I take it that you don't like Mercedes...

quite the contrary, I do like mercedes and Mclaren,

I just don;t like the hypocrisy of Force India and I'm no fan of customer cars either...and I don't particularly rate Kovy as a deserving driver for the seat he occupies. I think Sutil would be an upgrade.

[MeatteCen]

Sutil can probably crash into a Ferrari in the pit if needed, but I don't think that he'd be an upgrade. I'd like to see him gone from F1. Di Resta, I'd like to see him in F1

[luspikals]

quite the contrary, I do like mercedes and Mclaren,

I just don;t like the hypocrisy of Force India and I'm no fan of customer cars either...and I don't particularly rate Kovy as a deserving driver for the seat he occupies. I think Sutil would be an upgrade.

Judging by their performances against Fisichella, Sutil is not better than Kovalainen. At all. In the slightest.

Heikki took half his rookie season before he started solidly beating Fisichella. At no stage has Sutil solidly beat Fisichella. In fact, Fisi has had the measure of Sutil for the majority of races. So I cannot justify, by any logic, why Sutil would be better driver than Kovalainen, should they be on the same team.

[Overlord]

They don't have technical director and designer anymore! So, guess who will design their car now?!

Mike Coughlan???

[TodeImmabbedo]

What's the difference between this and the proposed Prodrive customer car that was disallowed?

Dave Richards must be asking that same question.

[MP+4]

This was in the morning paper yesterday. I can't quote exactly but VJ was saying that for 2010 he would like to win some races and be on the podium. For 2009 he would be satisfied with regular points finishes. I realize that this deal with McLaren will benefit Force India but I'm not sure whether their goals will be fulfilled either. Its all a bit up in the air for the minute, I think.

[haudraufwienix]

That was also my understanding...engines, technical assistance (probably suspension and aero) and that was it, they weren't getting old Mac chassis.

I'm also against this not because of McLaren but the utter hypocrisy of VM and Force India to the point of sacking Kolles because of his past comments on the customer issue regarding Red Bull.

[TodeImmabbedo]

So are Force India using last years Mclaren chassis?

The way I read it was that the deal was for just about everything except some MP4/23's.

I was thinking more generally in terms of the "partnership" between Prodrive/Force India and McLaren. It does seem as though the details of the two deals do differ.

[Immampdah]

Mike Coughlan???

Now that would be something interesting to talk about! Maybe he'll bring around his good friend Stepney!

[Immampdah]

So are Force India using last years Mclaren chassis?

It would be impossible with the new technical regs! They'll probably get something closer to the MP4-24!

[quorceopporce]

It would be impossible with the new technical regs! They'll probably get something closer to the MP4-24!

Which is why I think all the talk of the 2009 FI car being a McLaren in all but name is rather erroneous, because clearly McLaren aren't going to design them a new car from scratch.

[7kitthuptarill]

Am I wrong in thinking that supplying Force India with Engine, Gearbox, Kers is very similar to say Renault supplying engines to Red Bull? just more parts?
McLaren are not designing the car for them, nor giving them a chasis are they?

[Rexaviennatutr]

No, just the bits they said in the press release asfar as we know for now.

Theres a story in the uk motorsport news saying Dela Rosa is inline for a drive,I really hope not!

[STYWOMBORGOSY]

They don't have technical director and designer anymore! So, guess who will design their car now?!

Mark Smith (designer of the Renault R25) and James Key are still there and running the tech side of things.

[kictainiSot]

i think this force india deal sucks big time the teams should be linked and testing should be cut for one team.
http://www.duemotori.com/news/f1/316...India_role.php

A McLaren director has been appointed in a leading role with the Force India team.

With the confirmation of Force India's technical linkup with McLaren-Mercedes on Monday, it also emerged that the Silverstone based team will receive "operational support". As more details were divulged at a media event at Force India's Northamptonshire headquarters, it became clear that 46-year-old Simon Roberts, McLaren's operations director, will forthwith now work full-time for Force India.