Sahara Force India launch 2012 challenger - Analysis

Choosing a launch date that also coincided with the launch date (and time) of one of Formula 1’s front running teams, Scuderia Ferrari, was always going to be a statement to the world that Sahara Force India were serious about competing in 2012. What the team couldn’t have been more grateful for was a sheer stroke of luck – Ferrari’s usual ‘pomp and ceremony’ style launch in Maranello was cancelled just 24 hours before it was due to take place thanks to a freak snowfall that brought the small Italian town to a near standstill.

Now don’t get me wrong, the fact that Sahara Force India were due to launch their car in grand style themselves, just a few minutes down the road from their Northamptonshire based factory at the pinnacle track of British Racing – Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit, was always going to attract some of the finest media journalists from around the UK. But with Ferrari cancelling the launch of their car from a stage in front of the world’s media and instead offering viewers the chance to see the car launched online, journalists, media, and fans around the world quickly turned to see what Sahara Force India were going to offer them for 2012.

The scene of the launch was somewhat picturesque. A cold, sharp morning (and ‘sharp’ is referred to not just as in the weather, but also as in the time the media were told the launch would commence – 9am “sharp” is what the email read..!) with a light frost on the ground and in the air. The sun bounced off the ground, highlighting the somewhat beautiful new pit-straight buildings of the re-designed Silverstone race track. And yes, at 9am ‘sharp’, the launch commenced.

2012 Drivers Paul di Resta (unofficial “Rookie of the Year” 2011), Nico Hulkenberg (finally back where he belongs – in a full time F1 seat) and newly confirmed reserve driver (and coincidently, Ferrari trainee…) Jules Bianchi were all on hand to reveal Sahara Force India’s 2012 Formula 1 season challenger, the VJM05.

As the sheet was pulled back from the car, it became quickly apparent that this was another car in 2012 that will sport the ‘platypus’ or ‘diving board’ style nose, effectively branding the front wing of the car as “ugly” to most. What was a revelation though, was the ‘hammerhead’ on the very front of the wing – a concept we have not yet seen on the new style nose cones and wings.

The ‘hammerhead’ effect at the end of the nose, it simply, the camera housings for the car when it takes to the track at race weekends. However, cleverly, the housings placing at the very front of the car not only fit in precisely with the new regulations, but Sahara Force India say will also help with the aerodynamic stability of the front end. It doesn’t by any means make up for the unattractive style of the new front nose cone concept, but one has to be impressed with the innovative thought process of Technical Director Andrew Green, for whom this is the second Force India car he has seen built. He told the media after the launch “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.”

Like last year, the VJM05 will be powered by Mercedes-Benz. However, the car for 2012 is considerably different to 2011’s VJM04. Tied to the regulation changes, as well as the ‘diving board’ styled nose, the side pods, and overall rear of the car, like McLaren’s MP4-27, have been heavily redesigned. The redesign is mainly due to the fact that the exhaust system, as with all challengers for 2012, cannot blow downwards, resulting in a re-routing of the entire exhaust system.

There are also subtle changes on the front and rear wings to the car – another standard feature one is likely to see on the remaining field of Formula 1 team cars as they are launched over the coming days (or in some cases, weeks).

Having completed the official launch of the car, as well as the standard question and answer session that followed with drivers and Team Management, the media were then treated to witnessing the VJM05 take to the track for a brief shakedown around Silverstone. Paul di Resta took the car for a couple of flying laps much to the media’s delight. With the run also came the bragging rights of being the first Formula 1 team of 2012 to complete a lap in a new challenger. Williams F1 Team were due to take that claim on Thursday, but threatening weather conditions brought the team to a standstill.

“We have set our sights on challenging for fifth place” Team Principle Dr Vijay Mallya told the media Friday morning having seen the car launched. “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.”

With Technical Director Andrew Green reiterating the fact that the team were to take an “aggressive” approach to the 2012 season, and Di Resta remarking “I don’t think Vijay will accept anything less than fifth” this year, I think we are in for a promising and exciting season for the team who are quickly being branded by the media as the “Nations (UK) Team”.

The world of Formula 1 will now get to see the VJM05 in action when Paul di Resta takes to the track on Tuesday (February 7th) when Winter Testing begins in Jerez, Spain.

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