Force India still to reveal new name, 2018 car

Force India is still planning a name change before the 2018 season begins in Australia.

On Monday, Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon pulled a sheet off what is believed to be only a modified 2017 car.

Marca sports newspaper said the full 2018 car will be in Barcelona on Wednesday or Thursday.

That is why Russian test driver Nikita Mazepin rather than Perez or Ocon was in the cockpit on the first day.

As for the team’s new name, sporting boss Otmar Szafnauer said that is still coming.

"We haven’t quite decided and it also needs to go through the formal approval process," he said.

He said the overalls and shirts worn by drivers and personnel on Monday were just "interim" ones, not featuring any Force India-specific branding.

"We’ll have the real ones for the first race — a bit like the car," he said.