Q&A with Vijay Mallya

Vijay, 2016 will be Force India’s ninth season in Formula One. What can we expect?

“Off the back of our best season ever I want us to begin 2016 in the same way that we ended 2015. If you think back to the last race in Abu Dhabi, we were the third fastest team that weekend and took the fight to Ferrari in qualifying and the race. I’m not saying we can do that in Melbourne, but we set the bar high in 2015 and we should try and push it higher in 2016. At the very least our target must be to maintain fifth place and target fourth place as a stretch objective.”

There’s an unchanged driver line-up for a third consecutive season. That’s good news…

“I’m very happy with my drivers. They both fit well with our approach and racing philosophy, and they enjoy racing here. We treat our drivers equally; we give them freedom to be themselves, and I think this environment brings out the best from both of them. Having two quick drivers has always been our philosophy because it creates healthy competition within the team, which helps to drive us forward. I expect more of the same in 2016.”

There’s also consistency with the car colours too…

“I really like the livery we introduced last year. The car looks smart and contemporary, and reflects our partners and heritage. Although I’m biased, I think our car is one of the best looking on the grid and that’s why I wanted to keep a consistent look for 2016. As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Who do you see as Force India’s main opposition this year?

“I’m always wary of making bold predictions so early in the season, but I’m optimistic we can stay at the front of the midfield battle. If you look at the second half of last year, after the summer break, we outscored Red Bull Racing by six points and were only nine points behind Williams - so we’ve got to begin the new season with those teams firmly in our sights. At the same time, we are conscious of the threat from McLaren, Toro Rosso and Renault. All those teams have the potential to make big steps over the winter and will be scoring points. I think it’s fair to say the midfield has never been more competitive and we need to work hard to stay at the front of that fight.”

Has the team’s growing competitiveness had a positive impact on the team’s fortunes off-track?

“I think our results over the last few years have demonstrated that we are a credible Formula One team capable of challenging the biggest names in the sport. We have all the ingredients in place to keep improving and that makes us an attractive commercial proposition for brands looking to get involved in the sport. We already have a strong portfolio of blue chip brands supporting us and it’s no secret that both Renault and Aston Martin showed interest in the team last year. However, I’ve always stressed that any partnership needs to be for the long-term benefit of the team, the shareholders and our supporters.”