Andrew Green, Technical Director of the Sahara Force India F1 Team has said that the new VJM11 has retained most aspect of the team’s 2017 car.
The VJM10 helped Force India to their second successive fourth place finish in the Constructors’ Championship and brought the highest points tally that the team has achieved in a single season.
Speaking at the early morning launch of the VJM11 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Green revealed that the car is in keeping with the team’s understanding of the 2017 car.
“The DNA of the car is still very much that of last year’s car,” said Green.
“We took the decision, quite a while ago, that the launch specification of the 2018 car would be based around our understanding of the 2017 car, but with all new structures required by the regulations in place.”
Green then explained that the reasoning for the decision is that it allows the team to make any required changes quicker, due to familiarity. Green is hopeful that the choice will help Force India come into next month’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix with a car they have a solid understanding of.
“It is a starting point, a good reference from which to introduce changes quite quickly,” he added.
“It gives our aerodynamics department more time to develop a car for the first race in Australia, rather than having to release parts early for testing.”
