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Force India VJM04

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Force India VJM04
Paul di Resta driving the VJM04 at the Spanish Grand Prix
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorForce India
Designer(s)Mark Smith (Technical Director)
Andrew Green (Engineering Director)
Ian Hall (Chief Designer)
Bruce Eddington (Chief Engineer, Composites)
Dan Carpenter (Chief Engineer, Mechanical Design)
Simon Gardner (Head of R&D)
James Knapton (Head of Vehicle Science)
Simon Phillips (Head of Aerodynamics)
PredecessorForce India VJM03
SuccessorForce India VJM05
Technical specifications
ChassisCarbon fibre composite monocoque with Zylon legality side anti-intrusion panels
Suspension (front)Aluminium uprights with carbon fibre composite wishbones, trackrod and pushrod. Inboard chassis mounted torsion springs, dampers and anti-roll bar assembly
Suspension (rear)as front, except for trackrod and pullrod, and gearbox mounted torsion springs.
EngineMercedes-Benz FO 108Y 2,400 cc (146.5 cu in) 90° V8, limited to 18,000 RPM, naturally aspirated, mid-mounted
TransmissionMcLaren Seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox with reverse gear, Electronic shift system
Weight640 kg (1,411 lb) (including driver)
FuelMobil
TyresPirelli P Zero
BBS Wheels (front and rear): 13"
Competition history
Notable entrantsForce India F1 Team (1−15)
Sahara Force India F1 Team (16−19)
Notable drivers14. Germany Adrian Sutil
15. United Kingdom Paul di Resta
Debut2011 Australian Grand Prix
Last event2011 Brazilian Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
190000

The Force India VJM04 is a Formula One racing car developed by Force India for the 2011 Formula One season, the fourth car the team has made since entering the sport in 2008. The car was driven by long-time Force India driver Adrian Sutil and 2010 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters champion Paul di Resta. The car was launched online on 8 February 2011.[1] The car took the team into 6th in the Constructors' Championship with 69 points by the end of the season.

Season summary

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First half

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Sutil during the Malaysian Grand Prix

In the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Sutil finished ninth and di Resta finished in tenth, scoring points in his debut race after the Saubers were disqualified.[2]

In the Malaysian Grand Prix, di Resta finished tenth while Sutil finished right behind in 11th, outside the points.[3]

In Chinese Grand Prix, di Resta qualified in Q3 for the first time, starting from eighth. Sutil meanwhile, missed out the final shootout with 11th.[4] Unfortuanely, di Resta only managed to finish in 11th, while Sutil finished in 15th during the race.[5] Force India endured a difficult Turkish Grand Prix as neither driver managed to finish in the points. Sutil finished 13th while di Resta had to retire from the race after suffering from a loose wheel.[6]

The European and Canadian rounds kicked off with the scoreless Spanish Grand Prix, di Resta started from 16th and finished 12th ahead of Sutil finishing right behind.[7]

The team returned to scoring ways in the Monaco Grand Prix. Sutil was running fourth at some point. However, on lap 72, contact with Pastor Maldonado and the wall triggered an incident in which Jaime Alguersuari and Vitaly Petrov crashed and the race was red-flagged. After the restart, Sutil eventually finished seventh, while di Resta had to settle for 12th after receiving a drive-through penalty for a mistimed pass on Toro Rosso's Jaime Alguersuari.[8]

Di Resta had to retire from the Canadian Grand Prix with a puncture late in the race

The team was set for another points finish with di Resta qualified in 11th and Sutil in 14th for the Canadian Grand Prix.[9] Both drivers had to serve their respective drive-through penalties during the race, neither cars made it to the finish line as Sutil retired on lap 49 due to taking a damage from a battle with Ferrari's Felipe Massa and di Resta retiring on lap 67 due to a puncture.[10]

Sutil bounced back at the scorching hot European Grand Prix with a ninth-place finish while di Resta finished in frustrating 14th.[11] The team went scoreless in the British Grand Prix, Sutil missed out with 11th while di Resta finished his home race in a distant 15th.[12] Sutil took his joint-best result of the season with a sixth-place finish in front of the home crowd in the German Grand Prix. Di Resta endured another difficult weekend as the Briton finished 13th.[13]

At the Hungarian Grand Prix, di Resta finally scored points for the first time since Malaysia with a strong seventh-place finish. Teammate Sutil finished outside the points in 14th.[14]

Second half

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Sutil finished the Belgian Grand Prix in seventh after starting from 15th on the grid

The season resumed after the summer break with the Belgian Grand Prix. Sutil took a strong seventh-place finish for the first race of the second half of the season.[15] Di Resta took damage after Timo Glock made contact in the middle stages, however, di Resta recovered from his poor qualifying session to finish 11th.[16]

Di Resta took eighth in Italy

In Italy, the team was on course for a points-finish contention with di Resta lining up from 11th after being beaten to Q3 by Renault's Bruno Senna.[17] Sutil qualified right behind di Resta in 12th. Di Resta took eighth in the race while Sutil retired with a hydraulics issue.[18]

Sutil took eighth in Singapore as the team scored their first double points-finish of the season

Both cars made it into Q3 in Singapore, with Sutil starting from ninth and di Resta from tenth due to the team being content enough not to send the drivers out for the final shootout.[19] The team went on to score their first double points-finish of the season with di Resta achieving career-best sixth and Sutil in eighth.[20]

Sutil outqualified di Resta in Japan as the former started from 11th while the latter started from 12th.[21] The drivers were unable to progress from their starting grid and finished the race in the position they started.[22]

Team principal Vijay Mallya was confident that the team could snatch fifth from Renault's hands in the last four rounds.[23] Both drivers made it into Q3, rounding off the fifth row in Korea.[24] It was Di Resta who scored the team's sole points in the race with tenth-place finish while Sutil ended the afternoon outside the points by finishing 11th.[25]

During the team's home race at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix, Sutil finished ninth after having a battle with his teammate midway through the race. Di Resta finished the race in 13th.[26][27]

Force India entered the penultimate round in Yas Marina with a good form after both drivers made it into Q3.[28] What follows was the team's second double points-finish with Sutil finishing eighth and Di Resta in ninth during the race.[29]

The team's final double points-finish at the final round was ultimately not enough to overtake Renault's 73 points for fifth with only four points separating them.[30]

Sponsorship and livery

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The livery were not many that changed by retaining the same colour and redesigned graphics. Retaining sponsors including Whyte & Mackay, Kingfisher, Reebok, Doublemint and Medion; until Sutil departed from the team. Sahara India Pariwar was added ahead from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix before signing the deal as their title sponsor.

At the Malaysian Grand Prix, the team paid tribute to the Indian cricket team that won the 2010 ICC World Twenty20. At the Turkish Grand Prix, Whyte & Mackay was replaced with a "One in a Billion Hunt" contest. At the Indian Grand Prix, the team promoted the film Ra.One, featured on the nose cone.[31]

Complete Formula One results

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(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Points WCC
2011 Force India F1 Team Mercedes FO 108Y V8 P AUS MAL CHN TUR ESP MON CAN EUR GBR GER HUN BEL ITA SIN JPN KOR IND ABU BRA 69 6th
Sutil 9 11 15 13 13 7 Ret 9 11 6 14 7 Ret 8 11 11 9 8 6
di Resta 10 10 11 Ret 12 12 18 † 14 15 13 7 11 8 6 12 10 13 9 8

† Driver failed to finish the race, but was classified as they had completed >90% of the race distance.

References

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  1. ^ "Online launch for Force India's 2011 car". Formula1.com. Formula One Administration. 8 February 2011. Archived from the original on 10 February 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  2. ^ Rae, Richard (27 March 2011). "Sauber disqualified after Sergio Perez impresses". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  3. ^ Allen, Patrick (10 April 2011). "Sebastian Vettel Wins a Tense 2011 Malaysian GP". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Force India bags Q3 position at Chinese GP". The New Indian Express. Shanghai. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Hamilton stuns at Chinese Grand Prix". Al Jazeera. Agence France-Presse. 17 April 2011. Archived from the original on 27 September 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  6. ^ Cary, Tom (8 May 2011). "Turkish Grand Prix 2011: Force India's British driver Paul Di Resta frustrated after first F1 retirement". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  7. ^ "No points for Force India from Spanish GP". The Times of India. Barcelona. 22 May 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  8. ^ Holt, Sarah (29 May 2011). "Sebastian Vettel triumphs after Monaco Grand Prix drama". BBC Sport. Monte Carlo. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Vettel claims Canada pole". Eurosport. 12 June 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  10. ^ Schatten, Rob (13 June 2011). "Di Resta surprised by penalty". Autosport. Archived from the original on 21 April 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  11. ^ Howard, Gordon (27 June 2011). "Vettel shrugs off doubts in Valencia". The Times of Malta. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  12. ^ Collings, Tim (11 July 2011). "Alonso wins dramatic British GP". The Times of Malta. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  13. ^ Holt, Sarah (24 July 2011). "Lewis Hamilton wins thrilling German Grand Prix". Nürburgring. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  14. ^ Holt, Sarah (31 July 2011). "Jenson Button wins in Hungary as Lewis Hamilton falters". BBC Sport. Hungaroring. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  15. ^ Benson, Andrew (28 August 2011). "Sebastian Vettel storms to Belgian victory". BBC Sport. Spa-Francorchamps. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  16. ^ Weaver, Paul (28 August 2011). "Sebastian Vettel cruises to victory at Belgian Grand Prix". The Guardian. Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Archived from the original on 27 September 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  17. ^ Richards, Giles (10 September 2011). "Sebastian Vettel claims pole position at the Italian Grand Prix". The Guardian. Monza Circuit. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  18. ^ Holt, Sarah (11 September 2011). "Sebastian Vettel cruises to dominant Italian GP victory". Monza Circuit. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  19. ^ Beer, Matt (24 September 2011). "Vettel flies to 11th pole of 2011 in Singapore". Autosport. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  20. ^ Allen, Patrick (25 September 2011). "Sebastian Vettel Leads 2011 Singapore Grand Prix Throughout to Earn Easy Victory". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  21. ^ Richards, Giles (8 October 2011). "Sebastian Vettel denies Jenson Button in Japan to claim pole – again". The Guardian. Suzuka, Mie. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  22. ^ "Sutil 11th, Di Resta 12th as Force India returns pointless". The Times of India. Suzuka, Mie. Press Trust of India. 9 October 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Force India optimistic about fifth place finish". The Times of India. Yeongam. Press Trust of India. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  24. ^ "Hamilton edges out Vettel to take pole position in Korea". France 24. News Wires. 15 October 2011. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  25. ^ "Vettel wins Korean Grand Prix". Al Jazeera. 16 October 2011. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  26. ^ "Vettel cruises to victory in India". China Daily. Greater Noida. 30 October 2011. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  27. ^ Weaver, Paul (30 October 2011). "Sebastian Vettel cruises to victory in inaugural Indian Grand Prix". The Guardian. Buddh International Circuit. Archived from the original on 26 September 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  28. ^ Weaver, Paul (12 November 2011). "Fernando Alonso claims to have forgotten the pain of Abu Dhabi". The Observer. Abu Dhabi: The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  29. ^ "Hamilton triumphs in Abu Dhabi". Al Jazeera. European Pressphoto Agency. 13 November 2011. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  30. ^ Benson, Andrew (27 November 2011). "Mark Webber beats Sebastian Vettel to win season-ending Brazilian GP". BBC Sport. São Paulo. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  31. ^ Chopra, Anupama (1 November 2011). "The Ra.One Marketing Mania". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
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