VJM05 launch: Nose height regulations claim third victim

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VJM05 launch: Nose height regulations claim third victim

Force India took to the Silverstone Circuit this morning to launch the VJM05, the team’s fifth Formula 1 car.

And in this, their fifth year of operation, the team are feeling confident enough in their car and drivers to set a target of fifth place in the 2012 constructors’ championship.

“I think we’ve done a solid job over the winter, and we’ve complied with the FIA rules,” said chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer. “It all depends on what the others have done and what they were able to find from a development standpoint over the winter.

“It’s going to be difficult in the midfield, but our focus is on improving our position from last season,” he continued. “We’re going to work hard throughout the year to regularly qualify in Q3 and finish in the points. And to achieve fifth place, we’ll have to do that.”

When the VJM05 was unveiled it became immediately obvious that Force India had interpreted the nose height regulations in a similar manner to Caterham and Ferrari; the car featured the now-typical dropped nose.

“I would say that the car looks a lot more refined than previous cars produced here,” technical director Andrew Green said. “It does look a lot racier and a lot more purposeful. You can start to see the aerodynamic concepts coming through now. It looks quite a bit different to the previous years, which is good. And so far the performance in the tunnel has been extremely encouraging. It’s just that unknown of where everyone else is – and we won’t know that until Melbourne.

“As far as I am concerned, this car was designed more two or three months ago, and what I’m looking at now is all the development parts,” he continued.

“We’re scheduling all the new parts that are going to come in for the last test or the first race, so they are the ones on which we can focus. The net result is that we will be adding performance on the car come Melbourne because of the shape we’re in now. We will have that capacity in February to really push through updates in a much shorter period of time, because everything else will have been sorted. That’s really what we’re gearing ourselves up for – the first race – and it will be a little bit different from the car that we are going to run at the first test.”

Paul di Resta took the VJM05 around Silverstone for its initial shakedown, making Force India the first team to run a car this year.

VJM05 technical specs

Chassis Carbon fibre composite monocoque with Zylon legality side anti-intrusion panels.

Front suspension Aluminium uprights with carbon fibre composite wishbones, trackrod and pushrod. Inboard chassis mounted torsion springs, dampers and anti-roll bar assembly.

Rear suspension Aluminium uprights with carbon fibre composite wishbones, trackrod and pullrod. Inboard gearbox mounted torsion springs, dampers and anti-roll bar assembly.

Wheel base 3500mm
Front track 1480mm
Rear track 1440mm
Overall height 950mm
Overall length 5100mm
Overall weight 640kg (with driver, by regulations)
Wheels BBS forged wheels to Sahara Force India specification
Engine supplier Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains V8 2.4litre
KERS Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains
Transmission McLaren Racing 7-speed, semi-automatic, ‘e-shift’
Lubricants Mobil 1 products
Spark plugs NGK
Clutch AP Racing carbon clutch
Tyres Pirelli
Brake system AP Racing
Brake material Brembo
Dampers Penske Kate Walker