Force India says unlikely to be ready until third, final session of F1 testing

By foxsports
Published

JEREZ, Spain --  Force India's car is unlikely to be ready until the third and final session of Formula One preseason testing in Barcelona in three weeks.

Force India initially planned to drive in this week's first tests in Jerez in southern Spain, albeit with last year's car, before making a late call to skip it because there was little to learn from doing that.

It also will pass on the second tests from Feb. 19-22, and instead hopes to be ready for the final session from Feb. 26-March 1.

"Although everybody is working toward getting the VJM08 to the next test session in Barcelona, it's more likely the new car will appear at the final Barcelona test," the team said in a statement on Wednesday.

Force India finished sixth in the constructors' championship last year, with German driver Nico Hulkenberg finishing ninth and Mexican Sergio Perez one behind in the drivers' standings.

It secured nine top-six finishes overall: Seven for Hulkenberg and two for Perez, who had the best performance with third place at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April.

They have the same lineup for this year's championship, which begins on March 15 in Melbourne, Australia.