A name change for Force India to attract sponsors?

In an interview with Autosport, Vijay Mallya discusses the ongoing talks to determine if a name change could be beneficial for the Indian team. He also talks about his personal situation, while denying that his decision might be related to the legal conflict he is experiencing with his country.

The Force India team resulted from Vijay Mallya’s acquisition of the Spyker structure, formerly Midland (originating from the purchase of Jordan), in 2008 with the aim of promoting India in motorsport. Since its acquisition, the team has consistently progressed in the hierarchy, reaching fourth place in the constructors’ championship last year, the best ranking in its history. It can even be considered the best of the 100% independent teams on the Formula 1 grid.

Let’s still remember that the team managed at the beginning of the season to secure a sponsorship contract with the Austrian company BWT, a specialist in water technologies. This contract even led the team to change its livery to adopt the company’s pink color. The team had almost changed its name at the beginning of the 2016 season to be renamed Aston-Martin Racing, but the agreement was ultimately not reached.

The owner Vijay Mallya now thinks it might be necessary to change the name of the team to attract the sponsors the team needs, despite its strong results: « There is a growing feeling that makes us say that maybe we will go in that direction. We are a team that has improved a lot in terms of performance, which attracts more international sponsors; and unfortunately, fewer Indian sponsors. The name should be changed to give it a more international character. Some people feel that the current name Force India is too psychologically restrictive.

Vijay Mallya adds that this decision should not be taken lightly: « I am considering, along with the other shareholders, the steps to take, but it’s a major decision and it should not be made without thought. »

If the name of the team were to be changed, it would not happen before knowing what policy will be implemented by the new owners of Formula 1: « More importantly, we need to examine how the F1 scenario unfolds under Liberty’s ownership. If they follow the NFL model, of course, the name becomes even more important as it is a franchise model where emphasis is placed on the name. But the current model could also continue. These are all questions I will consider with the other shareholders before reaching the final decision. »

Mallya later states that there are proposals on the table from a sponsor and that negotiations for additional sponsorships exist.

When asked if the name change of his team is related to his legal situation regarding India, the businessman believes it has nothing to do with it: « The fact that India and I are not the best partners is something that has been going on for years. It’s nothing new. Over the past few years, I have never considered a name change. It solely comes from our current partner, a proposal that is on the table, and for the team’s growth. »

Indeed, the founder of the team has been pursued by Indian authorities since the bankruptcy of his airline Kingfisher Airlines in 2013 to recover his debts. His diplomatic passport was revoked last April, and a warrant has been issued against him. This is why he is unable to leave the United Kingdom, and therefore cannot attend his team’s races.