Official: Racing Point Force India will indeed be on the grid in Belgium

Sahara Force India is dead, long live Racing Point Force India! The team changes its name and is able to compete in the Belgian Grand Prix. However, it loses all its points in the championship.

As often happens, F1 found itself in a complex legal and economic situation because of one of its teams. This time, it was Force India that stirred the paddock throughout Thursday. When we met with Esteban Ocon in the early afternoon, the Frenchman was not certain he would be racing the next day.

Finally, the release came in the late afternoon through an official statement from the team, simply titled Racing Point UK Limited acquires Force India Formula One Team. The new official name of the team thus becomes Racing Point Force India. From the outside, it seems like a minor change. But the consequences are very significant: it’s an entirely new team making its debut in the championship while Sahara Force India is erased from the records.

The financial impact is significant since the distribution of revenue paid by Liberty Media is partly based on the points scored by a team. This means that Racing Point will not be able to benefit from the 59 points scored so far this season. However, the drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon retain the benefit of their points.

The only major change in the organizational chart is the departure of Rob Fernley, who was the deputy team director. The new master of the house is now Otmar Szafnauer, who was previously responsible for the team’s operations.

Thus, he is pleased to be able to focus on the sporting aspect: « As we return from the summer break and prepare for the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix, I would like to thank all the staff for their commitment and loyalty during this transition period. Now that we have new owners and the future of the team is secured, we can focus on what we do best: racing. We have a great leadership team in place, and this stability is extremely important as we start this new era. »

After years with shareholders burdened by legal and economic issues, the Silverstone team will now benefit from the financing of shareholders fully committed to giving the team the means to fight: « I have been fortunate to create and grow a number of successful businesses, but the opportunity to take over this team may be my most exciting challenge. Along with the other shareholders, we will invest in new resources and bring a fresh energy to strengthen this staff to continue racing at the highest level,” Lawrence Stroll stated.

The team’s colors will always remain pink and white, to which blue will be added.

From our special correspondent at Spa-Francorchamps