Mallya’s Force India targets top-3 finish

Force India set their sights on breaking into Formula One’s top three at the launch of their new car yesterday and hit back at suggestions that they lack the budget to match the manufacturers in a spending ‘arms race’. “If we did not dream big, we would not have finished fourth in the world championship last year,” said co-owner and principal Vijay Mallya, the embattled former billionaire whose extradition is sought by India. “We will always dream big,” added the liquor tycoon who was charged in absentia last month by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation with conspiracy and fraud over a loan to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. He has dismissed the charges against him. “We have never had conversations, even in private, that we cannot break into the top three. That is certainly going to be our objective. We are going to give it our best shot.” Force India enjoyed their best ever season last year, finishing behind Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. Force India’s annual budget is estimated at less than half that of the teams above them and also some of those below, such as McLaren. Renault Sport F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul told reporters at the launch of his team’s car on Tuesday, when he set a target of fifth overall, that he doubted Force India had the resources to compete at the very top. “I think this season will be an arms race, and I really feel for the teams who are under-resourced,” the Frenchman had said. “I believe that most of the car build budget of a Force India will be gone by now, just to cope with the new regulations.” Mallya laughed at the suggestion during a stage presentation. “Good luck to him. He might have to eat his words. It’s not the amount of arms you have, it’s the quality of your weaponry,” said the Indian. Mallya said the team planned to develop the new Mercedes-powered VJM10 throughout the season. Force India have Mexican Sergio Perez and French newcomer Esteban Ocon as drivers this season. “I’ve always said ‘under promise and over deliver’,” said Mallya of his approach to Formula One. “And I’m going to stick to that philosophy. As much as people may say there is this huge barrier to breaking into the top three, I see no reason why we can’t.”New start for the only Nico on 2017 F1 gridReuters/LondonFormula One’s ‘other German Nico’ is now the only one racing this season, following the sudden retirement of world champion Nico Rosberg, and Nico Hulkenberg is fired up for a new start with Renault. The 29-year-old Hulkenberg has joined from Force India, who punched above their weight last season to finish a best-ever fourth and comfortably ahead of ninth-placed Renault, and has no doubt he made the right career move. “I’m finding it very exciting, and good so far,” the Le Mans 24 Hours winner said at the launch of the team’s new RS17 car in central London. Hulkenberg has yet to stand on the Formula One podium, after 115 grand prix starts, but Renault are targeting fifth place overall with the possibility — if all the stars are aligned in a season of change — of a rostrum finish. The longer-term target, for a team that won titles with Spaniard Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006 before pulling out in 2010 and then returning as full constructors last year, is to be challenging for the title again by 2020. Hulkenberg was wary of raising hopes too high, at least until the car has run for the first time in testing in Spain next week. “I think everybody’s very optimistic and excited about the year ahead but you also have to be realistic and I think the team still has a lot of catching up to do,” he said. “I’m not a new Nico, (I’m) the same but definitely very motivated and keen and eager.” The German, who joins Briton Jolyon Palmer in the line-up, said he had already seen a big difference in approach between Force India and Renault, with the latter enjoying far greater resources and investing heavily. “Hopefully all this pays dividends later in the year but for sure this is still a build-up year, getting to grips with everything,” he said. “Being in a new team, it always takes some time to acclimatise but so far I feel already pretty integrated, I have to say. They gave me a good, nice, warm welcome.” Renault Sport F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul made the team’s expectations clear, saying: “You can see that he will be a leader of this team. Not just of the race team, between himself and Jo, but he will be a leader for everyone and a clear ambassador for Renault. We are all looking forward to seeing him in action.”Palmer adds weight to his second seasonJolyon Palmer needs no reality check ahead of his second Formula One season, but the Renault driver might be wondering about some of his friends. The 26-year-old Briton indicated at the launch of his team’s 2017 car on Tuesday that their imaginations had been running wild over the winter break ahead of a season with big rule changes. “Some of my mates have been saying ‘Imagine if you can do a Brawn’,” he told reporters, referring to compatriot Jenson Button’s 2009 world championship success with rank outsiders Brawn GP. Former champions Renault finished ninth overall last season, with Palmer securing one point from his 21 races. The new cars are expected to lap significantly faster on fatter tyres, and Renault are confident that their power unit has also made big gains on last year. With more staff on board and greater resources, they are targeting fifth place overall and maybe even a podium if circumstances play until their hands. But any talk of dethroning champions Mercedes would be dismissed as the ramblings of a madman. With every rule change there is, however, the chance of a team discovering something truly innovative that gives them an immediate advantage, just as Brawn did with their 2009 aerodynamic trickery. “It is a completely blank set of regulations. We have no idea what anyone else is doing, they don’t know what we are doing,” said Palmer. “We will hit the track in Barcelona (at the first pre-season test next week) and see some sort of form guide, I guess. But compared to the last few years it is a real chance for someone to upset the form book. Early on I think there will be a chance if someone really gets the race right to make a big jump.”  For once, he could enjoy the ‘full works’ at Christmas dinner. “For years I’ve been trying to lean down and save weight and now I’ve got to try to bulk up for once... it’s going to be very physical and hopefully it pays off. There’s going to be a lot of drivers with some stiff necks,” he said. The Briton, who stills lives in London rather than sunnier climes, said he felt more relaxed, more confident and knew what to expect. “The way Formula One works I have understood a lot more over the last 12 months. As a team we should be a lot more competitive so it is an exciting time.”