The true potential of Force India’s major VJM08 upgrade won’t be felt until the Singapore Grand Prix when all the new parts in development are bolted on for the first time according to technical director Andrew Green.
The Silverstone based team began the season with an interim car due to various reasons including financial problems. However much of those have been overcome and development of the car is in full swing.
A major upgrade introduced at the British Grand Prix was in fact just part of a bigger package, which won’t be on the car until the Singapore GP later in the season.
“The car you’ve seen so far is the first step of a series of developments we will be introducing on to it over the next few races,” Green told Autosport.
“It’s current potential won’t be realised until Singapore,” he added. “That’s the race we are targeting to have the full kit on the car, the full upgrade.”
Several key areas of the car have yet to be addressed and Green reckons they’re only about 50 per cent of the way there in terms of bringing upgrades from the factory to the track.
“The subsequent updates include front and rear wings, floor, diffuser, so quite a big suite of parts coming.
“I would say the car is about 50 per cent of the way there at the moment as far as updates are concerned, and it will be a step-change process over the next few races.”
Whilst some may suggest bringing major upgrades so late in the season is a waste, with stable regulations in 2016 – before major changes in 2017 – it makes sense to continue developments which can then be carried through to next season.
“If there are areas we believe can be transferred from next year’s car on to this one – and there’s a high probability they will – then we will do so.
“So we hope to bring updates to the very end, especially to prove out some concepts we have for next year as well.
“We’ll see a lot more development in the latter half of this year compared to previous years.”
