Racing Point will change name again before F1 season starts

LONDON: Racing Point, the Formula One team formerly known as Force India, will have another name before the season starts in Australia next March, team principal Otmar Szafnauer said.

The words Force India disappeared from the team name after the final race of the 2018 season, Racing Point F1 appearing instead on the 2019 provisional entry list published last Friday.

“It’s not the permanent name, just something we stuck onto the entry until we go for a permanent name change,” Szafnauer said on Monday.

“It won’t be Racing Point”. Force India, the name given to the Silverstone-based team in 2008 after Indian beer and liquor baron Vijay Mallya bought the Spyker F1 outfit, went into administration last July.

Co-owned by Mallya, who has been beset by well-documented financial and legal troubles, and India’s Sahara Group, Force India had been surviving mostly on prize money and sponsorship.

Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, whose son Lance raced for Williams this year, purchased the cars and assets in August and the team continued as Racing Point Force India to distinguish them from the defunct Sahara Force India.

Lance Stroll will be in next year’s lineup, along with Mexican Sergio Perez.

Szafnauer said the new team name was likely to be announced around launch time next year. The change will have to be approved by the governing FIA. — Reuters