Force India rebranded as Racing Point and becomes controversial new entry
Force India was rebranded as a new entity ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, following the team’s recent sale but the creation and purchase of the team continues to cause controversy.
The outfit is now known as Racing Point Force India after it was bought by a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll earlier this month. All of the points the team had accrued before Spa have been wiped but the issue of whether it will receive prize money at the end of the season has been contentious.
Normally teams need to have finished in the top 10 in the constructors’ standings for two seasons before they can receive so-called Column 1 prize money. But, despite there being support for the new entry to receive the money straight away, Haas team boss Gunther Steiner has raised concerns as his team had to wait the two years before receiving the income.
The new entry’s team principal is former Force India COO Otmar Szafnaeur, while deputy team principal Bob Fernley – who ran the team at race weekends when former owner Vijay Mallya was absent – is no longer involved.
There is also anger from a Russian company that attempted to take control of the team. Chemical firm Uralkali, which is closely associated with Dmitry Mazepin,father of GP3 racer Nikita, has threatened legal action if it doesn’t get answers about how the team’s administration period was conducted.
The company insists it had made a viable bid to bring the F1 team out of administration, and questioned the way that the Stroll-led consortium was able to buy the assets.