 Giancarlo Fisichella driving the VJM02 at the 2009 Spanish Grand Prix | |||||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Force India | ||||||||||
| Designer(s) | James Key (Technical Director) Mark Smith (Design Director) Ian Hall (Chief Designer) Bruce Eddington (Chief Engineer, Composites) Dan Carpenter (Chief Engineer, Mechanical Design) Simon Gardner (Head of R&D) Richard Frith (Head of Vehicle Science) Simon Phillips (Head of Aerodynamics) | ||||||||||
| Predecessor | Force India VJM01 | ||||||||||
| Successor | Force India VJM03 | ||||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon fibre composite monocoque with Zylon legality side anti-intrusion panels. | ||||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Aluminium MMC uprights with carbon fibre composite wishbones, trackrod and pushrod. Inboard chassis mounted torsion springs, dampers and anti-roll bar assembly. | ||||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Aluminium MMC uprights with carbon fibre composite wishbones, trackrod and pushrod. Inboard gearbox mounted torsion springs, dampers and anti-roll bar assembly. | ||||||||||
| Length | 4900mm | ||||||||||
| Height | 950mm | ||||||||||
| Axle track | 1480mm (front) 1420mm (rear) | ||||||||||
| Wheelbase | 3200mm | ||||||||||
| Engine | Mercedes-Benz FO 108W 2.4L V8, naturally aspirated, mid-mounted | ||||||||||
| Transmission | McLaren, 7 forward gears + 1 reverse, semi-automatic | ||||||||||
| Weight | 605kg (with driver, by regulations) | ||||||||||
| Fuel | Mobil High Performance Unleaded (5.75% bio fuel) | ||||||||||
| Lubricants | Mobil 1 – for higher performance, lower friction and better wear resistance | ||||||||||
| Tyres | Bridgestone with Forged wheels to Force India specification | ||||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||||
| Notable entrants | Force India F1 Team | ||||||||||
| Notable drivers | 20.  Adrian Sutil[1]21.  Giancarlo Fisichella[2]21. Vitantonio Liuzzi | ||||||||||
| Debut | 2009 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| Last event | 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
The Force India VJM02 was Force India's Formula One car for the 2009 Formula One season. It was revealed in a low-key press event, after the car's first test at the Silverstone Circuit, on February 28, 2009, before a public test at the Circuito de Jerez in Spain the following day.[3][4] The Northamptonshire-based team's car is decorated in the colours of the Indian flag, and was driven by the same drivers as in 2008 – Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil.[3][5]
The VJM02 was the first British-based foreign F1 car to utilize ExxonMobil fuel and lubricants as Mobil brand, in which Esso and Exxon was used on Red Bull RB13 8 years later along with Mobil from 2017, as they are currently ExxonMobil brands from 1999. The VJM02 was also the first Mercedes-powered non-McLaren Formula One car since the Sauber C13 in the 1994 season.
- ^ "Drivers: Adrian Sutil". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
- ^ "Drivers: Giancarlo Fisichella". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
- ^ a b Matt Beer (2009-02-28). "Force India reveal their new VJM02". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
- ^ Matt Beer (2009-03-01). "Mallya: Force India have 'no excuses'". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 2009-03-04.
- ^ "Force India revamps itself". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 2008-11-07. Retrieved 2009-03-04.